Lone parent groups

[Septembergold]

My older Dc go back to school next week. So today I decided to start looking at lone parent groups in my area. To start taking my one year old. But they don't have any. I really thought there would be some. Is it just my area that does not have these?

Never ever heard of groups for lone parents only. Surely that would be as discriminatory as 'married people only at our group!' groups?
Can you not just take your DC to a toddler group with gasp people in relationships?

That's what gingerbread groups are for lone parents. They just don't have one in my area.

discriminatory KF?
now, that is something I have never heard before (rolling eyes)

Whereabouts do you live September?

I live in Colchester in Essex.

Ah, I am in north London. If you are ever coming to London get in touch. I like to meet other single / lone parents.

I will do. Everyone I find always lives to far away.

Hi, I'm a member of a lone parent group in SE, not a gingerbread one, but was set up by a few committed lone parents and basically operates as a FB group and we organise meet ups ourselves. It's great and offers brilliant support. I think if you contact Gingerbread they may be able to give you some advice on how to do it, or talk to the council and see if they fund any voluntary sector support service. I bet there are loads of single parents near you looking for support. A yahoo group or similar and a few photocopied flyers in health centres or wherever would I'm sure get attention and a message on MN.
I think it's quite hard in a toddler group to confess to being a single parent, but there is definitely strength and support in numbers. Good luck

I didn't think about using FB to set one up. I did look at the gingerbread ones but they didn't have any in our area.

Mind you, whenever I do meet single parents I think all we want to do is sleep. Maybe some kind of rota'd nap time combined with tea and chat would be good.

No Gingerbread in my area, although they used to have one nearby listed, I did try to contact organiser but it seems to have faded away. I live in East London.

None in my area either! I wonder where they all are then...

Perhaps contact the head office and ask how to set one up? For me, my single parent friends have been a lifeline. Mostly women but a few men. We can moan, meet with and without the DCs - we did a mother's day meal together - and just offer support about all sorts of things.