Having children is a life changing experience, which has an impact on all areas of your life including family, friendships, career etc. So having an effective support network is important.But what do you need? As with all things, the answer is - it all depends on you. Are you a first time mum? Do you have family and friends with children? Are you on maternity leave and need a little time to yourself? Perhaps you're looking to stimulate the brain cells, if you have been used to working full time? Are your children about to start nursery / school? Are you returning to work? Thinking of starting a business?

Benefits of support networks:

·* Developing links with other mums (e.g. new mums, families with multiple births, single parents etc)

* Sharing experiences, bouncing off ideas with others (even sharing baby sitting / the school run!)

* Meeting and making new friends with like-minded people (e.g. joining a book club / gym, learning a new skill etc)

* Making contacts in the job market arena (to ease yourself back on the job market)

* Building relationships and potential business contacts

Many people can find the thought of joining a new support network / group daunting. This can be especially true, if your life suddenly revolves around a child dependent on you 24/7. Think of it as "me time for you", approach it as a social event, time to have fun and enjoy yourself and meet like-minded people. Plan time out in your diary to enable you to attend your group, organising child care in advance if you need to.

Spend some time considering what it is that you want to gain from a support network. For instance, perhaps you feel alone as a new mum because you are the first in your group of friends to have a baby? Do you want to join an evening class to gain a new skill? Are you thinking of taking the opportunity and starting your own business and need some business support and advice? Have you moved to a new area and want to make some new friends locally?

Do some research and see what's around (e.g. local library / press, internet, National Childbirth Trust, women's business networking groups, local colleges, talk to other mums at nursery and school to find out what's happening in the local area etc). This will enable you to find the right group for you.

Starting Your Own Group:

You may find that there is a gap in the support network you are looking for, so why not think about setting up your own group? Here are some things to consider:

* What is the purpose or aim of the group? Is it for sharing a particular interest (e.g. stimulating discussion such as at a book club, support for families with multiple births, "some me time" away from the children, learning a new hobby etc)?

* Who do you want to invite? Think about your contacts; ask if they'd be interested in attending and if they in turn have people that they could invite.

* Who is your target audience? This will determine meeting time, place, frequency etc.

* Location for the group? Consider who you want to attract before you decide on a venue (e.g. take turns to meet in someone's home, church hall, local café / restaurant, local gym etc). The format of the meeting will then determine the venue and the atmosphere that you want to create.

* Group Size? The purpose will again affect this. About twelve is a good number to get to know each other personally.

* Format of Meetings? Formal vs. informal? Consider if you want to share ideas, invite guest speakers or take it in turns to address the others in the group or do you just want to meet socially on a regular basis (e.g. review a book each month, coffee morning, meals out, girlie chats, business networking group for "mumpreneurs" etc).

Whatever structure your new group takes, remember that it's important to understand what each member would like to get out of the group. With "support" being the focus, ensure you create an opportunity for people to get to know each other, where they can share experiences, ideas and hopefully build long lasting friendships and relationships!

To find out more about dealing with changes in your life and for help in creating a life that you love, visit www.horizonsregained.com