Cityscape with historic buildings, a church with a tall clock tower, a stone bridge over a river, and clear blue sky.

Early Break Rochdale:
Wellbeing & Family Support

Specialist substance use support for young people and families in Rochdale

Based in the heart of Rochdale, Early Break offers targeted local support in emotional health, family services, advocacy, and training, tailored to meet the needs of your community.

We provide specialist support for young people and families in Rochdale affected by substance use!

Nestled in the foothills of the South Pennines, Rochdale has a population of around 111,000 in town and over 223,000 in the wider borough.

Known for iconic landmarks like Rochdale Town Hall and the birthplace of the cooperative movement, it’s a community rich in heritage facing modern challenges, particularly in emotional health, youth wellbeing, and educational access.

Our Services in Rochdale

  • Outline of a laboratory flask with a cannabis leaf next to it

    Advocacy

    Supporting positive change around substance use

    Confidential, person-centred support for young people with drug or alcohol-related needs, offering both short and long-term interventions tailored to individual goals and circumstances.

    Click here
  • Outline drawing of two adults and one child, with a hand open beneath them. The adults and child are smiling, suggesting a caring or supportive situation.

    Holding Families Programme

    Whole-family support through substance use challenges

    Comprehensive support for families affected by parental substance use, with two pathways, both creating space for children's voices and empowering positive family change.

    Click here
  • Outline of a human head with a heart shape inside

    Emotional Health & Wellbeing Groups

    Comprehensive support for mental wellness

    A range of services for children, young people and families, including mindfulness sessions, counselling, wellbeing groups and family support, all delivered with a flexible, person-centred approach in accessible community settings.

    Click Here
  • Icon of a map with a location pin.

    Community Outreach

    Supporting Young People in Their Communities

    Early Break’s community outreach team supports young people in the places they spend time: parks, youth clubs, schools, events, and local neighbourhoods. We provide a friendly face, trusted advice, and a link to services, without pressure, judgement or formality.

    Click Here
  • Illustration of a broken tree branch with two parts separated by a jagged crack.

    Closing the Gap

    Holistic support through young adulthood

    Comprehensive 6-9 month support for 16-25 year olds in Rochdale covering emotional wellbeing, education, employment, housing, relationships, finances and sexual health to bridge service gaps.

    Click Here
  • Outline of three people standing underneath a house-shaped roof.

    Housing First

    Stable housing is the foundation for recovery

    An evidence-based approach for young people with complex needs in Bury, Bolton and Rochdale, providing housing without preconditions as the first step toward addressing life challenges.

    Click Here
  • Icon of hands holding a house

    Pathfinder

    Preventing youth homelessness before crisis

    Early intervention for 18-25 year olds in Rochdale and Oldham at risk of homelessness due to financial issues, strained relationships, unsuitable accommodation or potential eviction.

    Click Here
  • Simple line drawing of a person inside a shield outline.

    SafeZones

    Supporting young people through crisis moments

    A flexible, tailored service for 5-18-year-olds experiencing crisis, offering 5-7 sessions to help you move from crisis to safety.

    Click Here
  • Outline of two hands clapping.

    VCSE Navigator

    Bridging support after CAMHS treatment

    Short-term support (5-8 sessions) for 5-18 year olds in Bury and Rochdale who have been discharged from CAMHS but still require assistance in maintaining progress with their emotional wellbeing.

    Click Here
  • A graphic of three people with an upward arrow above them.

    Local Support Groups

    Our local support groups offer safe, welcoming spaces for young people

    These groups focus on emotional wellbeing, identity, recovery, and peer support, often shaped directly by young people’s voices and lived experience.

    Click Here
  • Two simplified figures of people, one with a graduation cap, representing graduates or students.

    Training Courses

    Evidence-Informed CPD for Professionals

    Explore Early Break training courses for professionals. Build confidence in drug, alcohol, wellbeing and therapeutic support through CPD-accredited sessions.

    Click Here

Why Work with Early Break in Rochdale

We…

  • Support a diverse borough with ~36% identifying as Asian and 43% under 26.

  • Are rooted in a community with a strong heritage, from medieval bridges to the Rochdale Pioneers.

  • Are strategically located with community access via Town Hall Square and Town Centre regeneration zones.

  • Respond to local needs, including youth mental health, educational support, and economic development.

Local Partners & Agencies

  • Rochdale Council Logo
  • Logo for Rochdale Connections Trust featuring the acronym RCT with a stylized figure above and the full name below.
  • A pink crown with purple circles on top, and the text 'Annabelle's Challenge' written below in a playful purple font.
  • Logo for Bury Safeguarding Partnership, featuring concentric semi-circles in purple, green, and pink, with the words "Bury Safeguarding Partnership" in blue text.
  • First Point Family Support Services logo with cartoon family members and text.
  • Ncra Care Group logo with colorful stylized text and a red heart shape.
  • Logo with a house outline and the letters 'GM' inside, with the text 'Housing First' below.
  • Logo for Lancashire Children's Safeguarding Assurance Partnership featuring two stylized hands and colorful shapes.
  • Logo of NHS with text 'Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust'.
  • LGBT Foundation logo with rainbow line under the text.
  • Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust logo with NHS and university names.
  • Logo with the word 'my no' in colorful letters and the tagline 'Meeting Your Needs Oldham' underneath.
  • Logo of Manchester City Council featuring a circular emblem with a lion, a unicorn, and a shield, and the words "Manchester City Council" in red and blue text.
  • Logo of NHS Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.
  • Logo featuring a large stylized letter M with a star above it and the word 'Mermaids' written below in blue script.
  • NHS Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust logo with white background
  • Logo with pink circle and black and white border reading "the PROUD Trust home of LGBT+ youth".
  • Logo for Living Well featuring the names of Heywood, Middleton, Rochdale, and Pennines, with a small orange heart shape.
  • Logo for The Kite Trust with a colorful kite graphic and text promoting gender and sexuality support for young people.
  • Logo for MAHDL - an OnSide Youth Zone
  • Logo of Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Partnership with black and purple text and a yellow sun icon.
  • The word 'spark' written in bold red letters with a radiating starburst pattern emanating from the letter 'k'.
  • Logo with a heart shape, an orange circle, and the words 'Safeguarding Oldham' in orange and blue colors.
  • Text on a white background that reads, "The Children's Society Resolve@"
  • Logo with a tree featuring green leaves and two hands supporting its trunk, and the text 'Thriving Young Minds' above and 'Supporting Young People and Families' below.
  • Cover page with the title 'Trafford Strategic Safeguarding Partnership' and a colorful circle of various-sized handprints.
  • Turning Point logo with a stylized colorful butterfly and the tagline "inspired by possibility."
  • Logo of Greater Manchester Police featuring a badge with a crown and the text 'GREAT Manchester POLICE'

Meet a few of the Rochdale team

  • Woman with brown hair wearing a black t-shirt with a graphic design and a lanyard, standing against a solid light blue background.

    Donna

    Emotional Health & Wellbeing Worker

  • A young woman with long dark hair, wearing a black sleeveless top and a necklace, smiling against a solid purple background.

    Anna

    Advocacy Worker

  • Young man with wavy brown hair, a light beard, wearing a black jacket with a gray vest and a lanyard around his neck, standing against a solid light blue background.

    Jacob

    Emotional Health & Wellbeing Worker

  • A middle-aged woman with blonde hair smiling, wearing a coral-colored blouse, in front of an orange background.

    Julie

    Holding Families Co-Ordinator

View Our Full Team

Get in touch

Contact Early Break Rochdale

We're here when you need us.

104, 106 Drake St, Rochdale OL16 1PQ

For opening hours, check our group locations page

From the Blog

Here’s a selection of articles from the blog related to our Rochdale location.

Early Break Rochdale FAQ’s

  • We are a youth and family charity offering free, confidential support for emotional wellbeing, drug and alcohol use, and family life challenges across the North West.

  • Our services cover the whole metropolitan borough, from Heywood and Middleton to Littleborough and Milnrow.

  • We’re based centrally, close to Town Hall Square, just a short walk from Rochdale train and tram.

  • Yes, for services like Closing the Gap, Emotional Wellbeing, Advocacy, and Support Groups, but some services may need a professional referral.

  • Closing the Gap is a bespoke programme for 16–25-year-olds facing life transitions and risk of "falling through the gap" in service provision.

  • Yes, through Holding Families, and Advocacy, emotional health support, and targeted training in collaboration with local health partners.

  • Yes. Our support groups are inclusive, age-specific, and designed by young people themselves.

  • Absolutely. We provide CPD-accredited training courses on trauma, substance use, safeguarding, and mental health.

  • We work alongside local partners, such as the Touchstones Museum and Rochdale Pioneers Museum, to embed heritage and community pride into our services.

  • You can stay connected to Early Break in various ways listed below:

  • If you or someone you know needs urgent help, you can access our list of emergency and useful helpline numbers by clicking the Get Help Now. 

    This will open a quick-reference popup with 24/7 services and support lines for mental health, safeguarding, substance use, and crisis care.