The Coffee House web forum launched in 2004 for mothers to chat, make friends and exchange advice online.

[1] Netmums was founded by Siobhan Freegard, Cathy Court and Sally Russell who met at playgroup in Harrow, north west London in 2000.

and shortly after this, the three co-founders sold their company to European group aufeminin, originally retaining control over the Netmums brand, but later leaving the site to pursue other work.

[11] In the 2014 New Year Honours Netmums founders Freegard, Court and Russell received OBEs from the Queen for Services to Families.

[21] Netmums subsequently expanded the Parent Supporter scheme further, though the government funding was later gradually reduced and then finally withdrawn.

In 2009, Netmums called publicly on the UK government and primary care trusts to take account of the concerns of parents, and the organisations that represent their needs and views, and to reverse this decline.

[citation needed] In 2010 Netmums conducted an online survey of 5,900 mothers asking which issues mattered most to them, and which were likely to affect their voting decisions in the 2010 general election.

[22] In 2011 the website helped local parent groups campaigning to preventing closures of 250 children's centres in the UK.