Services

What we do

Home-Start volunteers provide emotional and practical support and friendship to families with at least one child under the age of seven. By doing so they represent a lifeline for many families when things are difficult.

This support can be enough to prevent things getting worse and so can possibly help avoid family breakdown.

Parents and families come to Home-Start for a variety of reasons.

These include:- Loneliness, disability, ill health, multiple births, isolation, bereavement, post-natal illness, relationship difficulties or struggling with behaviour/routines.

Our service is free and confidential.

How we help

A Home-Start volunteer will visit you regularly (usually once a week for a couple of hours) and offer:-

• Friendly support through difficult times for as long as you need help
• Understanding, that when bringing up children, problems are not unusual
• Reassurance that you are not alone
• A listening ear and a shoulder to cry on
• An extra pair of hands to help you cope with everyday situations or with Multiple Children 5 or under
• Practical help with activities like playing or story time
• Supporting parents to help them maintain positive changes

Please use the referral form to access our service.

Who are the volunteers?

Home-Start volunteers are people from different backgrounds and vary in age, but all have parenting experience.