Home Based Support

Ways We Help

Our trained staff and volunteers work alongside local families to help them to get through the challenges of everyday family life. We support parents and carers to have the skills, confidence and resilience they need to nurture their children. Helping to give them the best possible start in life.

Our trained volunteers will visit your home for a few hours each week, offering practical assistance and a compassionate ear. Your family’s unique needs will shape our approach, and you can trust that our interactions remain confidential and non-judgemental.

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Establishing routines for your family and your household

Enhancing your child’s and your own physical and emotional well-being

Support with parenting through our helpful tips and guidance

Alleviating feelings of loneliness by connecting you with other parents, local services and groups

Reducing stress and isolation related to family challenge

Facilitating connections with specialist services and other providers

What happens next?

After we have received your request for support and before a volunteer is matched, a member of our staff team will meet with you to discuss your support needs. Where appropriate we will signpost you to further services that may be able to help. We will look to our bank of trained volunteers to identify one who is suited to give you support. A volunteer will then be introduced to you and your family and begin to visit regularly on a weekly basis. Your volunteer will give you emotional support and practical help. All our volunteers are trained, vetted and undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Matching Families

We are very experienced in matching families with volunteers who we think will provide the best care and support to a family awaiting support. We work closely with colleagues in health, social care and education, We never share information about a family without your permission. The only exception being where we have a concern about the welfare of a child or a vulnerable adult.

Home-Start support is completely free and it is entirely voluntary in that the family has a choice in deciding whether our support is right for them. It might be suggested by a known professional such as a 0-19 Health Practitioner, a teacher or another professional, but it is entirely the choice of the family to engage in taking help and support from us.

I am so proud of how far I have come…rebuilding the relationship with my family, getting a job, having our own home. You helped us get this flat and with all the support in the home with cooking, healthy eating, feeling better about myself and with my health. It has all helped with my mental health too. Thank you.

Thank you so much for the laptop, I was so worried how I was going to complete my coursework as I only had my phone to use – I managed to set it up really easily with no help and it’s been so much easier to do everything I need to do. Life is so much easier now.

XXXX would never have gone to nursery if it wasn’t for Home-Start encouraging me to send her. I know how important it is and she is really benefitting and has made new friends.

I was feeling really really down and although it took me half an hour to get out of the house I took myself and XXX for the walk we did with my volunteer and I felt so much better when I got back. Thank you for supporting me.

The session we did on weaning and how to deal with a choking child as given me the confidence to start using baby-led weaning and give him larger bits of food to feed himself.

You are so kind. We are really touched and grateful to you and Home-Start. Thank you.

I have grown in my confidence, made new friends and now got my anxiety under control. I feel better in myself and I am just starting to see the change in my confidence for myself.

It has really helped me coming to group sessions as it has made me realise other people have struggles too. They might not be the same as mine but I am not on my own with finding being a parent hard.

I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without Home-Start’s help and for that I’m forever grateful.

No one would ever have known about the problem I had with debt. I didn’t open the door or answer phone calls due to my anxiety and I never opened my mail. If Home-Start hadn’t got involved I wouldn’t have made those changes. I feel a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I have got on top of the debt and my budgeting. The help from Home-Start has really pushed me. I can now look forward to going to work without worrying about everything else. Thank you.

Thank you for everything you’ve done over the last couple of years. You’ve changed our lives in so many ways.

I would recommend Home-Start, especially to anyone with mental health issues as it’s like a safe space to be.

Since starting Home-Start I am now able to talk to people, I couldn’t speak to anyone before. I’m not lonely so much and get out and about more whereas before I never left the house.

My volunteer comes once a week to help me to get used to different environments and to integrate into the local community, I hope one day that I will have the confidence to do this on my own.

I have never engaged with services due to bad experiences in the past and was unsure that Home-Start would be any different or could do anything to help me. I am so glad I opened the door – they have made a huge difference to my life.

Home Based Support