Accessing local services It's one of our most important roles and we may be able to help you. Expand There are lots of different organisations that provide support to families, but it can sometimes be difficult to find out about the ones that can help you. One of the most important roles played by our volunteers is to help people access local services. Home-Start helps families to access their local: Children’s Centre, Citizens Advice Bureau, local mental health services, doctors and dentists, housing and financial advice, or illness, addiction or disability support groups. There are lots of ways that a volunteer could help you: talking to you and informing you about the services that are out there taking care of children while you attend an appointment, helping with transport so you can reach the service you need.
Free voluntary confidential support Home-Start support is completely free, you do not have to pay for any of our support and support is entirely voluntary. Expand Home-Start support is completely free, you do not have to pay for any of our support and it is entirely voluntary. It might be suggested to you by a health visitor, a doctor or another professional but it is entirely up to you if you want to work with Home-Start. We will match you with a volunteer. Our staff are very experienced in matching families with volunteers who they think will understand your situation and be able to work with you. If either you or the volunteer is not happy you can end the relationship and try another match. Finally, all of our support is confidential. You don’t have to tell anyone that you are being supported by Home-Start, and we will never tell anyone else unless you say that we can.
Group support Fun for your children and great for you too - sometimes tailored for your specific needs. Expand Family Groups Many Home-Starts run family groups. They are held regularly, at a local venue, where you and your children can come along and meet other families. Your children get the chance to play, learn and have fun with other children and with different books and toys. You get the chance to meet and talk to other parents – and many parents discover they are going through the same kinds of experiences and feel less alone. Many of the staff and volunteers running Home-Start groups have also been home-visiting volunteers. Their groups are a great place for parents to pick up advice, tips and help from Home-Start and other parents. Other Groups Some local Home-Starts also run groups to help parents and children through specific hard times - such as postnatal illness, being a single dad, being a single mum or being a teenage parent. Some run healthy eating or debt relief sessions to help families cope. The groups are organised according to local need, so contact your local Home-Start to find out if they run any.
Home visiting You decide what you will do together. They can help you with practical tasks, offer advice, or support you through emotional issues. Expand A Home-Start volunteer will visit you in your own home, usually once a week, for a couple of hours. You decide what you will do together. They can help you with practical tasks, offer advice and share their experience of being a parent or support you through emotional issues. Home-visiting volunteers: help you establish routines for you and your children while you’re going through such a huge change to your life play and read with your children listen to your worries, concerns and hopes for your family be there because they want to be – not because someone has ‘sent’ them offer a shoulder to cry on share their own experiences of parenting and family life give you a break offer advice if you ask for it provide support, friendship and encouragement help you get to appointments help you access benefits, grants and financial support help you use local services or specialist support help you get involved with your local community Our volunteers are parents themselves. They are all trained and criminal records are checked before being carefully matched with any family.
Managing your money We don't judge how families reach their low points. We just want to help you to cope again. Expand Financial pressures are a real problem for many of the families that we support. You may have been made redundant, be long-term unemployed, work hard at two or more jobs and still can’t make ends meet, or have debt problems. Many Home-Starts around the country help parents to budget and manage their money more effectively. They are also able to put you in touch with other local organisations who will be able to offer advice and support with your money.
Sharing experiences Parents supporting other parents - one of the main reasons why parents find Home-Start's support so helpful. Expand All of our home-visiting volunteers are experienced parents who have been through our ten-week training programme. They have been through the pressures and challenges of parenting. Many volunteers were supported by Home-Start themselves. This understanding and the experience our volunteers have and can share with the families they support is one of the main reasons why parents find Home-Start’s support is so helpful. We believe we are able to help families to cope with the problems life is throwing at them. In many cases, we can transform lives.
Specialist group support Some local Home-Starts offer specialised group support to help parents struggling to cope with a particular issue. Expand Some local Home-Starts offer specialised group support to help parents struggling to cope with a particular issue such as: twins, triplets and more, postnatal illness (for mums and for the rest of the family), being a lone parent, meeting other single dads, or breast feeding. To find out more, please ask your local Home-Start for details.