Home-Start works with struggling parents to build safe, loving and supportive relationships with their children. This helps to minimise additional social care intervention, keeping families safely together and reducing the numbers of children entering the care system.

Becoming a parent is life-changing, and even if you had a stable upbringing it can feel daunting. For those who were raised in the care system, becoming a parent can be especially challenging. Some will have experienced trauma in their childhoods, some will never have felt safe in their homes as a child, and many will be unfamiliar with day-to-day parenting routines.

This is Tyler's story:

“When I was younger my behaviour was bad. I had what people call a ‘troubled background’. I bounced from home to home, until I went into care at 11 and stayed with a few different foster families. 

Looking back a lot stemmed from my ADHD. I wasn’t taking my medicine and was always up for a fight or an argument. I loved winding people up and would say a lot of hurtful things. I wasn’t a nice kid".

After living in a flat independently when he was 19, Tyler moved back to his home town. It was there he met his wife Simreen, who he knew from school. Tyler became dad to Simreen’s little boy Ethan and the couple have another baby on the way. 

Tyler said: “When my partner gave birth she suffered with postnatal depression. That’s when we first got put in touch with Home-Start Corby. They have been such a huge help to us.

I know why it’s so important to ask for help when you need it. And how, as a dad, you’re not just asking for it for you, but for your kids too. I know what I needed as a kid, and what I didn’t get.

Home-Start helped get my partner and son out of the house. I love to see her going to all these playgroups. It’s good for both of them, because we’d get so isolated without it".

Home-Start helped us through difficult times

"Having Home-Start is like having a family member who’ll help you out when you need it. They got us through some stressful times, like with our housing. Just a few months after Simreen gave birth, we were served with an eviction notice. As soon as I saw the letter, I said we have to get hold of Home-Start, they’ll know what to do.

We were moved into temporary accommodation. Home-Start got us a grant for food, electric and gas because we had no money. It was such a relief. Home-Start kept in regular contact and helped with our housing application.

When things start getting stressful, I get quickly confused, panic and end up at the wrong end of the stick. Home-Start helped to get things sorted for us. I didn’t have a settled home, and that’s what I wanted for my son more than anything. Home-Start helped us get there".

---

In 2023, Home-Start UK joined the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme to work alongside John Lewis, Waitrose, Action for Children, and Who Cares? Scotland, to create a happier future for children and young people.

Young people who grew up in the care system are around 2.5 times more likely to become pregnant compared with other teenagers. For these young people, they’re having to manage the transition to independent living along with caring for a new baby. Donna was raised in the care system having put herself into care at aged 14. Read Donna's story

Read next: Kirsty's story - I needed someone to offer help