We are seeking new volunteers

Could you spare a couple of hours a week

to befriend a young family who needs your help?

Training & support given

Just give us a call and we can let you know when the next course is starting.

Please contact the

Home-Start office for more details

01252 545416

What we do

Home-Start volunteers provide emotional and practical support and friendship to families with at least one child under 5 years of age in their own homes. 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 or child abuse

Parents with their children come to Home-Start for a variety of reasons including: Lonliness, Ill health, Disabilities, Bereavement, Multiple Births, Post Natal Illness, Isolation and Relationship difficulties.

Our services are free and completely confidential

Which Families can apply to Home-Start?
Local families who are experiencing difficulties or suffering stress and who have at least one child under five years of age can apply for a home-visiting volunteer.

It is always the family's choice whether to accept the service Home-Start has to offer. They can apply themselves or can be referred by their health visitor, social worker, or other professional working with the family.

All information about families is treated as confidential by both volunteers and staff at Home-Start except where there are concerns for the welfare of the child/children.

Volunteers

All our Home-Start Volunteers should:-
1. Be a parent or have parenting experience.

2. Have a positive attitude to working with people of any gender, family status or sexual identity, or who are from any ethnic origin, culture or religion, or who may have a disability.

3. Demonstrate a sensitive and caring attitude towards others.

4. Have a non-judgemental attitude.

5. Be clear about confidentiality and when a confidence remains so, but be able to decide when disclosure of a confidence is essential to the well being of a child.

6. Be reliable and understand the importance of reliability to the family.

7. Have good communication skills including an ability to listen.

8. Understand the need for support.

9. Have a warm and open personality and a sense of humour.

10. Have time and enthusiasm for Home-Start.

11. Be able to work as a member of a team.

12. Be prepared to keep records as requested by the Scheme