Type of service: Family support and information services

Service URL: http://www.home-start.org.uk

Provides informal support for families with young children. The support is free, confidential and non-judgemental. Families can self-refer. Home Start helps to increase the confidence and independence of families by: Visiting families in their own homes to offer support, friendship and practical assistance; Reassuring parents that their childcare problems are not unusual or unique; Encouraging parents' strengths and emotional well-being for the ultimate benefit of their children; Trying to get the fun back into family life. The volunteers, who have parenting experience themselves, can offer: Precious time for listening and talking; Help with the children; A break for parents; Practical help and reassurance; A chance to meet other parents in the same boat; Support to use local services and resources. Parents ask for Home-Start's help for all sorts of reasons. They may feel isolated in their community, have no family nearby and be struggling to make friends. They may be finding it hard to cope because of their own or a child's physical or mental illness. They may have been hit hard by the death of a loved one. They may be really struggling with emotional and physical demands of having twins or triplets - perhaps born into an already large family.

Aimed at: Adolescent , Child , Parent/carer of a child