Across the UK thousands of Home-Start volunteers visit families at home each week, supporting parents in situations as diverse as isolation, bereavement, multiple births, illness, disability or those who are just finding parenting a struggle. They provide non-judgemental practical and emotional support and help build the family’s confidence and ability to cope.
Home-Start runs more services and has more volunteers supporting more families than any other family support charity in the UK.

Everyone needs a bit of help sometimes
Many parents need help friendship, advice or support during those early years when children are young.

There is no rulebook for raising a family and sometimes it can seem overwhelming, particularly if your family is going through difficult times.

But if you can get the support you need when you need it, then day-to-day family life and your children’s can be so much brighter.

Do you ever feel like this?

Isolated in your community, with no family nearby and struggling to make friends.

Suffering with post-natal illness but finding it hard to talk to anyone about it.

Having a hard time coping with your child’s illness.
Overwhelmed by the death of a loved one.

Struggling with the emotional and physical demands of having twins, triplets or more.

Struggling to cope with a disability or relationship problems. 
 
Tired, unhappy, exhausted. 
…or any similar problems.

Home-Start can help you and your family

If you have at least one child from Birth to Primary School age. diagnosed on the Autistic Spectrum, then we can help. We support thousands of parents just like you through our Home-Start volunteers. They are people who are parents themselves or have parenting experience - so they know just what you’re going through.

They will visit you in your own home – usually once a week. You decide what you will do together.

Maybe you need someone to talk to who won't judge you; a shoulder to cry on or perhaps someone to play with or read to your children; maybe a bit of support to make or keep medical appointments or to find out what else is available locally. You decide.

It’s free and confidential
You don’t have to pay for Home-Start’s help and it’s confidential. Home-Start volunteers will respect your privacy and never forget that you have invited them into your home.

Home-Start has years of experience
Home-Start is a national charity with hundreds of schemes in local communities. Our local Home-Start schemes recruit and train parent volunteers. We’ve been doing it for many years, so you can rest assured that your volunteer will have been fully trained and carefully matched with you – they will also have undergone a criminal records check to ensure your child’s safety.

All you have to do is ask
If you think Home-Start could help, why not find out more? Talk to your doctor or health visitor or contact us yourself, by ringing us on 01706 629651. We’ll be pleased to hear from you. If you do decide to ask for support one of our local Coordinators will get together with you, talk about your needs and carefully match you will a volunteer.

A quick guide to Home-Start support

You could benefit from Home-Start’s help if:

You are feeling lonely, or isolated in your community, have no family nearby and are struggling to make friends.

You are finding it hard to cope if your child is ill or because you are ill.

You have been hit hard by the death of a loved one.

You are struggling with the emotional and physical demands of having a baby, young children, twins or triplets.

You need help with practical things like budgeting or healthy eating.

You’d like to get to know what is available for parents and children locally but don’t know where to go or don’t have the confidence to find out or join in.

You’d like to find out about local further education courses but don’t know where to start.

What happens next?

After asking for our support you will meet one of our local Coordinators who will carefully match you with one of our volunteers.

Your volunteer will visit you at home for a couple of hours a week.

You choose to have a Home-Start volunteer and you decide when Home-Start support should stop.

You can also join in our family group or social activities if you want to.

Please print off the referral form link here and send into the scheme or pick up the phone for help and support.