FACES provide practical and emotional help to families living in the Bedford area. We recruit and train volunteers, usually parents themselves, to visit families at home offering informal and confidential support. The safety and well-being of children is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that often the best way to help children is to support their parents, helping them to give their children the best possible start in life

Why the community needs us
We help to improve the physical and emotional health and well-being of both parents and children encouraging them to benefit from the joys of family life and to participate in community life and services. This early intervention reduces the risk of neglect to children, gives parents the support they need to get through difficulties or learn simple living skills that most of us take for granted, and then move on with their lives becoming part of the community.

Our impact on the community
We see parents and children overcome feelings of isolation and improve their confidence and feelings of self esteem and worth. We help parents improve their home environment and their parenting skills through interaction with their child/ren, strengthening parent-child relationships which aids child development and promotes happy, healthy children. Our volunteers have told us being able to help and make a difference to a family is a very rewarding and positive experience.