Home-Start was formed to support local families with at least one child under 5 through home visiting volunteers and groups. We aim to prevent family breakdown through early intervention to provide friendship and much needed emotional support and practical help. Experienced Coordinators recruit and train volunteers, then suitable volunteers are matched to families based on their specific life experience and skills. We also run 3 Family Groups to help relieve feelings of isolation.

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 a difficult period in their lives or learn simple life skills that most of us take for granted, and then move on with their lives becoming part of 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.