“I have learnt such a lot from this course, things I didn’t know when I had my own children. And being able to talk about this with parents, letting them know that it’s OK to need help…I really enjoyed the course.”
Our support to local parents is achieved by recruiting and training volunteers to offer emotional and practical support to families in their own homes.
There is no ‘typical’ Home-Start family. Our families reflect the diverse communities we serve. We support mums and dads across all cultures and social divides.
Lone parents
Married or unmarried couples
Grandparents caring for grandchildren
Step parents
Adoptive parents
Foster parents
Families where a parent is in the armed forces
Families where a parent is in prison
Families where social care or other agencies are involved
In any location, or for any gender, ethnicity or asylum/immigration status
Support is tailor-made, non-judgmental and confidential; this unique approach allows families to build a trusting rapport with their Home-Start volunteer. Parent to parent support- it’s not rocket science, but it really works. How do we know it works? Because our families tell us all the time about the differences their Home-Start volunteer has made to their and their children’s lives.
Here’s what some families supported by Home-Starts across Greater Manchester have said about our support.
“When I was first matched with my volunteer I had really bad anxiety and very low self esteem. This resulted in me rarely leaving the house. Every week, come rain or shine, my volunteer used to arrive. She would chat to me, help take care of my son e.g. feed him and just generally make me feel a bit brighter. Eventually we progressed to walking a short distance. By the end of support I was accessing the Children’s Centres by myself twice a week and had begun a maths and English course.”
(A mum supported by Home-Start Rochdale)
”I am terminally ill with 4 children and my volunteer was priceless – just someone I could talk to.”
(A mum supported by Home-Start Manchester South)
“If it wasn’t for Home-Start, I think my children might have ended up on the ‘At Risk’ register.””
(A mum supported by Home-Start HOST)
To get a true understanding about the impact Home-Start has on families who are struggling to cope, please watch our film, ‘Home-Start in Greater Manchester- investing in children’s futures’ featuring families across Greater Manchester.