Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
The Home-Start Model
• Home-Start offers one to one, personalised support for parents with children under five; reaching out to families at risk of social exclusion, including those who do not engage with other services.
• Home-Start places trained volunteers alongside parents.
Support is tailored to the individual needs of each family and is provided for as long as the family needs it.
• Volunteers are managed and supervised by their local
Home-Start scheme which is in turn supported by Home-
Start UK; a community resource with all the benefits of a strong national organisation.
1

Home-Start
“Home-Start provides an essential support service to vulnerable families and has been dedicated to improving the lives and wellbeing of children and their families for many years.
A central component of Home-Start service is to provide support early, before family problems or pressures evolve into deeper and more challenging forms of family crisis.
This early intervention approach enables families to strengthen their own capabilities and gives them a vital source of sustained support.
Given the difficult social and economic forces that are currently affecting families across the country, it is my hope that Home-
Start will continue to steadfastly support vulnerable families.”
Graham Allen MP, January 2012
2

Home-Start
The Home-Start Approach
A Four Stage Process
1. ENGAGEMENT
2. MATCHING
3. PARENT TO PARENT SUPPORT (within a framework of structured professional assessment)
4. ENDINGS
3

Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
• Over almost forty years Home-Start’s much admired parent to-parent home visiting support model has been developed and refined.
• This workshop will explore ways in which the Home-Start service, which has preventative support at it’s core, can be deployed with families with varying tiers of need.
• Case studies will illustrate the reality and potential of local flexibility and responsiveness and………
4

Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
• Explore routes to access our specialist programmes in support such as:
• Healthy child and parent programmes
• School ready/home learning environment programmes
• Safeguarding
• Maximising Income
5

Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
Home visiting support complimented by family groups focused support & specialist programmes
STARTING YOUNG
Healthy cooking, eating & food hygiene programmes
ACTIVE TOTS
Physical activities
& games
ADDITIONAL &
ADVANCED TRAINING
In partnership with specialist agencies
PROVISION OF
Safety equipment & resources
SPECIALIST/FOCUS
GROUPS & SUPPORT
Providing support in response to diverse need
SAFEGUARDING
Comprehensive, staged training programmes & specialist support
PHYSICAL HEALTH
SAFEGUARDING
& PROMOTING
CHILDREN’S
WELFARE MENTAL
HEALTH &
WELL
BEING
SAFETY & ACCIDENT
PREVENTION
Home-Start
Home visiting service
ASPIRATIONS &
POSTIVE PARENTING
MIMS – mums in mind
PNI courses & support groups for parents
SELF ESTEEM
Confidence building courses
& groups
ENJOY & ACHIEVE
Learning through play
INSPIRE TO ASPIRE
Supporting parental engagement in early learning
REACH & INCLUSION
POVERTY &LOW
INCOME
PARENTING & BESPOKE
Home-Start courses
VOLUNTEERS
MAXIMISING INCOME PROJECT
Supporting families to access additional benefits 6

Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
• Safeguarding & promoting children’s welfare
Promoting positive attachment and protective factors; Trained staff and volunteers at ALL levels of need; Integrated working —CAF, TAC, CiN and CP support; Information sharing;
Early intervention; Trust and disclosure; Prevent crisis; Support through crisis
*DFE Working together to safeguard children
• Mental health & well being
Supporting parents who are isolated or suffering from depression, post natal illness or bereavement; Reacting to disclosures of past trauma; Emotional support; Attending appointments & accessing other services; Broaden social networks.
• Aspiration & positive parenting
Support to provide the physical and emotional care for children through role-modelling, encouragement; Support to access children’s centres, support groups, parenting courses, libraries; Offering advocacy and transition support *DOH Healthy child programme
7

Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
• Poverty & low income
Support with budgeting, shopping and accessing benefits; Signposting and advocacy to access legal, financial, debt and housing advice; Transport to appointments; Free social events and outings.
*DFE New approach to child poverty
• Reach & inclusion
Supporting families with diverse backgrounds and cultures; Meeting the diverse needs of all groups including: rurally isolated families, travellers, teenage & single parents, parents with learning disabilities, physically disabled * DFE & DOH Supporting families in the foundation years
• Safety & accident prevention
Supporting families where domestic violence, drugs or alcohol are issues; Advice and information regarding safety in the home; Fire prevention; Hygiene and travel and road safety; Challenging antisocial behaviour
.
*DCLG troubled families team
8

Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
• Volunteers
Our work with volunteers support Community capacity building; Supporting local people to gain skills and qualifications leading to further training, education and employment; Promoting active citizenship through volunteering; 40 hour volunteer training course and ongoing development training; Comprehensive support and supervision
* DOH Strategic vision for volunteering
* Examples of relevant national strategies
9

Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
10

Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
• Does this case study change your perception or understanding of the support Home-Start schemes can provide? If so, how?
• What, if anything, stood out for you in terms of the support provided or the process in place?
• How are families with similar issues supported in your area?
• Does Home-Start provide support in your locality?
• Has this case study raised any questions for you about the
Home-Start service?
11

Home-Start ‘Unpacked’
Locating & contacting your local Home-Start schemes:
For more information on our specialist services contact:
Home-Start UK 0116 258 7900
Alternatively contact:
Kate Malloch or Fiona Hill kmalloch@home-start.org.uk
fhill@home-start.org.uk
Social Policy Advisor & L &D Specialist &
VIMS Project Manager Inspire to Aspire Project Manager
020 7269 6973 01327 262963
12