Testimonials

Home-Start has been a positive support to parents—often single parents responsible for the upbringing of young children……..We have experience where their support has enhanced the emotional well-being of parents with a consequent benefit for young children……Our experience has been that they have high standards of professionalism, integrity and confidentiality. All referrals have been dealt with efficiency and competently.

Home-Start volunteers help parents access services in the community like mother and baby groups, local college courses with crèche facilities, exercise groups, all of which contribute to a sense of well-being. Home-Start is a valuable resource that supports the promotion of community health, is non-stigmatising and contributes to reducing post-natal depression.

The health visitors rate Home-Start extremely highly and we have a number of families who have been helped by it. This is an excellent service.

“The support offered by Home-Start is invaluable as it is offered in a way that is so acceptable – not by a professional who professes to know all the answers but by a volunteer, another parent who can empathise.”

“Home-Start is simple, cost effective and succeeds because it builds on local community resources. It recognises that neighbours count, that everyone needs a friend and that – given a chance – people will in fact reach out and connect with one another.”

“Parenting is the most important public health issue facing our society. It is the largest single variable implicated in childhood illness and accidents, teenage pregnancy and substance misuse, truancy, school disruption and underachievement; child abuse, unemployment, juvenile crime and mental illness. These are serious in themselves but are even more important as precursors of problems in adulthood and the next generation.”