About Us

What we do

Specially trained volunteers with first hand parenting experience are carefully matched with families who are visited in their own homes. They can offer:

Support, friendship and practical assistance
Reassurance to parents that their childcare problems are not unusual or unique
Encouragement to strengthen parents’ emotional well-being for the ultimate benefit of their children
Help to put the fun back into family life
Help to increase the confidence and independence of families
Precious time for listening and talking
Help with the children
A break for parents
Support to use local services and resources

Our support is free, confidential and non-judgemental. The only criteria needed for a referral to our services is that you have to have at least one child under the age of five. All our staff and volunteers are CRB checked.

If you would like to refer yourself, or someone you know, to our service, download the Referral Form (pdf).

If you would like to become a home-visiting volunteer, download the Volunteer Application Form (pdf).

The Home-Start Network

The Home-Start network consists of Home-Start UK and 334 affiliated local Home-Starts. Together they form the Home-Start service, delivering one-to-one support, friendship and practical help to young families.

All local Home-Starts are supported by Home-Start UK. Home-Start UK is an independently registered charity that provides the support that local Home-Starts need to carry out their family support work through: up-to-date training for staff, volunteers and trustees; information and guidance on governance; legal and human resources advice; help with fundraising; lobbying of national and local government and funders; running volunteer recruitment campaigns; providing national quality standards; supporting community groups to set up new local Home-Starts and representing Home-Start on national, regional and local fora.