Who can be referred?
Any family with at least one child under 5 years of age, who is experiencing difficulties for whatever reason, can be referred to our home visiting service.
This may include feelings of isolation, multiple births, ill health, post natal depression and lone parenting.
We do not usually accept referrals for families where the children are subject to a CP plan or CiN. Our volunteers are trained but they are not professionals. Please call us to discuss individual cases.
Families choose to accept Home-Start support and can decide to end the relationship at any time. Families can also ask for support themselves. Volunteers usually visit a family once a week for two to three hours.
How to refer a Family for support
- Talk to the family about Home-Start.
- Suggest to the family how Home-Start might help.
- Ask the family’s permission to contact Home-Start.
- Complete a referral form and return it to the Home-Start office – by post or email.
What happens after referral?
Each referral and the resources available will be considered. One of our Co-ordinators will visit the family to clarify their needs and the support that Home-Start could offer. A volunteer, carefully selected for the family will be introduced. Occasionally a family may need to wait for a suitable volunteer to become available. The referrer will be contacted with information about the nature and level of support offered. Further contact between Home-Start and the referrer may be made through the Home-Start office as necessary. The referrer does not have direct access to the volunteer.
