Homestart Wakefield & District

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see links below for more info

Home-Start is a family support charity that offers help to families across the Wakefield & five towns. Our distinctive relational, compassionate, non-judgemental support is delivered through weekly home-visiting, providing a consistent, reliable, trusting relationships with Volunteers who build on existing family strengths. Additionally, we offer ‘Peer Group Support’ sessions and deliver these in outreach venues to cater for the needs of families in the area.

Home-Start supports parents/carers with everyday family life challenges, such as parenting, anxiety and low mood, poor mental ill-health, past domestic abuse, isolation, housing, bereavement, having a child with a disability; and managing on a low income etc. We support parents when they need us the most. We do not see our role as to ‘fix’ anything but to stand alongside families to build their strength and confidence and to empower sustainable change.

When a need is identified, trained and supervised Volunteers are carefully matched to families to offer a much-needed listening ear, information, advice and guidance and practical help.

Our trained staff and Volunteers work alongside local families to help them to get through the challenges of everyday family life. Home-Start Volunteers will visit homes for a few hours each week, offering practical assistance and a compassionate listening ear. Each family’s unique needs will shape our approach, with faith that our interactions remain confidential and non-judgemental.

Here are some ways we can assist families:

· Supporting children’s physical and emotional well-being.

· Alleviating feelings of loneliness and isolation by connecting parents/carers together through local services and support groups.

· Supporting parental mental health and well-being

· Reducing stress and isolation related to family challenges and family conflict.

· Support with all aspects of parenting.

· Facilitating connections with specialist services and other providers.

Parent to Parent

The service accepts referrals for families in Wakefield & five towns who need support to:

· Improve child’s behaviour- build resilience and coping strategies, bonding with parent, enjoy play, social interaction with peers and other adults.

· Reduce isolation through support to enable access to social activities and health appointments.

· Improve child’s health and wellbeing to include healthy eating and exercise, self-awareness

The service support Families who have at least one child aged 2 – 7 years

Perinatal Mums

The service promotes and supports the importance of early attachment by educating and empowering families who feel low in mood, poor Mental Ill Health and are stressed following a birth of their baby.

The service support Families Pre-birth to 2 years

Family Group support:
Five Stay & Play groups across the district (Castleford, Pontefract, Alverthorpe, Eastmoor) and a twins and multiples group (Sharlston)

We also offer a specific support project for dads

Dad Matters

Dad Matters supports Dads to have the best possible relationship with their families. We aim to:

· Help Dads have positive relationships with their families

· Support Dads with Wellbeing & Mental Health inc anxiety, stress and mental health awareness

· Encourage Dad’s participation in services traditionally targeted for Mums

· Provide Peer Support for Dads

We provide support through a “Universal Offer” that supports Dads to access Antenatal and Postnatal classes/groups for Dads; and signpost/support to services/information to help make sense of being a Dad

The service supports Dads and Non-birthing partners form Pre-Birth to 2 years.

Take a look at our recent Impact report

Homestart Wakefield & District are committed to safeguarding all children and families, please see our safeguarding policy for details

If you are a professional who wishes to refer a family please download the referral form, complete and send back to us.

Check back soon to see our new site…soon

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