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This page explains what Home-Start is and how we operate.
What is Home-Start?
Home-Start is the UK’s leading family support charity. Across the UK more than 15,000 Home-Start volunteers
visit families at home each week, supporting parents in situations as diverse as isolation, bereavement, multiple births,
illness, disability or who are just finding parenting a struggle.
They provide non-judgemental practical and emotional support and help build the family’s confidence and ability
to cope. They offer regular support, friendship and practical help to young families in the families' own homes, helping to
prevent family crisis and break-down, and emphasising the pleasures of family life.
Home-Start runs more services and has more volunteers supporting more families than any other family support charity
in the UK.
1. A family needs help, friendship, advice or support during those early years when the children are young. Because being
a parent is the hardest job of all, and many people feel overwhelmed or exhausted by the stresses of parenthood.
Click here for more information if you think your family is in this situation.
2. Families in need either ask us direct for our support or more usually they are referred to us by a professional such
as a health visitor, GP, social worker, etc. In any event, the family themselves must consent, and there must be at least
one child under 5 in the family.
If you would like to refer a family to Home-Start Welwyn Hatfield - or if you're a family that would like to apply to us direct
- please click here for more information.
3. Home-Start recruits, trains and supports volunteers who visit families and offer their friendship and support. Volunteers
are at the heart of our charity, and we welcome volunteers of all ages and backgrounds as long as they have had a full-time
parenting experience themselves.
Click here for more information on volunteering.
4. To do all this, Home-Start relies on its staff and its trustees - and also on everyone else who is able to support
the charity in some way. There are many ways in which well-wishers can support us - and make friends and enjoy themselves
at the same time.
Click here for more information on how you can support us.
5. The family receives the support it needs for as long as is appropriate. With the friendship and support provided by
the volunteer, the family learns to cope and to enjoy the pleasures of family life.
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How Home-Start has developed
The first Home-Start operation was set up in Leicester in 1973 by Margaret Harrison. Thanks to the unique service it
provides, it has expanded greatly over the years by forming separate 'schemes' - all of which are independently registered
charities - in different communities. It now serves most of the UK.
Home-Start Welwyn Hatfield is one of the newest schemes: it was established in 2009.
About Home-Start Welwyn HatfieldHome-Start Welwyn Hatfield operates
throughout the Borough of Welwyn Hatfield. It is rooted in the communty it serves: managed locally and registered
as an independent charity, but with support from the national Home-Start organisation. Other areas of the UK are
served by different Home-Start schemes.
Home-Start's PoliciesHome-Start Welwyn
Hatfield operates in accordance with a number of policies and procedures, all of which are regularly reviewed. The links below
allow you to download our policies on complaints, confidentiality and referring a family to Home-Start.
Complaints
Confidentiality
Referring families to Home-Start
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Home-Start Welwyn Hatfield YMCA Childcare Centre, School Lane, Hatfield, Herts AL10 8AX
Tel: 01707 708606 Email: info@homestartwelwynhatfield.org.uk
Home-Start Welwyn Hatfield is a company limited by guarantee.
Registered in England & Wales No. 6951050 Registered Office: Oak Tree Children's Centre, Ludwick
Nursery School, Holwell Road, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 3RP
A charity registered in England and Wales.
Registered Charity No. 1130534
Copyright ©2009, 2010 Home-Start Welwyn Hatfield. All rights reserved
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