The families we help, come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are looking for support for many different reasons including: postnatal illness, loneliness, relationship problems, poverty, disability, single parenthood and coping with multiple births or several young children or inadequate local resources to support the growing needs of young children.
Home Start was initially targeted at the most at risk families with infants and very young children up to 5 years. Although it was expected that volunteers would work primarily with the family, the child was nominated as the client because the “Child/Infant is the reason for the referral to Home Start ”.
Referrers
Families are often referred to us via their GP, Health Visitor, Social worker or any other organisation involved with or who has a knowledge of the family. However, many families contact their local scheme directly.
The Relationship between the Volunteer and the Family
The relationship between the Home-Start Volunteer and the family is established by choice and based on equal status not power, money, race or gender. It recognises and accepts the diversity of families and demonstrate the essential philosophy and ethos of; Choice, openness, kindness, hope, caring, flexibility, partnership, encouragement, responsiveness and enjoyment, which in the end promote social development through building peace among communities.
Families are visited by a Home-Start Volunteer while they feel they need help, which can be for weeks or years. The support provided is free, confidential and non-judgemental.
Therefore almost 25% of families refer themselves to Home-Start - which speaks for itself.
We help to increase the confidence and independence of families by:
- Visiting families in their own homes to offer support, friendship and practical assistance
- Reassuring parents that their childcare problems are not unusual or unique
- Encouraging parents' strengths and emotional well-being for the ultimate benefit of their children
Our quality is maintained across the areas with all Home-Start schemes working for the national standards set by Home-Start Lanka.
- At present, over 100 families (approx. 280 children) regularly access the services provided by HSL. HSL volunteers visit some families at their homes. Other families, however, prefer to reach our volunteers through the weekly satellite schemes.
- Await for the Home-Start Lanka Newsletter - Home News Page in our magazine My Family for all the latest development and support offered to Families in your area.
- My Family is a magazine done in association with Home-Start Lanka to address issues related to families with young children.
