Services
Home-Start Hull support services
Home-Start offers one-to-one home-visiting volunteer support to any family living in Hull who has a child under five who is not in full time school. Our volunteers are carefully matched to a family and visit them once a week for 2-3 hours providing both practical and emotional support. Our support is unique and tailored to the needs of each individual family and all of our volunteers have parenting experience themselves, either through their own children or through work or studies. Volunteers are introduced to the family by a paid Coordinator who will supervise the volunteer and monitor the support to ensure it meets the family needs. Some families may prefer to have phone support or attend one of our groups.
Alongside this we run regular activities and social events for our supported families and volunteers where you and your children can come along and meet other families. Your children get the chance to play, learn and have fun with other children and you get the chance to meet and talk to other parents. Many parents discover they are going through the same kinds of experiences and feel less alone.
Families In Mind
Our FIM service is funded by the Henry Smith Foundation and has been running since May 2016. Originally starting as a post-natal depression project in 2009, we recognised that parents had often experienced long-term mental illness before having a baby but it may not have been diagnosed before. The project has grown over the years and we have developed FIM to adapt to the needs of the families we support. Parents on this project will receive six weeks of phone support to enable them to build a relationship with the project coordinator, Bridget before we place a volunteer for home-visiting. Phone support can continue for longer depending on what each family wants.
We aim to support 30 families per year with this project and we hope to improve children’s school readiness as well as support parents to cope with family life and the challenges of their mental illness. Our Coordinator, Bridget is available to chat more about the support. Email bridget@homestarthull.org.uk or call 01482 324063.
About PADS (Partners and Dads)
Support for Dads and other co-parents of children aged 0-2 in Hull
The project offers peer support groups to the community in the antenatal period – Phone support, groups, support to NICU families, home visiting, and infant massage and a closed Facebook community group. For more information contact Phil by emailing phil@homestarthull.org.uk
Our PADs (Partners And Dads) peer support service is part of the Start for Life & Family Hubs offer in Hull. We know that it’s just as important for dads and other co-parents to get support with their parenting as it is for mums. Dads play a massive part in their children’s lives and sometimes it’s good to have other people in a similar position to talk to about the journey, from finding out you’re going to be a parent, to tackling teething, weaning and potty training!
We have some really relaxed and informal groups set up in different areas across the city, we can also offer home-visiting and phone support. Podcasts and ante-natal sessions also coming soon
About Parent Infant Wellbeing
Parent Infant Wellbeing peer support for parents of children aged 0-2 in West Hull
Our Parent Infant Wellbeing peer support is available to parents with children aged 0-2 who might be feeling a bit unsure about how to connect with their bump, baby or little person. We understand it’s hard being a parent and the range of emotions that go along with such a big responsibility but we also know that there is loads we can do to form secure attachments with our children and help them build their brains from the day they are conceived.
We have groups running in West Hull (support in East Hull is provided by House of Light www.houseoflight.org.uk ) and volunteers with similar experiences to support in the home and by phone.
Please contact Jo Jo@homestarthull.org.uk or Bridget Bridget@homestarthull.org.uk for more details.
Testimonials
I feel less lonely so it’s improved my mental health. I also have more time doing household chores I wouldn’t usually get done with the kids around and we get out more too. The best thing about Home-Start is having someone reliable and empathic in our lives. Please clone her so we can have at least one of her around every day!
She has been brilliant and is so good and understanding with my youngest. She has given me lots of good advice around extra support I can get for their additional needs. I feel really comfortable talking with her and she is so down to earth.
I know each week she will be there for my family and she gives me good advice. The best thing about Home-Start is having someone to talk to, knowing she’s there and someone to help with problems.
Your support has helped me be more calmer, more chilled. She has supported me to put tools in place to help me with my mental health and anger outbursts. I feel better for it and I’m a lot happier which is making my children happier too.
The best thing about Home-Start is that they treat you with respect.
She has helped me by allowing me to have time with each of my children.
I suffered badly with post-natal depression after the birth of my first child but when the second came along quite quickly, I felt much better. However, when he was 3 days old, he was rushed into hospital and eventually had to have a colostomy bag. I knew about Home-Start because my aunty used to volunteer. I suggested it to a friend who needed help and realised I wasn’t judging her for going to Home-Start so why should I feel judged. Home-Start helped me gain my confidence and gave me my sanity back and I’m now doing the preparation course myself.
This group is ideal for me. I don’t like big crowds but coming here, I get to chat to a few other different dads. We talk about what food our children like as they are weaning and how city are doing.
Thank you for everything, you are all so lovely. My volunteer has really helped me to be more confident, I can now catch a bus with both of my children and not feel anxious. My volunteer always asked about the oldest even though she would only see him during school holidays, she really cared. She would also help me with his appointments, nothing was any trouble.
She makes the whole house better, even for the boys who are at school when she comes. It stretches the weekend out because I get all my jobs done on a Friday so I can dedicate the weekend to the boys so we are all chilled. The full thing is amazing. I normally stress out if I have to cancel appointments but everyone is so polite I don't worry. A comment from a Mum at family review.
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