About
About Home-Start Harwich
Our Approach
As an independent charity, we are managed locally but supported by the national HomeStart UK organisation. This model provides direction, training information and guidance, which is tried and tested, ensuring consistent quality support for parents and children wherever they are.
Families can be referred by organisations and professionals or they can contact us directly to self refer. After an initial meeting with the family to discuss their specific needs, Home-Start will carefully match the family to an outreach worker or volunteer. The help given to each family is unique and depends on their circumstances and requirements.
About the scheme
Home-Start was founded by Margaret Harrison in 1973 and is now one of the leading charities in the UK working with families in need.
Home-Start has been operating in Harwich since 1996 and over time has developed a wide range of services, groups and events facilitated by staff and volunteers which benefit our local families.
Our main building is based in Bathside, Harwich in the heart of our community to ensure we maintain close links with the people we serve and that we are accessible to our families and volunteers.
The fabric of our organisation has been sewn together with the consistent and reliable offer of the following services:
- 1:1 Parenting support
- Practical and emotional support
- General information and support to access government aid
- Behaviour advice and strategies to support children 0-11 years
- Group support for parents and children to build skills
- Workshops for children aged 5-11 years
- Play opportunities and school readiness advice
- Peer support to improve resilience and isolation
- Volunteer recruitment and training
