How to get help from Home-Start Cambridgeshire
All parents struggle at one time or another. For some, the challenges can be greater. You are not alone.
Support from Home-Start Cambridgeshire
Being a parent has never been easy. It can be lonely, frustrating, heart breaking and overwhelming. Life-changing events can happen to anyone. That is why Home-Start Cambridgeshire is ready to support families through their toughest times.
We offer a wide range of services for parents, carers and children in the pre-school years.
Volunteer Support
We help families who have young children by matching themwith a home visiting volunteer. They will provide support directly in the family home to offer practical or emotional support with the demands of parenting a young family. Alternatively we can provide support remotely, via weekly video or voice calls. Every Home-Start volunteer is trained to work alongside the family to help them to overcome the challenges they are facing. We work with them to build on their strengths and give them the support that they tell us that they need.
Family Support Groups
Our groups aim to help parents or carers who may be feeling isolated or overwhelmed or may be struggling to access opportunities for support. The groups come together regularly, during term time, to build stronger relationships, gain advice and access services. Our groups are a great place to pick up advice, tips and help from Home-Start Staff, Volunteers and other parents or carers.
Parent-Child Relationship Support
This therapy is for parents who would like to think about their relationships with their baby or young child. Our therapeutic support can help with a range of issues including anxiety, attachment difficulties, the impact of traumatic birth, experiences in NICU/SCBU, separation difficulties, grief and sibling relationships.
Big Hopes Big Future Project
The Big Hopes Big Future programme works directly with parents and children to help them to build the skills they need to be ready for the first day of school. This support will include broader thinking about the areas of home readiness, parental readiness and child readiness.
Please note that we have had to build some prioritisation into our acceptance of referrals.
- Demand for our support is increasing at pace. Support provision is subject to staff and volunteer availability. The nature and level of support available will be discussed and agreed with families during initial engagements.
- We will support only those families who receive no support through Targeted Support (Family Worker) or Children’s Services (Social Worker – Safeguarding), or families who have had such support in the last 6 months.
- We are also unable to take re-referrals for families who have been supported by HSC within the previous 6 months.
How to get help
Home-Start support is completely free, you do not have to pay for any of our support and it is entirely voluntary.
It might be suggested to you by a health visitor, a doctor or another professional but it is entirely up to you if you want to work with Home-Start.
We are very experienced in matching families with volunteers who we think will understand your situation and be able to work with you. If either you or the volunteer is not happy you can end the relationship and try another match.
All of our support is confidential. You don’t have to tell anyone that you are being supported by Home-Start, and we will never tell anyone else unless you say that we can.
If you are a professional referrer please click on the Professional Referral Form button. If you wish to discuss making a self referral please contact us or click on the Self Referral Form button.
Home-Start Cambridgeshire Groups
Connect and Thrive Group
We hold a group in Chesterton, Cambridge, where you and your children can come along and meet other families. Registration is required to attend this group, which involves the completion of the self-referral form (which can be found here) . One of our team will then call you to explain more about the group and finalise the details, so that you can start attending.
All parents and children can benefit from attending parent and child groups. Our Connect and Thrive Group is especially for parents with at least one child under 5 years old. It’s a brilliant way to connect with and gain peer support from other parents, our volunteers and our welcoming staff team.
The topics discussed in our group are often led by the families attending as we always wish to respond to what is important to you.
We also create valuable experiences for the children who attend. Whether that’s playtime, craft activities, sing time or story telling – little ones love our group setting and having the opportunity to socialise with children and adults alike. Our group is also an excellent addition to the school readiness journey, familiarising children with some structured play time, periods of focussed concentration, and dedicated time for snacks.
We’d love to welcome you to our Connect and Thrive Group, so please do get in touch if this group is of interest.
This group is based in Chesterton but is for families across all 14 wards of Cambridge City. It is also possible for a small number of families outside of Cambridge to attend by special agreement.
Testimonials
I cannot say thank you enough for all the help and support you provide and have provided for me and countless other families. Thank you for giving your time and energy so that families can get back on their feet and live fuller, happier lives.
Just knowing my volunteer was available to help really helped my stress/worries and made everything easier to deal with.
The volunteer was wonderful – so kind and caring. Both my daughters adored her (I did too!)
Fantastic service and great staff. Can provide a lifeline to families who need that extra support.
Fantastic support for families. This has been a lifeline to many families to know they will see someone each week, or that they will enable them to get through the week.
I really appreciate the practical support the Volunteer gave to me. Friday mornings became a bit of a lifeline to me.
I wish I’d known about the service sooner because I needed the assistance; it’s such an amazing service.
My volunteer was a total star and fantastic support for all of us as a family.
Thank you so much for settling us up with someone so lovely. This will make all the difference to our lives.
Home-Start have been massively supportive of this family and have worked hard to give support at the times that suited mum.
Always a supportive service.
The mum has really benefitted from support.
Become a Home-Start Volunteer Today
Home-Start's team of trained volunteers make sure a child’s early years count. By volunteering just a few hours each week you can transform the lives of young children and their parents in your community.