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Home Visiting Service
Home-Start East Surrey helps families become more resilient, supporting them until they are strong enough to cope on their own. Together, we want to help children thrive and give them the best possible start in life. We provide non-judgmental, practical and emotional support to help build the family’s confidence and ability to cope. Accepting our support is absolutely voluntary.
Who can Home-Start help?
- Lonely or isolated parents
- Families with twins, triplets or several pre-school children
- Families where there is ill health, disability or additional needs
- Families who have suffered bereavement
- Parents experiencing mental health difficulties/post-natal depression & anxiety
- Families from all backgrounds
- Lone parents
- Young parents
- Grandparents caring for grandchildren
- Step parents
- Adoptive parents
- Foster parents
- Families where a parent is in the armed forces
- Families where a parent is in prison
Any family with at least one child under 11yrs, who is experiencing difficulties, can contact Home-Start for support.
How can Home-Start help?
- Understanding - Home-Start volunteers are parents too! Some may have been supported by Home-Start themselves, or wish they could have been
- Reassurance - all parents feel overwhelmed at times, you are not alone
- A listening ear and a shoulder to cry on, if needed!
- An extra pair of hands - coping with more than one child may make getting out and about or accessing appointments tricky, a Home-Start volunteer could provide the help and support you need
- Offering advice- if you ask for it
- Friendly support, through difficult times, for up to 6 months.
- Confidentiality - information about you and your family is never disclosed to anyone outside of Home-Start (except where a child may be at risk)
- Choice - families choose whether or not to accept Home-Start support. A volunteer will only visit at the invitation of the family
What happens next?
Initially, one of our coordinators will arrange to visit you, at home, and answer any questions you may have. They will also talk to you about the difficulties you are experiencing and what support you may need.
If agreed and appropriate, you will be ‘matched’ with and introduced to a volunteer* who will then visit weekly for 2-3hrs. Your co-ordinator will still keep in touch and will be available should you have any questions.
* This is dependent on an appropriate volunteer being available
Matching with a volunteer
Our coordinators get to know each volunteer really well through a 9 week Preparation Course. The right volunteer is carefully considered before being introduced to your family, based on their skills, experience and personality. Just another of the reasons that Home-Start works so well.
Who will know that Home-Start is supporting me?
The only people who will know are you, our staff team, your volunteer and the person who referred you to us (if applicable). All information is treated in the strictest confidence, except where a child is perceived to be at risk of harm.
How long is Home-Start needed?
Some families will need to be visited for only a few months whilst others may need up to 6 months. Your coordinator will discuss the support you need, with you, on a regular basis.
How do I find out more?
For more information please feel free to call us on 01737 770220
Or get in touch via our contact form. Alternatively you could ask a family member or close friend to contact us, or ask your health visitor/ local Family Centre for more information.
"Thank you for matching me with C, she is such a lovely, kind lady who listened to me and gave me the confidence to go out again (which I struggled with before) I really appreciate all your support"
Safeguarding and Privacy
Home-Start East Surrey is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of all who use its service. We recognise that we have a responsibility to protect the welfare of adults at risk through our support for families and to ensure they are protected from harm. Home-Start East Surrey has no statutory remit or role to investigate but acknowledges a responsibility to pass on to the appropriate statutory agency, concerns in relation to the safety or welfare of an adult or child at risk, so that these concerns can be assessed.
At Home-Start East Surrey, we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.
This notice explains when and why we collect personal information about you, how we use it, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others, how we keep it safe and secure and your rights and choices in relation to your information.
Any questions regarding this notice and our privacy practices should be sent by email to info@home-starteastsurrey.org.uk, or by writing to Home-Start East Surrey, Suite 2 & 3, Second Floor, Tower House, 3 Cromwell Road, Redhill, RH1 1RT. Alternatively, you can telephone 01737 770220.
Our policies can be found at the top of the page, under the home tab. Please refer back to us through our contact us page if you have any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions for Families
Click on one of the questions below to reveal the answer.
What happens if I move away?
Home-Start East Surrey can only support families in the area listed. If you move away we might be able to refer you on to another Home-Start scheme.
What if I don't 'click' with my volunteer?
Hopefully, this won’t happen. But if you are not completely satisfied with the service provided by Home-Start East Surrey, then please discuss this with a coordinator
How long will Home-Start support my family?
There is no set time a volunteer supports a family. The average time is around 6 months.
Will all the information I give to Home-Start remain confidential?
Yes. Any discussions held between yourself and the volunteer/coordinator will not be shared without your consent. However, everyone at Home-Start has a duty to ensure the safety of children. If we believe your children are at risk then the volunteer/coordinator may have to pass on their concerns to external agencies
What happens if I have a complaint?
We would hope that you could discuss this with one of our coordinators or scheme manager, but if this is not possible you are welcome to submit a written complaint with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Please refer to our complaints policy.
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