Home-Start

Home-Start Warrington works with children and young families in Warrington to be healthy, stay safe, be happy, make a positive contribution to their community and achieve economic well-being.

About us

Home-Start Warrington works with children and young families in Warrington to be healthy, stay safe, be happy, make a positive contribution to society and achieve economic well-being.
Recent studies have shown that up to 80% of children are likely to replicate the family and social situation they are brought up in. By supporting Home-Start you can help vulnerable families to break that cycle and educate children to avoid a path that could lead to unemployment, teenage pregnancy, crime, drug/alcohol abuse, depression or homelessness.
Families need our support for a variety of reasons. Families can be; isolated, suffering from mental health issues or post-natal depression, single parents, victims of domestic violence, alcohol/drug users etc.

What do we do?

Our volunteers who are parents themselves, undertake a 10 week course of preparation, to arm them with advice and information that they may need to help them support a family.
Volunteers will then visit the family’s home for three hours every week. They tailor-make their support to the needs of the parents and children. Volunteers continue visiting and offering support until the youngest child turns five or starts school, or until the parents and their volunteer feel they able to manage without support. They work alongside parents, in their own homes, to help them cope with the stresses and strains of life and make sure they have the skills, time and strength they need to nurture their children. Parents and volunteers often develop a deeply trusting relationship which can lead to powerful change within the family. For examples of how Home-Start Warrington has helped Warrington families, click on the links below;

Fiona’s story
Karen’s story
Emma’s story

Why does it matter?

The five years between birth and school are vital for a child’s development. What goes on inside a family during these years heavily determines the opportunities and life chances children have. Children who are raised in a stable, loving, family environment are more likely to have a positive and healthy future. But being a parent isn’t easy and sometimes life can get in the way. Circumstances throw you off course and everything else can take a back seat. A young child caught up in this can miss out on the love, routine and stimulation that can become the building blocks for a positive future.
We believe every child deserves the best start in life. Don’t you?

Cost of Home-Start Warrington support to families

To provide support to a family we are extremely cost effective. Our current costs breaks down as:

• £1,232 cost per family per year or
• £548 per supported child per year.

This compares to £50,000 per year for a child supported by a local authority and £215,000 per year to support a child in a care home (June 2014 figures).

This indicates that the service provided by Home-Start Warrington is one of the most cost effective provisions within Warrington.