Spotlight Series: Meet Home-Start Elmbridge

This month, Amy, our communications and events officer, is shining a light on Home-Start Elmbridge, one of our partner organisations working to promote the welfare of families with at least one child under 5. They have been a lifeline for local families navigating the challenges of parenthood. Amy caught up with Cathy and Olive to learn more about the services they offer and the growing challenges facing families.

Who are Home-Start Elmbridge?

Home-Start Elmbridge support around 190 families in the borough every year through a range of different services. These include home visiting, under-5’s and over-5’s groups, carer support, counselling, financial training, a Dad Matters project, crisis and intervention, and more. Most of the families they support have at least one child under 5, but recently they’ve started to offer their services to families with children up to the age of 11. Whilst their services are diverse, their mission is consistent: to protect the welfare of children and parents so that every childhood is as safe and happy as possible.

A decade of change

Olive recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary with the charity, and Cathy isn’t far off that milestone either. Their long commitment to this organisation is testament to how rewarding their work is, and also means that they truly understand the needs of local families.

Olive makes it clear that “there’s been less statutory support in this decade, and services have been cut”. The cost-of-living crisis and the rising prices of childcare and other essentials means they’re “getting more referrals than ever”. Cathy goes further to explain that “the level of support needed [by local families] has significantly increased over time. Whilst statutory services are stretched and underfunded, Home-Start can get in there and really help”.

Recently, it has been children with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) that have been supported by groups. Olive and Cathy agree that there’s also been an increase in “mental health issues like anxiety and emotional distress, especially among younger parents who have had adverse experiences in their own childhoods”.

Times are particularly tough for working families, a fact well-known to us at Walton Charity. Alongside Elmbridge Borough Council and other partner organisations, we recently distributed an in-work cost of living support fund to help local people that are working, aren’t entitled to government benefits, and are struggling to make ends meet. As a fundholder, Olive regretfully states that “unfortunately we had no problem spending that money. Our families are so grateful and it’s made such a difference to them”.

Being there for families

When I asked them if there was a part of their jobs that’s particularly close to their hearts, Cathy was quick to answer; “I love working with the families themselves. I like that challenge, and I get to do a bit of everything. Sometimes I support families with safeguarding concerns. Cases like that won’t leave me. For families that are judged, what they need, and what Home-Start can provide, is consistent support”.

Olive seconds this, explaining that “when we go in to support a family, we’re there until we know that families can stand on their own two feet. We’re not time constrained, and sometimes life throws a curveball, and we have to go back in to help. That’s life”.

Cathy agrees, adding; “they’re often young parents who need a role model to show them they have resilience - and this helps them to grow. Often mums don’t get any praise, and we can give them that praise and tell them they’re a good mum. It gives them confidence. The majority of them move and say Home-Start was the best thing ever. Just this morning I visited a mum with twins and she told me her volunteer saved her life”. After a brief pause, Cathy says, “this is the best job, I love it!”

Changing lives

It’s hard to choose just one example of the impact Home-Start Elmbridge has on the families they work with. From the stories I was given, one in particular stood out:

A young mother with a two-year-old who was very isolated, and when she was referred to Home-Start Elmbridge, there was already a child safeguarding plan in place. With the support of Home-Start’s Crisis Support Coordinator and the tireless team of staff and volunteers, the mother and her child found suitable play sessions, received counselling, and joined the under-5’s playgroup.

As the mother’s social confidence grew, her little one started to develop their speech. Through months of support, she has learnt how to make independent decisions and has finally broken a toxic intergenerational chain.

The support from the team - aided by funding from Walton Charity to attend summer stay and play sessions - meant the mother gained a lifelong loving bond with her child built on a trusting, compassionate relationship that had been modelled for her.

New year, new plans?

Home-Start Elmbridge turn 25 this year, and alongside being the Mayor of Elmbridge’s charity, they have a lot to celebrate!

Olive clearly states that the plans for the new year are “to keep doing more of what we’re doing”.

Raising the profile of the charity and campaigning regularly is also high on the agenda. Their first TV campaign, ‘We answer the cries’, highlighted the isolation, worry, and lack of support that lots of parents feel. I asked Olive how the advert related specifically to Elmbridge, and she explained that “in this area, we have a very wide family base in terms of demographic compared to a decade ago. A lot of parents aren’t from around here, so they don’t have that immediate family support. Lots of families feel like they’re very much on their own”.

Home-Start’s fantastic volunteers make sure parents have someone to turn to. They can access peer support through the parenting cafes and projects, and be signposted to different specialist services. The home visiting volunteers also provide a personalised, consistent connection that these parents need.

Because childhood can’t wait

When asked whether the Home-Start ethos had a special meaning to them, Olive was passionate about how this message guides everything they do. “Our ethos is early intervention, because the sooner you get in there, the sooner you can prevent the problems from escalating. Childhood passes very quickly, so it’s important to have that early engagement”.

Working together to promote the welfare of children

Walton Charity’s delegated fund allows Home-Start to use their discretion when helping families. For example, our fund can be used by the team however they think is best, such as providing transport so that parents can attend the over-5’s project, or so that they can purchase a car seat or supermarket vouchers on behalf of the parents. Protecting children and parents is a key priority area for Walton Charity. We aim to tackle child poverty in Elmbridge by working closely with our local partners who directly support families.

Our own community hub also welcomes working families referred to us by Home-Start who are struggling financially and can make use of our shop-without-a-till and advice services. Feedback from the families they refer is that “they absolutely love going to The Bridge as they like how they’re looked after there”.

We also provide a grant to cover their core costs, and community grants to support the Dad Matters project and perinatal mental health crisis support work. Working in partnership with Elmbridge Borough Council and Walsingham Care, we have distributed a Partnership Fund to Home-Start Elmbridge to support their home-visiting volunteer service.

Home-Start Elmbridge are based at Charities House and make use of the discounted office space that we offer local organisations.

Making a difference

I asked what keeps Olive and Cathy coming through the doors of their office every day for a decade. Their answer was unanimous: for both, it’s “the team that we work with. We all have the same goals, and we have a great dynamic. In a small team we all muck in”. Cathy, who works very closely with the families, loves that side of the job too; “I like making a difference, and even when it’s challenging, I love what I do. When you hear that it’s meant everything to these families, it’s so satisfying”.

To finish the interview, I then asked whether they both see themselves working at Home-Start for 10 more years. This was met with plenty of laughter, but once the laughter died down, Olive paused before adding, “I hope Home-Start will still be around. We support parents and there will always be parents and children, and we want to grow and stay with them”.

Article by Amy Dixon, Walton Charity’s Communications and Events Officer

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