Being a parent is tough, and the last few years have made this important role even more difficult. This was certainly true for one family who contacted us, and we were there for them to offer non-judgemental extra support.
For this Mum, life with young children felt overwhelming as we came out of Covid restrictions, compounded by moving to a new area and feeling anxious about meeting people again. This Mum knew the best thing for her children was to get out and for her young son to make connections after not having the chance to meet other children and socialise. A helping hand to support, give information, and a listening ear made all the difference for this family, and it wasn’t long before they were back feeling more confident and enjoying life in their new home and town.
Home-Start is here for you…
It’s important to know that you don’t have to be alone in your feelings of isolation as a parent. At Home-Start Royston, Buntingford & South Cambridgeshire (Home-Start), we offer non-judgemental, compassionate, relational support to local families with at least one child aged nine or under. We are different from other support services because we are a non-statutory agency. This helps us have greater flexibility to work with families for more extended periods of time in ways that are specifically suited to a particular family’s challenges.
Over the last couple of years, one of the greatest needs for families has been coping with feeling isolated. Many parents have experienced increased isolation and loneliness, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic and having long periods of time when we were not able to see anyone other than our immediate family that we live with. All the practical support from extended family and friends stopped, and although the likes of Zoom and Facetime meant we could connect visually, for many families, the loss of practical help, physical contact, and just being able to be together with other people has really taken its toll.
One of the great things about Home-Start is that we support families from all different walks of life, facing many different challenges. Anyone can get in touch to discuss how we might be able to help. That might be a family themselves or another agency or professional working with a family, the only caveat being that the family must know that Home-Start is being approached. No means test or threshold must be met regarding support. If you live in the SG8 or SG9 postcode area and have a child aged nine or under and are experiencing some difficulties with parenting, then we will happily talk through our available support and what might suit your family best.
Our volunteers are ready…
Over the last two months, we have been busily training a new cohort of volunteers. We are excited that this group have now completed their training and are ready to be matched with families.
This case study gives a flavour of the kind of support we can offer to families. Mum shares how life with young children felt overwhelming as Covid restrictions eased and the family’s challenges were compounded by moving to a new area and feeling anxious about meeting people again. Read how a helping hand to support, give information, and a listening ear made all the difference for this family…
