Home-Start Havering recruits and trains volunteers from the London Borough of Havering, then carefully matches the volunteer with an appropriate family. All of the families we support must have at least one child under five. The volunteer visits the family in their own home once a week. Families tell us what a huge difference it makes to their lives to have that support at a time of need, often describing our volunteers as “a ray of sunshine” or a “life-line”. The best part of our work is to see the children start to thrive again as the volunteer helps the parents work through their difficulties.
Home-Start Havering is a local charity which was set up in 1999 in response to an identified need for a support service for Havering families that was free at the point of access, completely independent and available to all.
Home-Start Havering is affiliated to the national organisation, Home-Start UK, but we are autonomous and responsible for our own management and our own funding. Home-Start UK provides advice and support through a regional consultant together with a stringent Quality Assurance review process to ensure the scheme operates effectively.
The charity is run by a Board of Directors who are responsible for governance and setting the direction of the scheme and there are 8 members of staff, together with a network of over 60 trained volunteers who carry out the home-visiting parent support service.
