Home-Start HOST is one of a network of charities that work with families in the early years to help parents to provide the best possible start in life for their children. Volunteers, who are parents themselves, are recruited, trained and supported to visit families in their own homes for 2-3 hours a week to offer emotional support and practical help.
In Bolton, we deliver our core family support work to families with at least one child under 5 and with a range of needs, such as social isolation, poor mental health, poverty, lack of confidence, poor parenting skills etc and we also deliver our Parent-Infant Mental Health work. This work involves enhanced support to families with a child aged 0-2 and who may be affected by mild-moderate mental health needs. We also have our Dad Matters work which supports fathers in the perinatal period.
Outside of Bolton, we work in Oldham, Stockport & Tameside and deliver infant feeding support, a school readiness project, a community genetics programme and support for two-year-olds to access free education.
During COVID, our work is delivered remotely via phone, text, video calls and zoom groups.
