Home-Start Norfolk

Home-Start Norfolk helps children and changes lives. Working with families with young children, we support them to cope with whatever life throws at them.

Home-Start Norfolk recruits and trains volunteers with parenting experience to visit parents with young children at home. Our volunteers undergo a thorough training programme to prepare them for their role and receive ongoing support and supervision throughout their time at Home-Start.

Once we receive a request for help, we carefully match a volunteer with a family.  The volunteer offers tailor-made one-to-one support, regularly – usually for around two hours at a time, on a weekly basis for an average of 6 months. 

Our volunteers provide

• Emotional support to help parents find ways to manage and resolve problems.
• Direct support for children including playing, listening, having fun, establishing routines, encouraging development and providing opportunities for outings and treats.
• Practical help with getting to appointments, doing the shopping, budgeting, nutrition and meal planning, cooking and making the home safe.
• Information and links to health services, educational services and local Children’s Centres and groups.