Portsmouth MP Stephen Morgan has spent the day working alongside frontline family support charity Home-Start to see the difference they are making to parents and children.
The independent family support charity offers trained volunteer support to parents experiencing postnatal depression, isolation, illness, bereavement or family breakdown.
Established in 1992, it has supported thousands of families across the city.
The Portsmouth South representative met parents and volunteers working with the service to hear about the support being provided and the positive impact it has had on their family life.
One family from Somerstown had benefited from the group’s ‘Big Hopes Big Future’ programme, which works with children in the year before they start school. A trained volunteer is matched with the family and visits them for 12 week, offering support to develop the child’s key skills and routines to help children settle in to their new school.
Jo Toms, Operations Manager, Home-Start Portsmouth:
“After a year like no other, we are very grateful to Stephen Morgan who shadowed our work and met with families, volunteers, and staff of Home-Start Portsmouth, highlighting how the pandemic has had an impact on parents and young children.
“It’s good for parents to feel listened to and share their experiences and stories of the last year.
“I am incredibly proud of our service, the support we offer to Portsmouth families, the staff team but most of all our volunteers who have continued to offer face to face visits, doorstep drops, telephone calls, texts and Zoom calls throughout.
“We have been there for families and it was important to showcase what our volunteers do and the difference they make.”
Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“Home-Start have been a vital frontline service for local families during a period of unprecedented challenges for our City.
“The pandemic has unfortunately meant isolation, bereavement and loss of income and have become increasingly common, but Home-Start helps lift up children and parents so they can achieve their potential.
“It was a privilege to work alongside their dedicated volunteers today and see first-hand the positive impact their invaluable work is making to homes in our city.”
