HOME-START OXFORD 

This project will provide home-visiting support and group sessions to parents with young children who have complex needs and language barriers. Children will improve their speech and language as well ....more

This project will provide home-visiting support and group sessions to parents with young children who have complex needs and language barriers. Children will improve their speech and language as well as having better relationships with parents and carers.

Over the next year IN GROUPS will provide a highly supported, inclusive group programme in 2 areas of the highest need in Central and West Oxfordshire. We know there is a possibility of a winter ....more

Over the next year IN GROUPS will provide a highly supported, inclusive group programme in 2 areas of the highest need in Central and West Oxfordshire. We know there is a possibility of a winter spike in Covid cases and that the situation is still uncertain going forward. However, we now have proven experience of delivering covid safe services in different situations whether that be moving support online or outdoors, to socially distanced activities, doorstep deliveries, WhatsApp groups or 1:1 telephone calls. We are embedded in our communities and will respond to their needs as we see them evolving on the ground. 1.BLACKBIRD LEYS is Oxfordshire’s area of highest overall deprivation, currently with almost no parent-infant group provision. Targeting women from BAME communities, we will run IN GROUPS including ‘Mums’ Mindful Haven’ which combines mental wellbeing support for mums and PEEP Learning activities for under 5s. PEEP Learning is an evidence-based programme which supports parents as their children’s first educators, modelling positive activities and using songs, stories, books and play. Sessions will be supported by volunteers and run by our new Inclusion Coordinator – a local Asian mum who has developed her own career through volunteering. Her goal is to recruit more volunteers from BAME communities, enhancing how we support and empower our community 2.SMITHS ESTATE, WITNEY. Building on a pilot, we’ll deliver sessions to reach families with complex needs targeting the most socially isolated and anxious parents and children in a deprived estate we have not served before. We’ll provide: three targeted ‘Peep Learning Together’ group programmes per year and partner with Cogges Farm and Bridewell Community Gardens for Home-Start sessions in these special settings. Our Family Group Coordinator will give 1:1 support, telephoning and meeting up with mums to build confidence to attend.

The funding will be used to deliver support for mothers and families with pre-school age children. from low income and minority communities. The project aims to improve mental health family ....more

The funding will be used to deliver support for mothers and families with pre-school age children. from low income and minority communities. The project aims to improve mental health family development and create strong peer support networks.

towards three years‘ running costs of a project providing group support sessions for families with young children, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, in Oxford, Oxfordshire.

Grant to Home-Start Oxford

Grant to Home-Start Oxford to support the organisation through COVID19

The project will use funding to improve its online systems for its family support service. The project aims to meet the demand of people using the service and ensure it runs more efficiently.

We have an ambitious 3 year plan. This includes expansion of our core volunteer family support services and developing a unique specialist support group for parents and young children who have ....more

We have an ambitious 3 year plan. This includes expansion of our core volunteer family support services and developing a unique specialist support group for parents and young children who have experienced domestic abuse. We are well placed to meet this need and grow our capacity. However, we cannot expand our volunteer team, supporter or referral numbers effectively with current systems. To achieve our vision, we need a ‘step change’ in 1. Communications 2. Infrastructure

Grant to Home-Start Oxford

Towards staffing costs.

This project will provide weekly support for families experiencing complex needs and parenting issues with very young children. Children will feel happier, have improved communication skills and ....more

This project will provide weekly support for families experiencing complex needs and parenting issues with very young children. Children will feel happier, have improved communication skills and better family relationships.

Funding was awarded to recruit 15 volunteers and provide two 8 week training courses for all new recruits.

The mothers we support will have improved well-being, and ability to cope. They will have support and an advocate to help address their mental health, addiction, abuse, finance or housing ....more

The mothers we support will have improved well-being, and ability to cope. They will have support and an advocate to help address their mental health, addiction, abuse, finance or housing difficulties which will improve their physical and mental health. The encouragement of a trusted professional friend means mothers develop the self-worth and confidence to make positive choices - e.g. of partner, engagement with support services, ability to build social networks that reduce vulnerability to poor health, exploitation and risk. Vulnerable girls will experience the empathy and engagement of their mother, better parenting and management of boundaries that are the foundations of self-esteem and good child development. The FSW will model techniques and suggest positive parenting strategies as alternative to shouting, threats and smacking. The benefit to male children will obviously be a corollary benefit: girls and women benefit when boys and mens behaviours and attitudes improve. We will bring PEEP Learning Together sessions into the home that build a mothers confidence to play, engage with their child, and support their early learning. Children and mums will experience the happiness of sharing stories, songs or rhymes. For children housebound in a flat, mum chronically depressed, with low literacy, and stimulated only by TV, this will be a huge change. Last year, we supported 173 children in 68 families. 25 mothers were matched with FSWs. The impact of our work is testified in our monitoring statistics. Of mums who came to the end of their support in 2017/18, 100% reported improved self esteem, 91% felt less isolated, 92% were more confident being involved in their children's learning and 96% said their children's health and well-being had improved. One mother with complex needs told us, I don't feel alone like I used to...I don't feel like a terrible mother'.

Empowering Mums in Complex Needs Families

Funding was awarded to recruit 15 volunteers and provide two 8 week training courses for all new recruits.

fund a Family Support Worker (FSW) who is matched with vulnerable families, for 12 hours per week.

To help parents and children build positive relationships and establish positive parenting after living through domestic abuse.

Funding was awarded to recruit 15 volunteers and provide two 8 week training courses for all new recruit

This grant will contribute to the salaries of the Family Co-ordinator, who supports and supervises the volunteers for this complex work. They assess referrals and match volunteers, provide ....more

This grant will contribute to the salaries of the Family Co-ordinator, who supports and supervises the volunteers for this complex work. They assess referrals and match volunteers, provide supervision and reviews with families. The Administrator helps process referrals and monitoring. The grant will fund volunteer expenses for weekly visits lasting 2-4 hours. We will draw on a pool of around 9 experienced volunteers, and support 6-7 families at any one time; 10 over the course of the year. The grant would also pay for 2 day mental health awareness training for 16 volunteers, delivered by Restore.

Advance people's physical and mental health, wellbeing and safety

This is an expansion of a project which has run since 1984 in Oxford. It will continue the Home-Start package of support services, where families with at least one child under the age of five will be ....more

This is an expansion of a project which has run since 1984 in Oxford. It will continue the Home-Start package of support services, where families with at least one child under the age of five will be paired with an experienced volunteer who will offer support including friendship, a listening ear, emotional and practical help with maintaining a home and parenting. The project will increase the volunteer base enabling the project to target specific geographical areas to reach new beneficiaries.

Towards training to increase volunteer capacity in supporting families rebuilding their lives after domestic abuse.