How to get help from
Home-Start Causeway
All parents struggle at one time or another. For some, the challenges can be greater. You are not alone.
Support from Home-Start
Being a parent has never been easy. It can be lonely, frustrating, heart breaking and overwhelming. Life-changing events can happen to anyone. That is why Home-Start is ready to support families through their toughest times.
Home-Start Causeway works alongside families in the Causeway Coast and Glens area who have at least one child under 5 years old. We recruit and train volunteers with parenting experience to visit parents with young children under the age of five years 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, our support co-ordinator meets with each family to chat about the type of support they would prefer, whether home-visiting or group support. We carefully match a volunteer with a family. The volunteer offers tailor-made one-to-one support, regularly – usually for around two hours a week for as long as needed.
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 the local offer of support to children and young families such as the Early Childhood and Family Service.
We work closely with colleagues in health, social care and education, however we never share information about our support without permission.
How to get help
Home-Start support is completely free, you do not have to pay for any of our support and it is entirely voluntary. To receive our service you need to have at least one child under the age of 5 and live within the Causeway Coast and Glens council borough.
It might be suggested to you by a health visitor, a doctor or another professional but it is entirely up to you if you want to work with Home-Start. Please contact us for a chat or complete the enquiry form for more information on how we can help you.
We are very experienced in matching families with volunteers who we think will understand your situation and be able to work with you.
If you’d like to discuss a referral for yourself or some-one else, please contact us.
Home-Start Causeway groups
Not all of our support and work happens in the family home. When that’s not right for a family, or where we are helping to address isolation and loneliness, create wider network and connections, building relationships and confidence, our groups are often a great way to get the help you need in the right environment. It is possible to receive support at home and in a group, start with a group and transition to home support or use a group as a transition period as home support reaches a conclusion.
Family Group
Our Family Groups take place across our geographical area in a range of welcoming community settings, ensuring families can access support within their own local communities. These small, friendly groups provide a safe and inclusive space where parents and children can come together to play, chat, and take part in a variety of age-appropriate activities supported by our trained staff and dedicated volunteers. Sessions are designed to be relaxed and informal, allowing families to build confidence at their own pace while developing positive relationships with others.
The groups are particularly suited to parents who may feel unable to attend larger parent and toddler groups, including those experiencing isolation, low confidence, anxiety, or challenging family circumstances. By offering smaller, supportive sessions, we help parents feel comfortable, valued, and included, creating opportunities for peer support and shared experiences.
Activities within the groups encourage children’s social, emotional, and developmental growth through play, exploration, and routine, while also supporting parents to strengthen their parenting confidence and wellbeing. Staff and volunteers are available to offer encouragement, practical guidance, and a listening ear, helping families feel supported in a non-judgemental environment.
By delivering Family Groups in different geographical areas, we aim to increase engagement, reduce barriers to participation, and promote stronger local connections between families. This community-based approach helps reduce isolation, strengthens informal support networks, and encourages a greater sense of belonging within local neighbourhoods.
Testimonials
My children have improved confidence, try new activities, are better at sharing and taking turns; they have more patience and are more calm; we have more positive family relationships
The service is of great benefit to the families that engage in it .. the befriending nature of the service helps to boost self-esteem so that mums are more likely to engage in other services with their babies benefiting their health and development .. a very valuable service which helps families in ways that other services cannot.
I am so glad our volunteer came into our lives. Our little man adores her and has come on so much with her help. It may only be once a week, but it means so much to all of us.
It changed our lives…knowing some-one is there…getting surprise gifts, honestly I have been overwhelmed by the generosity and thoughtfulness. Home start support meant we could move outside, get outside when the weather is rubbish, become a better family who enjoyed fun things…great team of volunteers
Beyond pleased … thankful for my volunteer who showed me kindness, support and gave me something to look forward to on Mondays.
Become a Home-Start Volunteer Today
Home-Start’s team of trained volunteers make sure a child’s early years count. By volunteering just a few hours each week you can transform the lives of young children and their parents in your community.