Cash woes may see more family crises

Home-Start Arun steps in to provide support to mums and dads who are struggling to cope with life with young children.

The number in that situation is likely to rise in the coming year as the recession bites at a time of steeply rising fuel bills to increase tension within households.

Senior organiser Bridget Richardson said financial difficulties were one of the key reasons why families required assistance to prevent crises and breakdowns.

"That's one of the biggest reasons that our volunteers identify. There's a special need to improve budgeting skills. I anticipate that increasing in the next year," she stated.

The number of children who Home-Start Arun's volunteers directly supported in the charity's past full year had increased dramatically to 220 from 160. The number of families stayed largely unchanged around 115.

"I expect the numbers growing into 2009," said Mrs Richardson, "because we are going to be supporting so much more work with families and young children."

Home-Start Arun began eight years ago and is a voluntary home visiting scheme which is committed to offering friendship and promoting the welfare of families with at least one child aged under five.

This role was carried out by 22 volunteers in the past year backed by seven members of staff and seven trustees and an advisor.

The volunteers visit families for two to three hours once a week. It also runs two weekly playgroups in Bognor and Yapton with 20 families on the books for each location.

The local charity forms part of a national network.

Home-Start Arun's annual report, issued at its annual meeting at The Hub community centre in Bognor where it is based, showed the range of family needs which its volunteers had identified among those helped in the year up to the end of last March.

Parents' emotional health and well-being was the main issue at 29 per cent, with feeling isolated at 15 per cent and day to day running of the house at 11 per cent.

Other needs stressed included conflict in the family, managing children's behaviour and parents' physical health and well being.

The meeting was attended by the charity's patron '“ the Duchess of Norfolk. She said Home-Start Arun had grown in the few years since her last visit.

"I would like to thank everybody who has worked to achieve that. I love the idea that it's mothers coming back to help young mothers bring up children. It makes it like a family.

"That is so important. When you have young children, it's tough and hard to be doing it on your own," she stated.

She presented gifts to two individuals who are leaving Home-Start Arun after many years service and was, in turn, presented with a bouquet by two-year-old Thomas Baker.

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