Local charity Home-Start Arun Worthing & Adur asks the community to 'throw a Lifeline' to give struggling families hope this Christmas.

Says Bridget Richardson, Chief Executive Officer “Christmas is often the toughest time for many families already struggling to cope. Physically, financially, and emotionally it represents a real and desperate challenge for many.”

Parenting is hard at times, but it can become incredibly difficult if experiencing poor mental or physical health, living in unsuitable accommodation, lone parenting, poverty, domestic abuse, bereavement, or loneliness.

During Lockdown last Christmas, Lucy, a single mum and her two children were sleeping on mattresses on the floor, in rundown temporary accommodation, all trying to cope with the death of the family’s youngest child. Ben, a Home-Start volunteer visited Lucy bearing gifts for the children and some food to help make their Christmas day as special as possible. Lucy was so grateful and overwhelmed by the visit and described the on-going support she was receiving from Home-Start as her ‘lifeline.’Home-Start AWA helps local parents like Lucy, through their most challenging times. Home-Start helps families with children under five with practical, emotional, and confidential 1-2-1 support, via a network of volunteers and experts and is a trusted organisation for professional early years and medical workers to refer families to who need help. (Parents can also self-refer). For over 22 years they have supported 2,450 families and 5,186 children across West Sussex.

Of the parents supported last year, 74% were struggling with their mental health and 21% had a disability within the family. Over half were experiencing financial hardship and a quarter lived in entirely unsuitable accommodation. Each year, around a quarter of our supported children live in homes where there is or has been domestic abuse. Although West Sussex is considered an affluent county there are in fact many areas of deprivation. 30% of their referred families came from the top 10% of areas most deprived nationally. Almost all struggled with loneliness and isolation.  Trained volunteers with lived experience of parenting, grandparenting or working with children, give non-judgemental, confidential, 1-2-1 support in the home or in the community. They help improve parent’s mental health and wellbeing, allowing them to feel less consumed with adult issues and refocus on their children’s wellbeing. Supporting parents with children under 5 years makes the greatest difference in improving their children’s long-term physical, emotional and educational life chances. It gives them the best chance of a bright future as their parents are better able to provide a safe and nurturing home.

A child’s early years are critically important - they build a foundation upon which all later learning, behaviours and health depend. Early Intervention to support struggling families makes lasting improvements in the lives of our children and our communities.

Home-Start services are needed more than ever before. The pandemic made it impossible for new parents to access the support networks they so desperately needed. This, along with the closure of 80% of Children and Family centres across West Sussex and the cost-of-living crisis has put additional pressure on families already facing a multitude of difficulties. Earlier this year, the charity had already seen a 25% increase in referrals and expect their waiting list to grow.

Says Bridget; “The cost-of-living crisis is putting a real strain on so many more local families, and I particularly worry for those who were already close to breaking point.”

Home Start is asking the public to ‘throw a lifeline to change a family’s life’.

£25 will enable one of their volunteers to give 1-2-1 practical and emotional support to a family in their home over the festive period. Whilst providing Christmas food and presents for children, volunteers can help with family budgeting, healthy eating, advice on how to stay warm, sourcing foodbank vouchers, provide a vital listening ear, ease loneliness and help sprinkle a little Christmas magic for the children. The food and gifts are often vital to many who would otherwise go without and help families have the Christmas they need and deserve.

Bridget concludes “So many parents like Lucy call their volunteer their ‘lifeline.’ Please donate today – whatever you can afford – and help us be that lifeline for all those families and children – our neighbours - facing a challenging festive period and beyond. It will mean so much to our families who will know that their community cares.”

To donate to their appeal, go to www.home-startawa.org.uk.

You can BACS transfer Home-Start AWA account no 13567729 Sort 202062 reference ‘Appeal’.

Or send a cheque made payable to Home-Start Arun, Worthing, and Adur to 5C Park Farm, Chichester Road, Arundel, BN18 0AD.If you are a family that needs support from Home-Start, please contact 01903 889707 or Email: [email protected].

If you wish to know more about our work or are interested in volunteering, please visit www.home-startawa.org.uk or contact Lucy on Tel: 07514 667116 Email: [email protected]