Local families charity Home-Start Wessex has opened a new free family haven group in Dorchester. The group runs on Monday mornings at the Dorchester Family Hub and is open to families with children under five who have been referred to the charity for support.
Home-Start Wessex works closely with local GPs, midwives, health visitors, social workers, family support workers, and pre-schools/nurses. If a parent of a child under five feels they are struggling and can’t cope, they can speak to their healthcare professional, who can complete a referral.
Once the referral is received, a Home-Start Wessex coordinator contacts each parent to understand their individual needs and agree on a programme of support. This could be carefully matching the parent with a trained volunteer for weekly home visits, telephone befriending with weekly calls, or the opportunity to attend one of the charity’s family groups to meet other parents, learn new skills, and gain confidence.
Kathy Fryatt-Banks, CEO of Home-Start Wessex, said, “We are delighted to be opening our new Dorchester Haven group at the Dorchester Family Hub. Our free family support groups offer a warm welcome and support from fully trained staff and volunteers. It’s a relaxed opportunity to meet with other parents and share experiences, which can make a life-changing difference.”
The charity now runs free family groups across Dorset, including Bridport, Weymouth, Dorchester, Wimborne, Poole, Kinson, and Boscombe. These groups provide a safe space for little ones to explore, grow, and learn, and help parents to gain confidence. One mum said, “Just being with the group and making new friends, my confidence has grown 100%.” Over the past few years, the charity has seen a sharp rise in demand, with families struggling for a variety of reasons, including the ongoing cost of living crisis. To keep up with demand, Home-Start Wessex is appealing for new volunteers who can help provide the support local families need. With more people in crisis, struggling with poor mental health, financial hardship, isolation, domestic abuse, bereavement, homelessness, and other issues, our services are in high demand and more vital than ever. We could not run our service without our amazing volunteers. We are actively recruiting kind, compassionate volunteers to offer emotional and practical support to parents with young children in Dorchester and across Dorset. If you could spare a few hours a week to support local families through challenging times and make a difference in your community, please contact belinda@homestartwessex.org.uk. No experience is needed – just a big heart and a listening ear, as full training and ongoing support are provided.”
Over the last year, the charity has transformed 1,682 lives, helping a record 501 families. Their reach covers the Purbecks, Swanage, Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, the whole of the BCP Council area, including Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, across the borders of Hampshire and Wiltshire, going as far north as Cranborne and Fordingbridge and as far east as New Milton – a huge area with a population of over 650,000, including many pockets of high-level deprivation.
