Impact report 2025

Celebrating 25 years improving the lives of

9,500

local children & their families

Impact Report 2024/25

Why, What, How?

It Takes a Village When Harry first came to Home-Start, he was a toddler of few words, struggling with communication, sensory processing, and changes to routine. His mum, Maddie, had recently become a single parent to Harry and his baby brother, Joe, and was struggling adjusting to life with two young children on her own.

Harry showed early signs of needing additional support.

He had delayed speech, frequent sensory meltdowns, and a strong reliance on familiar routines. Maddie described everyday life as challenging and isolating, particularly with limited opportunities for Harry to socialise or access structured play.

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During a baby weigh in with Joe, Maddie was introduced to the Home-Start Family Group, and though initially unsure how Harry would cope in a group setting, she decided to give it a try.

At first, Harry was nervous, needing reassurance and prompting to join in at snack time or singing, and encouragement to use words he knew and expand on these to communicate with others.

But the staff and volunteers welcomed him with warmth, patience, and consistency.

They understood his needs and responded with gentle encouragement, never pushing him beyond what he was ready for.

Over time, Harry began to flourish.

He started to join in, developing trust in the adults around him and creating bonds with other children.

Staff and volunteers noticed significant progress in his ability to self-regulate and communicate.

Harry is now being referred for assessment through the Right to Choose pathway to explore potential additional needs. In the meantime, the Family Group is providing him with a safe, structured space to develop key skills and develop the social and communication skills he needs to thrive.

It also gives Maddie the chance to connect with others and feel supported. She says, “I feel gratitude for being able to access such a wonderful resource.

Gratitude for my boys, for resilience, and for the village I found in Home-Start – and for memories my children and I will have for a lifetime”.

Why

What

How

Over 25 years, the world has changed dramatically for children. The challenges they face today are complex and far-reaching. One in five now has a probable mental health issue, childhood obesity has risen exponentially, and the negative effects of dependency on technology are well documented.

Home-Start is a communityrun service of local parents, grandparents and professionals using lived experience to improve the life chances and home environment of children, to give them the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their circumstances.

Our staff and volunteers offer non-judgemental, compassionate, confidential, practical and emotional support to struggling parents. This enables them to grow in confidence, feel better connected and strengthen their relationship with their children.

Our weekly services include; • Volunteer 121 support of mums, dads, carers and children for 2-3 hours in the family home.

• Family Groups where parents/carers meet staff, volunteers and peers as their children play with other children.

• Telephone support.

• Counselling for those who have experienced domestic abuse and whose mental health is affecting their parenting.

• Buggy walks and outings.

• Support for dads to reconnect with their children in HM Prison Ford Family Days.

All our services are free of charge, and open to anyone who has at least one child under the age of 5 years.

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Across Arun, Worthing & Adur, over 18,000 children are currently living in relative poverty after housing costs – 27% of children on our doorstep.

The cost-of-living continues to squeeze families.

Parenting can often feel overwhelming, but when financial hardship, bereavement, or health problems arise, it can feel impossible. For children, the emotional, psychological, and physical toll of experiencing hardship, neglect, or tragedy is immense and can last a lifetime. Positive early years experiences remain crucial for lifelong success.

“There is little that correlates more with a child’s happiness than how happy they are with their family. Little that better predicts their outcomes and chance of success.”

Children’s Commissioner Family Review 2022

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Just as it was 25 years ago, ensuring babies and young children have a voice and the support they need is important as ever.

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Letter from Dr Chris Warren Adamson, Patron As someone with a lifelong commitment to social work, research, and early intervention, I am proud to introduce this year’s impact report from Home-Start Arun, Worthing and Adur, marking an incredible 25 years of supporting children and families in our community. Over the past quarter-century, this charity has been a lifeline for those facing poverty, isolation, mental health struggles, disability, and loss, particularly in coastal towns and rural villages where disadvantage is often hidden.

Home-Start’s approach is simple yet profound: trained volunteers provide oneto-one, compassionate support to parents of young children, walking alongside them through some of their most difficult times.

This early intervention prevents crises, builds confidence, and fosters connection, helping families transition from surviving to thriving. Parents who once felt judged or isolated are welcomed into a network of care and encouragement, while children learn to trust again, play, and grow.

What sets Home-Start apart is its understanding that change happens in relationships, not systems. The charity addresses vital social and emotional needs, easing the pressure on public services and strengthens local communities. It creates not just better outcomes for families today, but more hopeful futures for tomorrow’s children. This 25th year is a celebration of the dedication of staff, volunteers, partners, and families who have shaped the charity’s journey – and a reminder of the ongoing need for this crucial work.

Most importantly, the positive impact of Home-Start is evident in both families and volunteers. Whether through turning around challenging family situations or volunteers going on to pursue social work degrees, the charity offers transformative support that lasts. It’s a model of community care I’m proud to champion as Patron, and I am honoured to stand alongside YEARS Home-Start in continuing to make a life-changing impact – one family at a time.

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Our families in 2024/25 Family’s circumstances – in numbers

36%

17%

33%

69%

83%

31%

31%

47%

92%

living in top 30% most deprived areas of England

with complex needs

experiencing domestic abuse

living with a mental health issue

lone parenting

experiencing financial difficulties

with one family member with a physical health issue

feeling isolated

Watch our national ‘Cries campaign’ videos which highlights the many issues parents face Nineteen moves and counting Katherine’s story – the practical consequences of child abuse We’ve moved “home” 19 times in Daisy’s short five years. That word – home – feels like a dream we’re still chasing. Two weeks ago, we were placed in another temporary flat, above a shop, cramped and noisy. It’s exhausting. Daisy’s never known what a stable home feels like.

After I fled with Millie and Daisy – overnight, no time to pack, just the clothes on our backs – we ended up in emergency

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living in entirely inadequate housing

housing in a strange town.

No beds. Mattresses on the floor. It was the only way to keep Millie safe after I found out what her dad had done.

Both my girls are autistic; Daisy has SEN and is immune suppressed. Moving constantly is brutal on them. It’s a full-time job just getting Daisy to school and back – four hours of travel a day. I can’t even imagine going back to work right now.

EHCPs, giving us courage and holding our hands whilst reporting my ex to the police.

She was there for us when I had an emergency hysterectomy.

She listens, she’s kind, calm, and never once judged me. And she is just wonderful with the kids.

She’s made a world of difference – to all three of us. I’ll never stop being grateful.

Then Home-Start sent Becky.

She’s been a lifeline. She gets it – she’s a mum too. I have dyslexia so she has been an absolute godsend with endless paperwork. Helped me with everything: schools, housing,

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What we did in 2024/25

It takes a team

Our help in numbers

Our volunteering opportunities range from 1-2-1 support of families in their home, on the phone, in a group setting, as a Trustee, helping at events, office admin or fundraising support and on projects such as school readiness and healthy budget batch cooking sessions.

179

families were supported along the south coast between Pagham and Southwick, benefitting the lives of 336 children.

At Christmas…

89

children unwrapped Christmas presents – for some the only gifts they received.

27% 12% one-to-one support

at our Family Groups

48

“

”

via our counselling service

19% in HM Prison Ford Family Days

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families received children and their parents hampers brimming enjoyed a magical with festive food, gift Christmas outing – from vouchers and essentials, Chichester Canal trips to easing the financial soft play fun, complete pressures of the season with a visit from Father with community support. Christmas himself.

Our amazing volunteers

“I just wanted to say thank you so much for the totally wonderful Christmas hamper – I may have become a total weepy mess shortly after your lovely volunteer dropped it off. After such an awful year please do pass on love and thanks to all at Home Start – I still feel emotional about it and struggling to find the words!”

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42%

With staff support, 37 brilliant volunteers supported 55 families in their own homes, 48 in 3 family groups, 20 over the phone, 21 via counselling and 35 at HMP Ford.

11 trustees volunteered, working strategically behind the scenes.

Volunteering can be the key to health and happiness – it can improve physical and mental health, confidence, community connections, and can combat loneliness. Volunteers also develop skills which can open new opportunities such as a return to education or employment.

All family support volunteers will have had experience of parenting, grandparenting or working with children. After initial short online training, followed by two half days of face-to-face training, all will give 2-3 hours of their time each week to support families facing challenging times. Our volunteers offer no judgement – just compassionate, confidential and tailored support. They themselves are supported regularly by our staff team.

Our ambition in 2025 In line with national trends, the number of our volunteers have declined by 41% over the past three years.

In our 25th year, we’re determined to rise to the challenge. Our goal is to recruit, train, and place 25 new volunteers to support over 100 more children.

To find out more about all our volunteering opportunities, scan the QR code or contact admin@home-startawa.org.uk.

However you might like to volunteer, we’d love to chat with you!

4,184 hours of volunteer support = £87,508

New recruits raring to go!

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A quarter century of improving the lives of local babies and children

Proud to support Home-Start For over 10 years The Roddick Foundation has been proud to support Home-Start Arun, Worthing & Adur and the vital work they do for families across the local community. As a Foundation, we firmly believe in the power of early, compassionate support to strengthen the family unit – the very foundation of a thriving society. Home-Start’s dedicated volunteers offer a lifeline to parents facing challenging circumstances, helping them build resilience, confidence, and connection. Their work not only transforms the lives of individual families but also helps to nurture stronger, more connected communities. Supporting a local charity like Home-Start ensures that help reaches those who need it most, right at their doorstep, and we are honoured to continue standing alongside them in this essential mission.

Celebrating 25 Years

Over 25 years our volunteers and staff have improved the lives of 9,500 children across 4,250 families, offering crucial early intervention to those who need it most. This milestone serves as a powerful reminder of the extraordinary impact of community-driven support.

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25 YEARS

In our 25th year, we’re shining a spotlight on Home-Start in our community – the charity is still unknown to so many! Hosting special events throughout the year – starting in February with a supporter thank you in Arundel Town Hall, a Volunteer Celebration Day in May, a 25km sponsored walk along our beautiful coastline in June, attending various community events throughout the summer, a special event in Arundel Castle’s Library in October – plus special festive activities for our families at Christmas – we’d love for you to join us!

25 years of volunteering for Home-Start

by Linda Mott I started volunteering with Home-Start Arun, Worthing & Adur 25 years ago as a stay-at-home mum with a nursing background, simply wanting to make a difference. Over the years, the heart of Home-Start has remained the same: offering nonjudgemental, compassionate support to families during tough times. You don’t need special qualifications – just empathy, encouragement, and the willingness to be there. You are enough.

I’ve supported 14 families through home visits – each one unique. Some needed just a few weeks to regain confidence, while others faced challenges like illness or domestic abuse. Walking alongside them has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I still keep in touch with some of the parents today.

After a short break, I’m about to start volunteering again, feeling that same mix of nerves and excitement. Parenting is still incredibly hard, and with less support around, the need for Home-Start is stronger than ever.

If you’re thinking about volunteering – do it.

You have more to offer than you realise, and you’ll gain as much as you give. Home-Start’s team will be with you every step of the way. Helping a parent through tough times is a true gift.

Sign up to our newsletter to find out about all our events/ appeals/relevant news...

Go to www.home-startawa.org.uk/25-years/ for all the ways you can support in our 25th Year!

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Meet the team All are parents, many are grandparents, and some are foster carers – all understand the challenges of parenting.

We are proud to be a real living wage and disability confident employer, committed to enhancing staff wellbeing.

Our Home-Start Quality Assurance review allows us to reflect on our work, celebrate strengths, and identify areas for growth, ensuring we provide high-quality, consistent support to families. It reinforces our commitment to continuous improvement and demonstrates our impact to funders and the wider community.

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Trustees bringing talent and experience for excellent leadership and governance. part time, highly experienced and qualified staff, training and supervising a team of fabulous volunteers, giving them a sense of purpose and satisfaction.

Social Services

18%

Children & Family Centres (Early Help)

18%

Self Referrals

3%

Early Learning/ Childcare

15 %

7%

HM Prison Ford

Other Health/Midwifery

6%

Other Community Organisations

7%

Mental Health

18%

Health Visitors

We work closely and collaboratively with our referrers, signposting their services to families when appropriate.

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“We regularly refer clients to Home-Start, there is and will continue to be a great need for this invaluable support. Many women are isolated with babies and having the volunteer and group support can be a real lifeline for them.”

My Sisters House

“ “ ”

“Thank you to the Home-Start team – we’d be lost without you, as would many of our families.”

Social worker

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” ”

“We’ve only ever heard great feedback from clients who have had Home-Start support.”

Early help

Better at managing children’s behaviour listening to children and respecting their rights

86%

Coping better with physical and mental health

90%

Improvement in parent’s self-esteem

92%

Our Family referrers and what they say 8%

Our impact in 2024/25 Families reporting improvement Keeping children after Home-Start support & families safe 90% 88%

by Holly Baker More involved in the children’s development/ early learning and socialisation

93% Feeling less isolated

91%

Coping better with child’s physical health

84%

Coping better with child’s mental health

Better at managing the household budget

97%

85%

Day to day running of the home

90%

Coping better with multiple births and children under 5

Feeling less stressed by conflict in the family

97%

Better use of other support services

100%

Feeling better able to parent after counselling

Safeguarding Officer for Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club Foundation

As the Safeguarding Trustee for Home-Start, I know that safeguarding is at the very heart of everything Home-Start does. It’s not just a duty – it’s a guiding principle that runs through all our support for families. Ensuring that children grow up in safe, nurturing environments is fundamental to our mission, and we approach this responsibility with the utmost seriousness. Our staff and volunteers are trained to recognise early signs of concern and respond with compassion, building strong, trusting relationships that allow us to reduce risks and promote long-term wellbeing. Safeguarding isn’t just about reacting – it’s about being present early enough to prevent problems from escalating.

Over the past 25 years, the safeguarding landscape has evolved significantly. There’s now a much greater awareness of the complexities families face, and a stronger focus on early intervention and multi-agency collaboration. While these developments are positive, they’ve also brought increased pressure on statutory services. Sadly, not all families feel able or willing to engage with those services – this is where Home-Start plays a unique and vital role. Our informal, nonjudgemental, and compassionate approach often provides a trusted bridge to support, particularly for those who might otherwise be left behind.

This year, we’ve continued to work in close partnership with schools, health teams, and social care, ensuring that families get the help they need, when they need it most. Volunteers constantly have safeguarding at the forefront of their mind and their ability to be present in families’ homes and communities means we can notice subtle changes, offer timely support, and advocate for children whose voices might otherwise go unheard. It’s this community-based, relational model that makes our safeguarding work so powerful and effective.

Behind the scenes, we maintain a strong safeguarding culture through rigorous policies, robust safer recruitment, and regular training for every trustee, staff member, and volunteer. We never take trust for granted – and we never treat safeguarding as a tick-box exercise. Instead, we’re constantly reviewing and improving our practices to not only meet standards, but to go beyond them. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved this year and deeply grateful to our dedicated team and partners.

Together, we’re not just protecting children – we’re helping them to thrive.

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Improving children’s lives thanks to support from our community Our fundraised income Gifts & Donations

Corporate

5,280

33,459

Community Events Councils

7,947

Fundraising in our community

5,409

Gift Aid & Interest

7,671

Trusts & Foundations

How my mum finally let someone in

149,808

By Maisie (16)

My mum works three jobs to keep us afloat.

Money matters to her because she left home at 15 and had to fend for herself.

She doesn’t trust anyone except me, Connor and Ben. Her dad was in and out of prison, violent when home, and her family never supported her.

She met my dad at 17, and they were together for ten years. He lied, controlled her, and took drugs. She finally left him a few years ago. Dad never paid for anything for us, which is why she works so hard.

She got into debt, felt like a failure, and was always angry at dad. Connor struggled too, getting into trouble at school.

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Our Family Support Worker suggested counselling with Charlotte at Home-Start.

I know mum must have felt low – she doesn’t trust anyone – but for the first time, she accepted help. She cut contact with dad completely and started telling us what she talked to Charlotte about – dad, what life was like for her growing up and why she never trusted anyone. She told me she’d built a massive wall around herself but realised how lonely she felt.

She’s finished counselling now but she’s a different person. She’s even gone out with a friend from work. Life is so much better at home, all of us are close again. She’s not constantly raging. I know what my dad is like, but I do still love him and always felt like I was stuck in the middle. Connor’s doing better – six weeks with no suspensions in school, a new record! And even baby Ben seems much more chill.

Names and photos have been changed to protect the family identity.

Total £209,574 For every £1 donated, 84p goes towards supporting our families and 16p goes towards our fundraising costs to raise the next £1.

Expenditure Core staffing costs Family Group Costs Counselling Income Generation Costs Training, Recruitment & DBS Travel Premises Administrative Costs Governance and HSUK Activities Depreciation

100,885 20,936 16,051 32,000 1,634 2,311 3,042 7,615 9,493 1,832 936

Total £196,735

We were delighted to receive a prestigious award from the High Sheriff of West Sussex, in recognition of our outstanding and valuable service to the community.

Hercule Van Wolfwinkle continued to raise funds for us with his ‘rubbish’ pet portraits and the Sporting Bears with rides in their beautiful classic cars at Arundel Festival.

The Mayor of Arundel chose us as his official charity again and allowed us to use the Town Hall for the first of our events to mark 25 years – ‘Meet the Charity’. The Windmill cinema kindly agreed to show our Cries campaign videos, and our film ‘Atanya’s story’ was shown at Worthing’s first Love & Light Film festival. Our annual Christmas appeal “Be a Secret Santa” raised over £14k thanks to donations from local businesses and our community.

Our staff and volunteers were out and about at so many community events – from giving talks in GP surgeries, to local businesses, Rotary and church groups to our annual Christmas Fayre in Felpham, stands at community events to regular Quiz nights at the World’s End Pub in Patching.

Whether you belong to a religious group, work for a local business, are a member of a Women’s Institute, Rotary, or school, or would like to run a marathon or organise your own fundraiser – contact lucy@home-startawa.org.uk for all the ways you can get involved to make a difference to the lives of local children.

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Message from the CEO and Chair

How you can help

Bridget Richardson and Vince Mewett

This year, as we proudly celebrate 25 years of supporting families across Arun, Worthing & Adur, we reflect with immense gratitude on the thousands of lives touched through the care, dedication, and compassion of our team and volunteers. Reaching this milestone is a testament to the unwavering belief in the power of community – and in the difference that early, non-judgemental support can make to families navigating difficult times.

Throughout the past year, we have continued to respond to growing levels of need in our area. From supporting parents struggling with mental health challenges, to helping families facing financial hardship and social isolation, our staff and volunteers have stood shoulder to shoulder with families, offering tailored, person-centred support. Our commitment to strengthening the family unit has never been more vital, and thanks to our long-standing partners, funders and supporters, we’ve been able to adapt and grow our services to meet these evolving challenges.

So much of our work simply could not happen without regular funding from Children in Need, Henry Smith Foundation, Garfield Weston, The Roddick Foundation and Sussex Community Foundation. We are proudly supported by local corporates and businesses, with both funding and pro-bono support. A special mention goes to our supporters who donate monthly. This steady and reliable income each month enables us to plan ahead – giving us the confidence to respond flexibly to local needs and continue delivering high-impact, consistent support where it’s needed most.

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Our 25th year has also been a moment to celebrate the impact of our work – not only in the stories of individual families, but in the long-term resilience and confidence that ripple through communities when families are empowered. Our volunteers remain the heartbeat of Home-Start, and we are proud of the deep connections they foster, bringing hope and reassurance to families during times of uncertainty. With various events organised throughout the year, we very much hope that many of our supporters will join us in celebration of this milestone.

As we look ahead, our vision remains ambitious and rooted in compassion.

The journey is far from over, and we know that many more families will need us in the years to come. With your continued support, we are excited to build on this incredible 25-year legacy – reaching more families, strengthening our community, and ensuring that every child has the best possible start in life.

Scan to find a full list of all our wonderful supporters in 2024/25

MAKE A MAKE A DIFFERENCE – DIFFERENCE – VOLUNTEER FOLLOW US If you’d like to be part of something wonderfully worthwhile, scan the QR code to register your interest today or contact Jo for an informal chat on jo@home-startawa.org.uk or go to www.home-startawa.org.uk/volunteer

Follow us and share our posts on social media

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MAKE A MAKE A DIFFERENCE – DIFFERENCE – KEEP IN FUNDRAISE TOUCH FOR US We’d love to keep you up to date with our work, the outcomes our families achieve, events and relevant news. Scan the QR code by signing up to our newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Whether you’d like to come along to one of our events, run a marathon, organise a cake bake, fundraise at work or where you worship, go to www.home-startawa.org.uk/fundraise or contact Lucy at lucy@home-startawa.org.uk

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE – DONATE TODAY The need for our services has never been greater and issues families are struggling with are as challenging as they have ever been –for so many, life feels insurmountable.

The emotional, psychological, and physical cost for children experiencing tragedy, hardship and neglect is immense and can last a lifetime.

Together we can change this.

In our 25th year, we are determined to rise to the challenge. Our goal is to raise £25k to recruit, train, and place 25 new volunteers to support an additional 100 children in 2025.

£5 £10

a month could pay for vital phone calls to support a family in crisis a month could go towards providing vital safeguarding training so a volunteer can visit family homes with knowledge and confidence

£25

a month will sponsor a volunteer visit to a family facing difficult times, giving children the best possible start in life

Scan the QR code to donate today

Send a cheque payable to ‘Home-Start Arun, Worthing & Adur, to E2 Arundel Court, Park Bottom, Arundel BN18 OAA. BACS 13567729 SORT 202062 Call 01903 953799 or visit www.home-startawa.org.uk Please reference ‘Impact Report’ when donating Don’t forget, if you are a UK Taxpayer, we can claim a further 20% on your donation!

THANK YOU! AND FINALLY – PARENTS – If you need help or just need to clear your head – we’re here to help – just call 01903 953799.

Home-Start Arun, Worthing & Adur A charitable company limited by guarantee Charity no. England 1132416 Company no. 7007031 Registered office: E2 Arundel Court, Park Bottom, Arundel, BN18 0AA We follow the Charity Governance code for small charities.

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