Family support organisation needs more volunteers as new figures show parents of toddlers feel isolated
New figures show that nearly half of all parents of children under five feel lonely
A Portsmouth organisation is helping to bring parents together after new figures released show that nearly half of all parents of young children feel isolated.
Home-Start Portsmouth works with Portsmouth City Council to hold group events to allow parents to socialise with one another, and also offer home visits from volunteers to help support parents that are struggling.
A YouGov poll conducted by the nationwide organisation Home-Start UK this year shows that nearly half of parents with children under five say they feel lonely or isolated, with around one in six saying they often or always feel this way.
More than one in five rarely or never have meaningful contact with another adult outside their household.#
“Sometimes the Home-Start volunteer who visits the home is the other adult who can connect with the parent so they have someone to have a conversation with and a cup of tea and a chat with, and that can be all they need,” said Peter Leonard, CEO of Home-Start Portsmouth.
“We also would encourage people to go to one of the groups we run which we have in place across the city and at various family hubs,” he said.
“A parent can join a stay-and-play group where they can take their children. The children can socialise and play with a whole range of toys that we have at the family hubs, and adults can meet other parents and develop support networks and friendships."
“We have a range of groups and school readiness groups, for a range of different people, for babies or toddlers, we have a group for LGBTQ+ parents. We also have a project called Dad Matters to support new dads.
“We have family champions at our hubs for parents to come and chat about how they are doing as well,” said Peter.
Home-Start Portsmouth also offers visits to parents and carers who are struggling with the stresses of raising children.
“It might be that a parent has a child with additional needs and they find it overwhelming, or they might be a single parent with a number of children, or there might be health issues,” said Peter.
“We match a family with a volunteer and that volunteer offers two or three hours a week for up to six months supporting that family, and we design a personalised action plan,” he said.
“It might be that parents are struggling to get out and get the kids down to the park or to GP appointments, or it might be as simple as supporting them with grocery shopping.”
However, the service is under pressure and needs more volunteers urgently to help families in need.
“We have a team of around 100 volunteers that we use, which sounds an awful lot, but we have a 15 week waiting list for home visiting support,” said Peter.
“We need more volunteers, they are the lifeblood of the organisation and the ones who actually make the real difference,” he said.
The organisation offers comprehensive training for volunteers, and provides intensive training programmes across two days as well as part-time training for an hour and a half a week over eight weeks.
“It covers all the things they will need to know, and volunteers will have regular supervision to support them,” said Peter.
A spokesperson for Portsmouth City Council said: "Caring for young children can be a deeply rewarding, but also a challenging and isolating time, and we want Portsmouth families to know that help is available through our Family Hubs and wider network of support. Families with children aged 0 to 5 can access a range of free support designed to strengthen relationships, build confidence and help children thrive.
“This includes support from Home-Start Portsmouth through stay and play sessions, parent and carer groups, and one-to-one volunteer support, alongside services provided by partner organisations. Giving children the best start in life is at the heart of our work, and we are proud that the strength of this partnership approach was recognised in the recent Outstanding Ofsted rating for our children's services.
"Home-Start volunteers make an invaluable contribution to families across the city, helping parents and carers feel supported, connected and confident during their children's early years. We encourage anyone who can spare some time to consider becoming a volunteer to help reach even more families across Portsmouth."
You can find more information about the services Home-Start Portsmouth offers, and how to register as a volunteer, here.