About Us

Home-Start Lorn has been supporting families in the area since 1988. Our Home-Visiting volunteers offer friendly, practical support to families with at least one child under five years of age.

The Home-Start Network

The Home-Start network consists of Home-Start UK and more than 300 affiliated schemes. Together they form the Home-Start service, delivering one-to-one support, friendship and practical help to families.

The History of Home-Start

When Home-Start was founded in 1973 no-one involved in this unique parent-to-parent support service imagined that one local Home-Start in Leicester would be so effective and so popular with families that it would expand to more than 300 within 30 years. It did and now Home-Start is the UK's leading family support charity and is expanding into even more areas of the UK. See https://www.home-start.org.uk/ for further information.

Our Story

Home-Start Lorn was established in 1988. Since that date we have supported over 500 families and the organisation is well regarded by both local referrers and the families supported. We cover a very large rural area, stretching from the village of Kilmelford south of Oban to Appin in the North and Dalmally to the east. Since 2012 we have also been supporting families on the island of Mull.

In 2021, after 24 years of impeccable service our Scheme manager Aileen moved into a new position and we installed a new scheme manager Hannah. In that year we also recruited a Family Support Worker, increased the admin's hours and recruited a second coordinator on Mull to support us in branching out further into the islands and surrounding areas.

Mission and Beliefs

Home-Start believes that children need a happy and secure childhood and that parents play the key role in giving their children a good start in life and helping them to achieve their full potential.

Home-Start Lorn aims to increase the confidence and independence of the family by:

Offering emotional and practical support and friendship
Visiting families in their own homes, where the dignity and identity of each adult and child can be respected and protected
Reassuring parents that difficulties in bringing up children are not unusual and encourage them to enjoy family life
Developing a relationship with the family in which time can be shared and understanding can be developed: the approach is flexible to take account of each families different needs
Encouraging parents’ strengths and emotional well-being for the ultimate benefit of their children
Encouraging families to widen their network of relationships, effectively using the support and service available within the community

Our Approach

Home-Start Schemes are rooted in the communities they serve. They are managed locally, but supported by the national organisation: this offers direction, training, information and guidance and ensures consistent and quality support for parents and children wherever they are.

Home-Start has a proven, lasting, positive impact on the development of children and the health and welfare of the family.

Area Covered by Homestart Lorn

Map

Download the map of the area covered by Homestart Lorn as a PDF document »