Beginning to ‘give a voice’ to struggling families

All Our Childrensets out practical solutions for Home-Start’s aims; all children growing up with safe places to live and play, receiving support when their parents suffer from a mental illness, and being protected from hunger and poor nutrition. Home-Start launched this new manifestolast week and Ambassador Alastair Stewart OBE conducted interviews with some of Home-Start’s families and volunteers on the Terrace of the House of Commons.

Home-Start’sChief Executive Rob Parkinson kicked off the event by talking about what the manifesto can do for families in the United Kingdom. He explained that currently, up and down the country, in over 300 different locations, Home-Start volunteers are working in a ‘tireless way’ alongside families to try and help them. There have been many improvements in outcomes of the children from these families and they are beginning to talk to Home-Start about what would make a difference in their lives. These are things that Home-Start volunteers cannot provide on their own, but things that the government and policy makers can do to make a difference to families and children.

Mr Parkinson explained that there is no better time than now to ‘begin to give a voice’ to the 32,000 families that Home-Start supported last year. All Our Children sets out the things that are important to families, and these are the key priorities that Home-Start UK want policy makers and politicians to act upon to make a difference in families’ lives. In building the manifesto, many families highlighted key important issues to Home-Start such as affordable childcare and tax allowances, but it became apparent that they also require help meeting crucial basic family needs. The families talked about challenges they’ve faced with things such as unsuitable housing and the ability to provide decent nutritious food on the table. It emphasised just how challenging it is to bring up children when dealing with severe and difficult mental health issues.

Rob Parkinson reaffirmed the main priorities:

• All our children should have safe places to live and play
• All our children with a parent suffering from mental illness should be supported
• All our children should be well nourished and protected from hunger and poor nutrition.

Alastair Stewart then interviewed a group of parents who were representative of Home-Start families’ experiences over the past year, explaining that ‘the leverage comes from the people who we’ve been able to work with, and work with great pride and pleasure’. It was a chance to understand first-hand what it had felt like for them and what changes needed to be made.

Steve Barnwell, Alana Robertson, Izabela Zbucka and Charlotte Bull all spoke of their personal experiences and how Home-Start had been able to help them.

Mr Parkinson explained that the manifesto is full of policy asks and calls to action than can help to address situations such as those of the speakers and of other families. He asked that the audience and beyond take away the manifesto and work with Home-Start over the next six months to make these things a reality for more families.

Mr Parkinson summed up stating that there are already 18,000 Home-Start volunteers around the country. The manifesto recommendations will help ensure infrastructure supports them to make the difference families need in their day to day lives.

Read the manifesto here.