Home-Start Colchester Jaywick and Clacton is an independent local charity committed to making a real difference to the lives of local children and families.

Home-Start Colchester Jaywick and Clacton delivers early help preventative services in response to the needs of  local families. As an independant charity dependant on funding we currently deliver maternity services, family support and young people services. All our projects encourage  supporting postive changes to take place and assistance to improve  the health and wellbeing of local families.  Our mission is that families build skills and knowledge to manage independantly and that  children achieve their full potential.

Our Home-Start scheme is rooted into the local community we serve. As an independent local charity we are managed locally. However, we form part of a network of Home-Start charities that align themselves to a tried-and-tested model – that of volunteer home visiting. Through this network our work is supported by the national organisation, Home-Start UK, that provides advice, training, information and guidance to schemes to ensure a consistent and quality support service for parents and children.

In 1993, local partners and professionals fought hard to create a Home-Start scheme in Colchester. In 1996 a successful Lottery bid enabled the scheme to begin to develop the Home-Start service, recruiting local volunteers to benefit local families. The scheme has continued to sustain a Home-Start service locally for over 22 years. We now deliver services in both Colchester and South Tendring.

What services do we offer?

• One-to-one support with parenting. This can be in your own home, at a group or at an organised drop-in session
• Maternity- Antenatal Education workshops
• Parenting support advice and strategies for children 0-11years
• Information and advice
• Wellbeing services
• Benefit advice
• Foodbank vouchers including collection and delivery of food where needed
• Grant application to help you with items you need but can not currently afford
• Group support for parents or children
• Healthy-eating
• School readiness and play opportunities, help with education.
• Family events
• Children workshops for children 5 – 11 years
• Holiday fund
• Toddler groups
• Baby groups
• Forest Schools
• Maternity groups

Volunteer support

• We can match you with a trained volunteer to provide weekly mentoring assistance in your own home to provide support at difficult and challenging times.
• Mentoring for young people and parents.
• Peer parent support
• Group support