Home-Start Teignbridge believe that children need a happy and secure childhood and that parents play the most important role in giving their children a good start in life – which helps them achieve their full potential. Since 1989, Home-Start Teignbridge have been supporting families who are struggling to cope with a variety of challenges, including post-natal illness, budgeting on a low income, disability, isolation, the stressful demands of young children, bereavement and multiple births.
Our volunteers go into the families’ homes and give appropriate support according to their needs: if the child is at risk of isolation, volunteers will help the parent/carer get the children out to play groups, parks or other socially-interactive trips. Where a parent is struggling with illness, volunteers will give the children focussed attention (playing, reading and doing craft activities etc) which allows the parents some recovery time while promoting the development of the child. When a parent is dealing with a number of stresses, it is easy to neglect simply spending time with children and enjoying the moment – our volunteers aim to help children by creating ‘magical memories’ with their parents, strengthening the family bond in the process.
Everyone is given a warm welcome at the Playroom. Parents, relatives, carers and their children can have fun, drinks and snacks out our free group.
Meeting from 9.30am to 11.30 term-time Monday's at St Paul's Church, Newton Abbot, children are encouraged to play, socialise and create through a number of free activities - from building blocks, role-play kitchen, cars and babies, to making things out of playdough and a different craft activity each week. In the final hour, small toys are put away to make space for rideable cars, scooters, the seesaw and the tunnels. We then do a singing activity and often bring out the parachute to play with.
