Who can be referred?

Currently any family with at least one child under 5 years of age, who are suffering stress or are experiencing difficulties for whatever reason can be referred. This may include feelings of isolation, multiple births, ill health, post natal depression, lone parenting etc.

Families choose to accept Home-Start support and can decide to end the relationship at any time. Families can also ask for support themselves.

A referral is a serious enquiry for Home-Start West Somerset's support for a particular family, this results in a referral form being completed by the referrer. A referrer is someone such as:

• Health Workers
• Social Workers
• Midwives
• Community psychiatric nurses
• Teachers
• Probation officers
• Playgroup workers
• GPs

How to refer a family

• Talk to the family about Home-Start
• Suggest to the family how Home-Start could help
• Ask the family's permission to contact Home-Start
• Contact the Home-Start West Somerset office
• Discuss the availability of volunteers - there may be a waiting period
• A referral form indicating the reason for referral must then be completed

What happens after referral?

• Each referral, and the resources available, will be considered by the organiser
• The organiser will usually visit the family to clarify their needs and the support which Home-Start could offer. A volunteer, carefully selected for the family, will be introduced. Occasionally, a family may need to wait for a suitable volunteer to become available
• The referrer will be contacted with information about the nature and level of support to be offered

Further contact between Home-Start and the referrer may be made through the Home-Start scheme office as necessary. However, the referrer should not expect direct access to individual volunteers.

Get a referral form.

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