Home-Start is responding to challenges presented by the coronavirus across Scotland

Lifeline family support services across Scotland that normally comprise of home-visits and groups are adapting to life under lockdown, after rapidly moving to online, including virtual cooking classes, Facebook story time and one-to-one digital support.

Scotland’s network of Home-Starts helps over 3,000 families - including more than 6,500 children every year - supporting parents with young children and pregnant woman who are struggling with isolation, poor mental health, insecure housing, trauma, abuse, loss and also those navigating a complex and challenging asylum process.

The charity’s work is usually done through face-to-face visits and local groups, run by trained staff, and over 1,500 volunteers across the country.

With all services shut down overnight as a result of the coronavirus lockdown, managers at the 31 Home-Starts across Scotland had to put their heads together to come up with new and innovative ways of supporting the families they work with.

This has sprung Facebook cookery classes, one-to-one and group support sessions online, dad’s groups, virtual art competitions, and weekly story telling sessions – including book reading with TV star Kaye Adams.

Loose Women presenter Adams, an ambassador of Glasgow North Home-Start and North Lanarkshire, has taken to Facebook to read pre-schoolers a story. She said: “It’s certainly very different from my usual Fridays on Loose Women! I know lots of people are staying at home to save lives, which we’ve all got to do. It’s hopefully given parents of young children, who are juggling even more than usual just now, the chance to have a breather for a few minutes.”

Home-Start Scotland acting director, Douglas Guest, said: "Across Scotland Home-Start teams have transformed their day-to-day service of supporting parents and families in their homes to remotely supporting them via phone calls and video conferencing, on top of ensuring struggling families have access to what they need in these challenging times.

“There are examples of this up and down the country. From 150 activity packs being rushed out the door by Glasgow South Home-Start before lockdown, to them providing Zoom groups for dads, and launching new online antenatal support sessions.

“In Caithness teams are ensuring families remain connected by supplying digital devices with data, to getting money into families accounts in Cowdenbeath so they can buy essential supplies like food and nappies. In Orkney staff are still working to ensure they support families.

“And there are daily cooked meals being delivered to families East Lothian by catering company Thomas Franks that would normally be feeding 1,000's of children in private schools.

“Lockdown hasn’t shut us down – the 31 local charities in the Home Start Scotland network have shown incredible resilience to continue to be there for the families they work with and for those who will need us in the tough months to come.”

Home-Start Glasgow North manager, Nikki O’Hara, said: “We’re hugely lucky to have Kaye Adams’ support with this new initiative. Much of our work involves sending our trained volunteers into family’s homes to support them. With the current health crisis we’ve had to look at lots of new ways of supporting our families, and Storytime with Kaye has been a highlight of the day for many of them, with thousands of families watching not just in Glasgow but across Scotland!

“We have enjoyed connecting with staff, supporters and partners to help us create and deliver new exciting content for Facebook engaging and supporting families at this challenging time. We are now ready to take the next step to delivering online support with the help of our amazing and committed volunteers.”