Local families charity, Home-Start Newark, offers their Step Up For School programme, which aims to support parents in preparing their children to start education.
Unfortunately, families are still feeling the effects of Covid, with speech development and social skills being top of the list for children’s developmental milestones that are not being met.
Kay Davidge, Step Up For School lead at Home-Start Newark, said: “The current cost of living has increased stress and anxiety levels for many parents, in some cases affecting or causing a deterioration in their mental health. This then has a knock-on effect on their ability and confidence to parent in a way that helps their children meet their milestones ready to start school.
“Our staff have been recording and reporting Step Up For School work with families and do an excellent job in guiding parents to support and encourage their children. In the year 2024-2025, at the commencement of support, 50% of families had a support need for speech, language, and communication; at the close of support, this percentage reduced to 25%. 41% of families needed support with routines at the commencement of support, and only 8% still showed this as a need at the close of support.
“Step Up For School and its aims are woven into the fabric of our core support service, and the results speak for themselves.”
Home-Start Newark works with families in Ollerton, Boughton, and Bilsthorpe, as well as continuing to deliver services in Newark. They are keen to hear from people who would like to make a positive difference to the lives of young families living in the area through volunteering with them.
For further information, please call 01636 705011 or email info@homestartnewark.co.uk or find them on Facebook and Instagram.