The Gateway, North Methven Street

Home-Start Perth

ANNUAL REVIEW 2008

The Gateway, North Methven Street, Perth PH1 5PP

T: 01738 638847 F: 0871 236 9409 E: [email protected]

www.homestartperth.org.uk

Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in Scotland – Company No. 268665 Scottish Charity No. SC000986 Patron: The Baroness Linklater of Butterstone

Board of Trustees:Jean Phillips [Chair] Janet Simpson [Treasurer] Michelle Aldridge [Home Visiting Volunteer] Barbara Knight Ann Lewis Ronnie McNeil Maureen Morrison

Advisers: Ruth Buchan Health Visitor Lynsey Kidd SLA Monitoring Officer

Staff: Judi Sutherland Senior Co-ordinator Sue Gamwell Co-ordinator Marjorie Ogg Family Field Worker Elaine Ward Administrator Lorna White Playworker

Volunteers: Michelle, Heather A, Mags, Vida, Joanna, Hilda, Stella, Wendy, Laura, Liz, Anthea, Susan F, Jennifer F, Wilma, Sue, Jennifer L, Fiona, Karen, Anna, Rosemary, Christine, Susan M, Gill M, Arlene, Gill R, Sally, Janet, Pilin, Judith, Pat and Heather Y

During the last year we said goodbye to Doreen, Jan, Claire, Marion, Linda, Melanie and Kate who all moved on to do other things.

Thank You to

Perth & Kinross Education and Children’s Services and Tayside Health Board for continuing to provide most of our core funding.

We are also grateful to

the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Northwood Charitable Trust, the Gannochy Trust, Norwich Union Direct, the Mathew Trust, Scottish Community Foundation Women’s Fund, Perth Kinnoull Rotary Club, Perth Common Good Fund, Blairgowrie Common Good Fund, Tayside Police Benevolent Fund, Dunning SWRI, Dobbies of Perth and all the individuals who gave generously to Home-Start Perth.

2 ABOUT HOME-START PERTH

The objects of the charity are

 To safeguard, protect and preserve the good health both mental and physical of children and parents of children;  To prevent cruelty to or maltreatment of children;  To relieve sickness, poverty and need amongst children and parents of children;  To promote the education of the public in better standards of the childcare within the area of Perth and its environs.

Support is provided to young families under stress, throughout Perth and Kinross through the services of home visiting by volunteers who are all parents themselves or who have parenting experience. This support is flexible to take account of differing and changing needs. Weekly support groups are run by staff in Coupar Angus and Blairgowrie at which crèche facilities are offered.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

By the time this report is published most Home-Start schemes will have undergone their Quality Assurance reviews. This has been and will continue to be a hugely important exercise. The results have been pleasing, but more pleasing has been the enthusiasm with which everyone has gone about very time consuming tasks. The whole system is designed to allow each scheme to measure its own progress and achievements. Home- Start UK staff do note the effort which is put into this. Undoubtedly the best part for us is interviewing families who invariably feel they cannot praise Home-Start too highly.

This was always going to be a difficult year for funding. Some local authorities have well publicised financial difficulties and many have curtailed their budgets leading to cuts in the voluntary sector. Nonetheless, Home-Start has survived almost intact. I believe the link with quality has been an important factor.

The Scottish Government has embarked on creating an Early Years Intervention Strategy and Home-Start was invited to participate in the task group on building parenting capacity. I expect that we will be well placed to take advantage of any opportunities which may arise.

I would like to end with the most important part – thanking volunteers and staff whose contributions make Home-Start Perth such a success and who make their communities stronger as a result.

Dave Milliken, Director Scotland Home-Start UK

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

3 The Annual Report is a time for reflecting back on the events and activities during the year. This has been a busy year full of challenges.

For the newly appointed Trustees it has been a steep learning curve, but with the support and patience of the existing Trustees and staff we have grown in confidence. The new recruits are an eclectic group bringing to the management committee a wide range of knowledge and skills.

The following are some of issues the Management Committee, the subcommittees and staff have been concerned with:

 Funding and budgeting was a priority. It was with great relief that we learned PKC had confirmed verbally the core funding for 2008-2009.This remains at the same level as previous years. Significant effort has gone into pursuing and obtaining additional funding.

 Home –Start Quality Assurance Review was carried out in September 2007 and a positive report was obtained.

 Developing a Strategic Plan for the next three years.

 Surveys of the service users and referrers.

 Personnel matters such as job descriptions, staff appraisals and support / supervision.

 Recruitment of volunteers for the Management Committee and home visiting.

 Health and Safety risk assessments and policies.

 Child protection.

 Developing a website which will contribute to raising the profile of the Scheme

Funding has been secured to re-start “Mums in Mind”, a post-natal support group which is considered an essential part of the work of Home-Start Perth. Counselling and baby massage classes can be offered in small groups. Baby massage is recommended by experts for its benefit in terms of calming babies and helping them to sleep and evidence shows it can also help with post –natal depression.

Confirmation was received in April 2008 from Children in Need of a grant payable over 3 years to fund 2 play workers to assist with the groups and “Mums in Mind”

Keeping abreast with current developments and developing the capacity, knowledge and skills of Trustees, staff and volunteers has been achieved by attendance at various seminars, study days and courses .

The Management Committee would like to express thanks to the staff for their patience, guidance and support to the newly appointed Trustees. Thank you to Judi -Senior Co- ordinator, Sue – Co-ordinator, Elaine - Administrative Assistant, Marjorie - Family Field Worker, and Lorna - Play Worker for the high standard of work. A special thank you to the volunteers for giving their time and skills. They do a magnificent job. Finally thank you to all the Trustees for their hard work during the year and for their support during my

4 absence. To our new Management Committee member Barbara Knight, a very warm welcome.

In the coming months we hope to obtain funding to restart the Healthy Foods, Healthy Families project. We look forward to the publication of the Scottish Government’s report on Early Years Intervention Strategy, which Home–Start contributed to through the Home- Start UK Scottish Director. Home-Start Perth also made a contribution to the Perth and Kinross Parenting Strategy.

Jean Phillips

SENIOR CO-ORDINATOR’S REPORT

23 years on and volunteers are still the life blood of Home-Start Perth - without all these fantastic people, we would never have managed to offer the support to so many families. Home –Start is about parents recognising the stresses of bringing up a family and all the pressures, so Home-Start harnesses these feeling and recruits parent volunteers to help other parents who for a variety of reasons are struggling to cope. These volunteers are carefully recruited, vetted and prepared for the task before being matched with a young local family referred for a little extra support. These wonderful people listen to another parent’s worries and fears, offer reassurance and encouragement, something we all need at difficult times in our lives, and sometimes practical help too. The home-visiting volunteer gives a commitment to the family to visit weekly until the family find they are better able to cope. This year has been no different. We were fortunate to receive funding from Norwich Union that allowed us to run 2 recruitment drives. There is a natural fluctuation in numbers of volunteers due to personal circumstances, and so there is a constant need to recruit new members. All the volunteers attended a Course of Preparation, and we are very grateful to those who give time to meet and talk with these volunteers; Fenella Cowey, post natal depression, and Ruth Buchan who talks on the role of the health visitor and why they refer families to Home-Start Perth. Sadly we are saying good-bye to Ruth this year, as she takes up a new post. We are delighted that 2 volunteers who had taken time out, have now returned to us.

Volunteers are also needed for the governance of the scheme and this again needs time and a commitment to the many tasks involved. This year saw a significant change in our Board of Trustees, as many of the Trustees who had given a lot of their time to the scheme for a number of years decided to move on. Once again the scheme was very fortunate to recruit another very committed group who have a mixed and varied background, bringing together a wide range of skills and experience. They have worked hard at learning about Home-Start in general and Home-Start Perth in particular, for although all the Home-Start schemes work to the same Standards and Methods, each has its own differences reflecting the community it supports. At this time our monitoring officer for P&K changed too. Lynsey Kidd has proved to be a great help and very supportive and we thank her.

The families who are referred and supported appreciate the time their volunteers give and we get comments like ‘a thousand thanks are not enough’, ‘everyone should have a Home-Start volunteer in their cupboard’ and ‘well, Thursdays are magic because that’s when she visits’ and many, many more.

Sue organised a number of support session for the volunteers and these were fairly well attended.

5 Fair Play ran a session on Baby Play in Dundee, in November where we joined up with Home-Start Dundee. It has always proved to be popular with the volunteers when we join up with another scheme for training sessions. The Child Protection Forum for Voluntary Organisations put together a session on the effects of neglect on children. This session was over subscribed and we have been promised a repeat. Lorna Redford, Family Support working with ADHD, spoke on her work and what it is like for families where there are behavioural problems. Tayside Police ran a session for us on keeping ourselves safe. This was both helpful and informative. A big thank you goes to all those involved in the support sessions.

We also had 2 social events:  A sandwich lunch and an informal exchange of views.  Our Christmas night out, held in January because as parents we are all too busy in December!

Staff attended: Peep for Practitioners (Peers Early Education Partnership), Participatory Appraisal and Child Protection (multi agency).

Staff took part in 2 Themed Health Improvement days, in Letham (September) and Blairgowrie (October), to improve access to services & promote efficient and effective joint working across Community Planning Partnership.

In June 2007 P&K Volunteer Centre hosted the 2nd Volunteer Dinner and I am grateful that the Trustees agreed to fund places allowing 3 people to attend. As this is a 2 yearly event I hope the Trustees will find ways to allow several more to attend, as I feel it is a lovely way to publicly thank our volunteers for all that they give so freely.

In September the National Home-Start convention was held in Edinburgh (again this is a 2 yearly event). A great opportunity to mix with, exchange views and renew old friendships among like-minded people. Unfortunately staff were unable to attend this time, so two volunteers agreed to take the places. It was an enlightening experience for them both, that there were so many of US!! It is a real thought about how many families are supported by Home-Start schemes throughout the UK. A staggering thought too about how many families need the support and with sustainable funding how many more could be reached?

The 2 Family groups have continued to run in Blairgowrie and Coupar Angus every week; this is a way of offering additional support to families. Home visiting may not be an appropriate means of support to some families. We are very fortunate to have Marjorie Ogg and Lorna White working closely with these families, and they ran the Summer Outing and Christmas Party.

The work of the scheme continues to grow. This year we undertook a review on half of the 16 Quality Standards by Home-Start regional consultants and are working on the action plan to implement any changes suggested.

At last years AGM there was uncertainty around future funding and we were therefore delighted when we received £15,000 from the Esmee Fairburn Foundation. We went on from there to look at other Trusts and as you will have see from the accounts, we had a reasonably good response. Funding from the Gannochy Trust will allow us to develop our own website, an exciting development for us.

6 Some fund raising was planned: Bag packing at Marks and Spencer on December 21 st proved to be very worthwhile, although several volunteers had to call off due to colds & flu. It was a case of all hands on deck (or at the tills). We even had help from the Trustees and Frank (Sue’s husband) who is reputed never to have set foot in a supermarket! Dobbies Garden Centre chose Home-Start Perth as their Christmas Charity; all we had to do was sell Christmas wishes at their Christmas charity night! It was quite humbling to read some of the wishes, not everyone was asking for material things. Another plan we would like to set up is ‘Friends of Home-Start Perth’ who could undertake to plan about 3 fund raising events annually. Any takers??

Forward planning is taking shape to cover all the issues we want to address over the next 3 years, especially where there are gaps in the support to young families, e.g. post natal depression, help with healthy eating for families, recruiting volunteers from rural areas and support around hospital appointments.

Judi Sutherland

FAMILY GROUPS

Our family Groups continue to meet the needs of local families in rural Perthshire. It has been a mixed year in many ways. Our Group in Coupar Angus continues to flourish. Four children left after Christmas to start nursery and very quickly we found ourselves welcoming new families through the door. Ten families presently attend – although not every week.

Blairgowrie has been a bit more of a challenge. In February of this year our lease ran out at the Community Creche building and we relocated to the previous venue at YWCA William Street. We decided to hold an open day to publicise our presence there and posters were put up in local nurseries, libraries, playgroups etc. This appeared to be quite successful and 3 new families started to attend. Currently we have 4 families who benefit from the support we provide there.

In December of last year we held our annual joint Christmas party at the Community Wing for home visited families and those who attended the Groups. The families always enjoy the day and there are party games, lots of party food, a raffle for a Christmas hamper with a visit from Santa rounding off the afternoon.

During the past year we have tried to provide a variety of interesting activities for both parents and children. We always celebrate each child’s birthday by giving them a card, putting up a “Happy Birthday” banner, lighting candles and singing “Happy Birthday”. We have made Valentine cards, Mother’s Day and Easter cards and planted sunflower seeds. We had a “wear red” day and a teddy bears picnic. We had a Scottish day for Burns day when everyone wore something tartan and we played Scottish music. At Halloween we made spider handprints and “dooked” for apples. We visited the park one sunny afternoon and all enjoyed the occasion.

I also attended a week long course last September on Participatory Appraisal and a follow up day in March. This proved to be very useful as a means of getting views and opinions from Group users about the contents of our new leaflet.

We were also lucky enough to get money from a grant we applied for which enabled us to buy bright washable nursery flooring which slots together and is totally mobile.

7 All in all we end the year on a positive note. Our Groups will stop for the duration of the school holidays and resume in late August. We still have the summer outing to look forward to in July which this year will be a lunch and play session at “Jumpin’ Joeys” in Arbroath followed hopefully, weather permitting, by some time on the beach.

Marjorie Ogg

A VOLUNTEER’S VIEW ON THE HOME-START UK ANNUAL CONVENTION

As I hit the early morning traffic through Edinburgh city centre, I began to wonder why I had jumped at the opportunity to attend day one of the Home-Start Convention. My doubts vanished in a flash as I heard the strains of a welcoming piper outside the MacEwan Hall and inside was greeted by the smiling faces of the ladies at the registration desk.

I managed to locate Michelle, a fellow Home-Start volunteer and Trustee in the hall and we sat surrounded by about four hundred women and a handful of men!

Kay Bews, Home-Start UK Chief Executive, and James Sainsbury, Chair of Trustees, welcomed us and they were followed by a short and lively address by Ewan Aitken, ex leader of Edinburgh City Council. Ewan was deeply interested in the role that Home-Start played in the lives of families, as he is involved in similar schemes in Edinburgh.

Wendy Osborne, OBE, Director of the Volunteer Development Agency in Northern Ireland, followed and told us of her work and aspirations for setting and supporting standards of excellence.

We all then set off to various University buildings to attend our parallel sessions and as I was attending at short notice in place of a Trustee, I joined a workshop run by a Welsh scheme and learned in two hours how to develop a successful board of trustees!

After lunch we assembled for a fascinating lecture by Dr Suzanne Zeedyk called “Can love overcome violence?” I thought we were going to be sent out onto the streets to hug a hoodie! Suzanne’s research has proved that babies who are deprived of parental stimulation from birth will not grow a brain capable of empathy and will quite possible become abusers or abused themselves. This is s very shortened version of her work but it certainly was thought provoking.

Lord Carloway followed, speaking about domestic violence and the courts and his ideas for reform seemed a radical and refreshing proposal.

Running late, we all disappeared to our next workshops, mine being the skills required to apply well for a grant to Children in Need.

By now Michelle and I were flagging and after a quick wash and brush up at Pollock Halls we drove to Dynamic Earth and the gala dinner. I found myself out on the terrace, bubbly in hand, being serenaded by a pipe band – what a contrast to my normal Tuesday evening! After a delicious dinner I dropped Michelle off at the halls and set off home for Blairgowrie.

I thoroughly enjoyed my day – as a very new recruit to Home-Start I came away with the feeling that I am a small cog in an enormous machine. So many of us, all working towards a common goal – an easing of a difficult home and family life.

8 I am so glad I answered that advert a year ago!

Gill M

STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 2007-2008

Total num ber of fam ilies supported

99 99 100 96 98 95 89 90 90 85 80 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

Total number of children supported

250 200 Under 5 150 Over 5 100 50 Total children 0 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

9 SOURCES OF REFERRALS AND AND LOCATION OF FAMILIES Inchture & Rait NUMBER OF REFERRALS 2007-2008

Coupar Angus & Scone

Blairgow rie & Rattray

Aberfeldy

2 11 Stanley 16

Crieff

16 Auchterarder 6 Kinross & Dollar 3

3 2 Abernethy, Bridge of Earn & 6 5 Almondbank 3 5 Perth City South

Perth City North

Perth City Centre

Of the families currently supported, 65% of the referrals came from Health Visitors with others coming from Social Workers, GPs, the Education and Children’s Services Department, the Community Mental Health Team, Community Midwives and other agencies such as the Barnardo’s Domestic Abuse Team. 10% of the families referred themselves.

Families referred in 2007-08 and supported 39 Families still supported from previous year 51 Total number of families supported 90

Number of families that had home visiting support only 55 Families with Group support only 27 Families with both home visiting and group support 6 Families receiving minimal support 2