The Family Hub provides support across Edinburgh to families whose children are not yet in an early learning and childcare setting.
we offer one to one support and Family Hub group work. see our poster for further information
This is a FREE service
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Could YOU make a difference to an isolated family with small children in Edinburgh?
We need volunteers for up to 2 hours per week, visiting families to offer practical and emotional support. Full training and travel expenses provided.
If you wish to have an informal chat about the volunteer opportunities available please contact 0131 661 0891
Starting Wednesday 19th April 2023
Peep is for parents and carers with children. We share ideas and activities that support your child’s learning and development in everyday life – talking, singing, sharing books and playing together.
To find out more visit www.peeple.org.uk
To book a space contact Vanessa (07526 460 616) or Angela (07359 308 045)
During Covid our volunteers have been doing a incredible job supporting families from a distance.
They have been using the phone, Zoom, Whatsap, post and, whenever possible – meeting safely outdoors.
Would you like to join them?
We’ll train you and support you all the way.
We need you for about an hour a week. You don’t need to be a parent. You just need to be able to make a connection with an isolated family to offer a listening ear, encouragement and support. It’s simple but it makes a huge difference to a parent who doesn’t have anyone else to confide in.
Our next training starts on Nov 17 2020, the next one after that will be in March 2021.
Have a look at more info here:
“When our son was born three and half months prematurely, we knew that when we finally got him home, we would have challenges to face that most parents wouldn’t. Our biggest challenge was that our son needed 24hr oxygen which meant he had to be connected to an oxygen machine with a nasal cannula taped to his face. Since we needed to keep a very close eye on him to make sure he didn’t pull out that nasal cannula, which was at the time his lifeline, we found it very difficult to do simple chores and cook meals as we couldn’t leave him alone for long, even when he was asleep.
Our Health Visitor told us about Home Link Family Support and how they can help families like us, by matching us with a volunteer to give us some support. After a referral, we quickly met one of the co-ordinators. We discussed how a Home Link volunteer could help us and for our family, it was having a volunteer who could come and sit with our son in our home and look after him for a couple of hours once a week to let me (or my husband when I returned to work) get some work done around the house and cook healthy meals.
Within a couple of weeks Home Link had found someone they thought would be a match and after meeting her for the first time, we felt very comfortable. Those two hours every week meant the world to me as a new mum with a baby on oxygen support. I knew my son was safe and being looked after which gave me the confidence and time to cook healthy food for us and get some of those dreaded chores, like the laundry, done. We had a great relationship with our volunteer and as he got older we could see our son enjoyed his weekly visits – he began to recognise our volunteer and would get excited when she would arrive.
We were lucky enough to have our volunteer for nearly 9 months and while the main benefit was to give me time to cook meals and clean, the added benefit was the development our son had from the interaction he had with our volunteer as she sang to him, played games with him and read him books. That’s also the reason we started going to the Stay & Play group set up by Home Link. It was another option for bringing development opportunities to our son but also a place where we could meet other parents, some of whom are also Home Link families and who also faced additional challenges with their new families.
We would highly recommend Home Link Family Support and the service they provide, it made such a difference to us at a time when we really needed it and we are very grateful for that.“
Children are never too young to start sharing books and reading together …
The two little ones in the photo were snapped engrossed in sharing a book together at Home Link Family Support’s Midlothian Stay & Play Group (Thursdays, 10.00-11.00am at Newbattle Community Centre). We were all fascinated to observe the two engaged in the book and interacting with each other for a sustained period. Note the position of the book! Our weekly Stay & Play Sessions always include story & song, along with lots of opportunity for play.
There are many reasons why it is important to share books and read together with babies and young children:
Remember, it is never too early to begin sharing books and reading together!
Useful websites:
A mother of 2 boys speaks about the experience of having a volunteer ’Super Gran’ to visit once a week:
“Any parent or carer will know that having a child definitely changes your life and routine many wonderful ways. Having a new addition to your family can require juggling lots of tasks and having an extra pair of hands can make such a huge difference. Those extra pair of hands for me came from Home Link Family Support – we were paired with a wonderful volunteer who became a huge lifeline.
Our volunteer or as we used to call her ‘Super Gran’ or ‘Grandma Maria’ would come in to help me with my two children for a couple of hours every week.
No task was ever too big – I can’t actually ever remember her saying ‘no’ to anything. The key thing was that I trusted her – within the year we developed a good relationship and I got to see that she truly cared. We spoke about lots of things from food to music, travel and family.
She worked very closely with my little boy who has additional support needs. She played games with him; taught him how to use toys; helped with his feeding and much more. At times she would help watch both my children (who were 4 years and under 1 year) while I did some chores around the house. Knowing I had those 2 hours every week to quickly get a few things done was such a massive help. Every Tuesday the boys would wait for her to arrive and greet her by the door. She was so mild mannered, friendly and kind – she would sing to them and they loved seeing her. She almost became part of our family.
Having a child with additional needs has extra challenges – but this was never a challenge for Maria. She saw the child before the disability. She would help me to get to appointments or play with the boys into the garden.
What blew my mind was the fact she was doing this for free. I was always taught that nothing in life comes for free. However, Home Link Family Support gave this service to my family for free. Home Link harnessed their skills as a charity organisation to bring together volunteers and developed these wonderful individuals’ skills to become volunteers to support families, such as mine. Words can’t express how grateful I am.
I hope that Home Link Family Support can continue to do their amazing work – supporting children and their families.
Thank you”
J
Do you want to volunteer and really make a difference?
There are families in Midlothian and Edinburgh with small children and no help. They would love you to visit them once a week for two hours. You’d be matched with one family and you would provide emotional and practical support. Most of the families just need another adult to talk to, to share their worries and get some encouragement to help them feel more confident. The children need you to make their lives more fun by sharing books and playing with them.
Our next four day training is free, on Saturdays, 10.30-3.30, 31 Aug, 7th Sept, 14th Sept, 21st Sept. In Dalkeith.
You don’t need any experience or to be a parent. You just need to be over 18, positive, non-judgemental and willing to listen. We’ll provide full training, expenses and ongoing support for you.
Our volunteers tell us they find it really rewarding because they learn a lot and its great experience for their careers.
More stories about how we help parents give their children a positive start in life.
Call Jane if you want more info 0131 661 0890
Conference March 2019
Please come and join us to hear about and develop a city-wide approach to trauma informed practice in Edinburgh.
We welcome a keynote address from Maree Todd, Minister for Children and Young People.
Guest speakers include:
After the presentations we will invite you to participate in round table discussions for each locality lead by key panel members.
On the 7th of March 2019, 08.45-12.30, at the Faith Mission, Gilmerton, Edinburgh.
Open to the public. Tickets £15
Registration via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/childhood-adversity-lets-take-action-tickets-53722452301
