Cause Index

Home-Start South Africa

Our vision

We wish to see a country where struggling and vulnerable families receive support they need in order to thrive.

Our mission

Home-Start is committed to offering families and children individualised support, friendship and practical guidance.

Who we are

Currently based in Ekurhuleni, our services are tailor made to meet the challenges facing families and children who may be struggling.

What we stand for:

We are focussed on early intervention as this is the most crucial time in a child’s development.

Current reality

Within our communities families and children are struggling to cope with problems which include poverty; crime; ill-health; abuse; neglect; drugs and alcohol; domestic violence; depression; unemployment; disabilities and other mental health issues.

In the worst scenarios families and children may reach a crisis point where their existing coping mechanisms prove inappropriate or inadequate.

Home-Start therefore provides a variety of services which meet the needs of the families and the children.

Tailor-made programmes

1. Home visits

We visit families in their own homes, where the dignity and identity of parents and their children can be protected, and their innate strengths encouraged.

Our volunteers are parents themselves. They are friendly and approachable people whom other parents can trust and rely on to listen, without judgement, and help them regain confidence in their own abilities as parents.

2. Parent Effectiveness Training

PET is a programme that teaches parents how to communicate more effectively with their children and offers step-by-step advice for resolving family conflicts.

The principles covered in PET teach you how to:
• Create loving and lasting relationships with your children.
• Develop skills to help you navigate conflict in ways that
• enhance relationships.
• Understand what motivates your children’s behaviour.
• Learn skills that encourage open and honest communication.
• Develop responsible, self-motivated and self-disciplined children.

3. Bereavement programme
The bereavement programme offers group support to children who have lost a parent or a loved one. When participating in the group children are able to connect with others of a similar age who have also suffered a significant loss.

They also learn how to express their feelings and discover healthy ways of coping with their grief. Parents or caregivers are also equipped with skills on how to help their children through the bereavement process.

4. Play therapy

Play Therapy is a form of counselling that uses children’s natural “language,” play to communicate. Games, toys and drawings are used to help the child express their emotions, thoughts, wishes and needs.

The play room offers children a safe place to express and work through their difficult emotions. By forming a unique relationship with the therapist, the child feels validated and understood, and begins to gain confidence. They are therefore better able to cope with difficulties.

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