Charlty re81stratlon number 1108057 Company reglstratlon number 05135567 (England and Wales) HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
HOME-START MEDWAY UMITED LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Trustees Mrs S Bolland, Chair Mrj Harman Ms R Wrav G Aplin J Arthurs Charlty number 1108057 Company number 05135567 Re8lstered office L5 Temple Court Knights Park Knight Road Strood Kent ME2 2LT Independent examiner TC Group Star House Star Hill Rochester Kent MEI IUX
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED CONTENTS Page Chairman's statement Trustees, report 2-20 Statement of trustees, responslblllties 21 Independent examiner's report 22 Statement of financial activitie5 23 Statement of financial position 24-25 Notes to the tinanclal statements 26-38
HOME-5TART MEDWAY LIMITED CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The year 2023 marks 50 years since our founder Margaret Harrison set up the very first Home-start in Leicester. Margaret's founding ethos was that the best way to glve chlldren the strongest start in Ilfe is to offer families friendly, volunteer-led support in their own homes. Simple, yet so powerful. Home-start's work has developed overthe decades but Margaret's ethos remains at the heart of what we do. Home-start Medway was born in 1987 and since that time has provided services to Families in the M8Jway area diversifying service delivery over the years to meet the needs of the community and to access funding. In a year when the environment has been challenging for charities across the UK, with Increasing competition for funding and volunteers, l am particularly proud of how Home Start team has responded. l am aware some charities have not found thelr way through this diffi'cult time. We have had a lot to celebrate at Homfrstart Medway. Firstly, we have moved premises to a larger more suitable building where we can offer group work and tralnlng. Thls move Is from Glllingham to Strood. We have been busy securing fundln8 and support for Home-start work. particularly of note is lon8 term funding from Medway council and the Big Lottery, partnerin8 wlth other organlsation5, developing training for staff and volunteers, and collectively celebratinE our wonderful Home-5tart volunteers who support our families and the trustees who also give their time voluntarily. In the last year we have developed early speech projerts and have been fortunate to continue our work wlth local army famllies. There have been staff changes but we have been very fortunate to recruit excellent team members to all the posts. We have strengthened our bonds across the network, pulling closer together rather than becoming more insular in the face of local challenges. 50 years of experlence tells us that by coming together, supporting each other, and celebrating progress, we will find solutions to the challenges around us and be able to stand alongside families. Home-start is all about the families we work alon8side. I'd like again to thank every member of the wonderful Home-start team - for their hard work and commitment this includes staff, volunteers, supporters and partners- for the part you've played in makin8 Home-start Medway what it IS today. Mrs S Bolland Chalrman
HOME-sfART MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIREcfoRS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies Set out in note I to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companles Act 2006 and P£countin8 and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts In accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FPS 1021 (effective l January 20191 Structiire• governance and management CONSTITUTION The company is a charltable company Ilmited by guarantee and has been In operation for 37 years, The company Is constituted and is a registered charlty number 1108057. The principal objective of the company is to recruit and train volunteers who are usually parents themselves to vlslt families at home with at least one child under five and offer them informal, f riendly and confidential support. METHOD OF APPOINTMENT OR ELEcfioN OF TRUSTEES The mana8ement of the company is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and Copted under the terms of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. One third of the board retire by rotation, by ference to those who have been longest in office since their last election, together with any members of the board who have been appointed to fill a casual vacancy since the last annual general meeting. RISK MANAGEMENT The Trustees have assessed the major rlsks to which the company is exposed, in particular those rdated to the operations and finances of the company, and are satisfied that the pollcies, systems and procedures are in place to mStigate our exposure to the major risks. The Board of Trustees wlll clarlfy annually the level of known financlal liabi1Sty It carrles so that pollcy and operational actions can be implemented. The trustees, who are also the dlrectors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial Statements were: Mrs S Bolland, Chair Ms l Jeffrey, Treasurer Mrj Harman Ms R Wray G Aplin J Arthurs (Resigned 17 July 20241
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCWDING DIREcfoRS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Objectives, achievements and performance POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES Home-start helps to improve the life chances of children by supporting their parents and Carers at difficult tirnes, In particular Home-start offers emotional and practical support as well as friendship to parents with at least one child under the age of five. The organisation gives families support by assisting them to identify what family and child centred issues are a problem in their lives and how they can get help. This is done at an initial visit, with regular follow ups to review progress and determine to what extent Home-start is making a difference and how other resources may be accessed to improve the family's circumstances. Our V15ion: Home-start Medway has been worklng wlth local families for the last 37 years. We are an independent voluntary organisation with a vision to support parents across Medway to give their children the best start in lrfe. Our Ambitlon: Help parents In Medway grow In confidence Help parents 5tren8then thelr relationshlps wlth thelr chlldren Widen their links within the local community What we want to achieve., Positively impact children's outcomes through parental support and guidance All children in Medway will feel safe In their home envlronment To drive greater awareness of Home-start and it's seniices throughout the Medway area To offer a greater range and diversity of volunteered services Servlces we currently offer: l. Home Visiting through a network of volunteers 2. Group support 3. 1-1 family support from a dedicated Family Worker 4. 1-1 support and 8roups for our forces families 5. Domesth'c Abuse Support ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Our team: Our team currently consists of 12 paid members of staff and 35 volunteers (including 6 Trustees). Volunteers: Our Volunteers support Home-start Medway to deliver services across Medway. Role5 include Trustees, Home Visltingi Admin, Group Support and Medway's One Stop Shop. All volunteers are subject to a DB5 check and references to ensure that they are suitable for the role. We provide full training which is delivered using a hybrid approach. This consists of 8 hours on-line training and 8 hours face to face trainin8. The content of this training includes; our Home-start approach, family life, boundaries, commitrnent, communication and listening, confidentialityi 5afeguardingi personal safety alongside information about the additional 5ervice5 the volunteer5 can signpost to wlthin Horne-start.
HOME-sfART MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Following a successful application for a grant from Medway Parenting Strategy fund of £5000, we were able to commission the development of further training modules for Volunteers in partnership with Medway Early Years. 9 E-learning modules have been developed to support Volunteers in their role, both on a l-l basis in a family home and when they are supporting our group sessions. The focus of these modules are as follows: Observing young children Developing indoor spaces for young children Youn8 children outdoors - Baby's communication - Baby's outdoor5 Developing young children's communication and language Understanding 2 year olds Managing the terrible twos Youn8 children and English as an addittonal language Schemas and young children's learnin8 Developing literacy with young children Managing Behaviour with young children. We are looking to extend our current Volunteer preparation course to include additional safeguardng training, strengthenln8 families training and the Early Year5 modules detailed above. We feel that the extended on boarding process will upsklll volunteers, whilst enabling them to get to know other volunteers within the service, as well as the wider staff team. Volunteers are given regular supervision with a Volunteer Ctrordinator and we hold regular Volunteer 5UPPOrt group meetin85 throughout the year, during which we provide bitesize training and support. Volunteets are connected with the service through their own Facebook page, support 8roups meetings and monthly newsletters. We, Ilke many other Voluntary organisations have found Volunteers recruitment and retention challenging. During the last year, we have seen a number of Volunteers leave due to a comblnation of health reasons, the cost-of- Ilvlng crisis and childcare responslbilittes, as the Chart below demonstrates, Trend In Volunteer Numbers May 23- May 24 45 35 20 15 IAy-23 )LirZJ J-z5 luE-23 25 -2) r40w-23 D•C-ZJ J24 fe&24 M¥-24 W-24 W-24 We were part of a National Campaign called I million minutes again this year. This campaign, which was promoted on Good Morning Britain throughout December 2023, sought pledge5 of time from the general public. Despite last year's success of 14 pledges, we did not receive any pledges this year. However, we have created an action plan to focus on Volunteer recruitment and are already Seeing the positive impacts of this work. We have managed to recruit 11 new Volunteers to replace those that have left the service. We are now hoping to continue an upward trajectory.
HOME-START MEDWAY UMITED TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 During the last year101.04.23- 31.03.24) we have received 230 referrals to our service. These referrals break down a5 follows: Referra15 Received by Type of Referral Home Visiting (funded by Medway Coun¢ll) Home Visittng contlnues to be at the core of our Servlces, supporting famllles In Medway who have at least one child under the age of 5. The support is provided by our fully tralned volunteers in the family's own home. Familles are offered weekly vislts for 2-3 hours, whlch can if needed be provided for up to 6 months, Isometimes thls may be longer if a new Ilfe event occurs which impacts the family's wellbeing). We support families in a non-judgmental way, objectives are set and agreed by the family and a review takes place to see the progress after 3 months and a8ain at the end of the 5UPPOrt. Our volunteers provide support to parents In many different Situations, such as: Mental health problems Bereavement Coping with twins, triplets or several pre-school children Lone parenthood Loneliness and isolation Illness, and dlsability or special needs Relationship problems and those who have been victims of domestic abuse Dealing with a child'slchildren's behavioural problems And for those who arejust finding It hard to cope We encourage healthy eating, social interaction and support to improve parenting skills. Home-start volunteers are local people, from all walk5 of life. have parentin8 experience and offer non-judgmental support, building families, resilience in a practical and emotionally balanced way. All referrals we have CeIved are from all areas of Medway as demonstrated in the chart below, however referra15 from ME7 and ME4 account for 49% of all Home Visiting referrals.
HOME-sfART MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIREcfoRS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Demographics of Referra15 13 J6 72 IAEI vl.f2 .ME3 •ME4 1.6 IE7 MEO #ME14 ¥Me19 The main carer was Whlte British in 55% of families referred to the servlce. In 45% of referrals, the main carers were from a variety of diverse ethnicities as delailed below. These statistics are 518nificantly different to last year, during which 21% of famille5 referred were not White British, this 24% increase reflects that the service is providing support to the wider community and engaging with a wider range of ethn ic groups. It is lilely that this increase is due to the engagement work carried out with Faith Groups and Medway Diversity Forum. Ethnlcity of Main Carer 120 In 32 households out of the 143 families referred for Home Visiting122%1, the ma in carer or child had a disability. Outcomes of Home Visiting sUPPOrt: We use Home-start coping scores to track thejourney of our families across several areas. O is the lowest score showing that the family are not coping in an area and 5 being coping well. We track the changes thefamily identify they have made during the 5UPPOrt with the hope that we see the coping score5 increase. Feedback frcffl families that have accessed support demonstrates a % increase across all coping scores as demonstrated in this table below:
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRusfEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) {CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 % increase in coping scores U51 of s•rwKes rirt5s (au5Ed fanwl Managiry ihè hc4Jsehold Wot cpr¥'••rth child5 nlI health ¢hilthen's t11- wthledini CIated Copni 1th health Bel In¥Llved In fv chiltrtfiSSe4dopThnViearn Skills io 20 70 We also receive regular verbal feedback from families about the impact of the support, l.e., 1 have no words to de8crlbe how much of 8 dlfference the h81p and swort of the Volteer has Made to w farnlty. I cannot thank her enough and would recommend Hom&Slart volurrteer support to anY(e wtth bakn'egfyoung Childr strugglino in the fulLffe' y volunteer wa¥ fantastlc. BIer1dj in with famlly, not PU8hy, went above and bey(md Support for families Wlth complex needs: Through additional funding from Nationwide, we have been able to maintain a paid Family First Worker wlthin the team. This staff member supports famllles referred to the service who have needs that are too complex for a volunteer. As a qualified practitioner wlth many years experience supporting families, they are able to provide bespoke support on a one to one basis following an a8reed plan. During the last year, our Family Worker has directly supported 30 families. All families that have received support from our Family Worker have reported an increase in coping scores at the end of support. In addition, verbal feedback has been extremely positive, wlth comments such as, 'Home stGrt is something thL7t I had never heard of before I was quite reluctant to accept the referralfor them in thefirst place. When lfir5t met Karen and Sondro I wos apprehensive because I saw that they were older than me and 055umed that they wouldn't necessarily know the struggles of a mum with young children in this day and age. After meeting Karen ogain we started toform a good bond Gnd I was able to openly discuss issues and problems tht7t I w(7s having with myself and my children with her. I genuinely believe that since she's been in myft7mily'5 life she has made a huge impact offering support help t7nd advice that other Services had previously neglected to providefor me and myfamily. Since Kcjren hos been here, I hL7ve had asses5ment5 referrolsfrom heolth visiting teams she chased up and sorted out the school nursing team for my eldest dt7ughter she's helped with the hygiene bank to be L7ble to provide me nappiesfor my children she'5 completely gone obove ond beyond of anything that I had expected. My youngest daughter who even struggles to form bonds or connections with my own father stonds at the window jumping about excitedly when she knows it s the day that Karen comes and she get5 to do a play session with her and spend a bit of one-on-one time. Ifeel very lucky that I was assigned Karen and look forward to the progress thot we make goingforward with any other advice and help that she gives along the way,.
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 After being let down and dischargedfrom my previous mentol heolth support home start have been involuoble to me. Due to my mental health breoking down and sufferingfrom agorophobia Ifound myself surrounded with excess stuff occumulotedfor comfort ond security that 5torted to moke me feel suffocated. I can't thank Karen ond Sondra enough for their help and support coming and helping me going through the mountains of stuff and also removing itfrom my house taking it to be donated so that it doesn't sit her and go bock into the house which has previously happened when I hove sorted stuff out. I have now managed with their help to stort getting the rooms more monogeable ond con't waitfor the house to be empty of all the excess Stuff. These wonderful ladles aren't just providing procticol help but are being a listening eor when ot t7mes I hovefelt so alone and depressed. Thank you. 'Atfirst, it had been very difficult to trust someone new ond also, to accept thot I needed support wlth my son behaviour. I wos in (J very diffi'cult situation when I met Karen. I was Struggling with everything and it took time to trust her andfollow her ouidance. But when I started to listen, to learn and to follow her odvice, I've been so Impressed that it actually worked, l olso learned that kids behaviour ond emotion5 are L7 reflection of how wefeel and behove. Therefore, with KLiren's support all the way, I changed how l answer and react with myson. It took lots of trials and potience but it worked. Myson now is more calm, happy, he listen to me most of the times. When I say no for sweets ond toys, instet7d of throwing himself on the floor ond shout in the shops, he now put the toys or sweets back. He moan a bit but still no more crying shouting ond kicking. There is still a lot of work in progress but I'm more confident in my Skills. Byfollowing Karen guidance I hod good results, I'm a better person ond o happier mum. I will miss her lots but I will keep in touch. Thank you Karen ond thonk you Home Start Medwayl, Domestlc Abuse support: We offer specialised support for families with a child underfive who are experiencing lowlmedium domestic abuse or who have experienced domestic abuse historically, including those who have fled to Medway. We have a dedicated Domestic Abuse Co-ordinator who supports these families directly. 29 families were supported by this worker during the last year. We often find that famllie5 SUPPOrted by the DA Co-ordlnator have been placed into emergency accommodatlon. These are often poorly furnished and do not have the essential equipment needed to meet their child's needs. Our DA Co-ordinator seek5 to provide parents/carers with the e55entials that they need through applications to partner charitie5 and the Children in Need grants programme. Our DA Co-ordinator will provide home-vi5iting support to families weekly. During these vi51ts, vicknms will be supported to come to terms with the trauma they have experienced, will be supported to ensure that their children have all the support that they need also. The work often focuses on supporting parents to integrate Into their new area, as well as practical support, such as Makenzie friend in court and signposting to DA services that can 5UPPOrt with the acquisition of legal orders. In addition to our direct work with families, we continue to cTrordinate the One Stop Shop1055) in Gillingham. The OSS ensures victims receive support from a range of professional agencies / organisations as needed. In attendance weekly is the DWP, domestic abuse services, legal advisor, and housing. In addition, victims also have access to safety equipment such as door bars and personal alarms.
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRusfEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIREcfoRS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 As with all other projects, we monltor the irnpact of support. Families report progress in their coping scores and give positive feedback about their experience of the service, such as: '1 om very happy with the help from Home-start and l om very grateful that Yvette t7nd Morice helped me with everythingfrom medical oppointmentsfor my and my daughter andfor always visiting me ond trying to find out how l am. They are great, they are professlonols ond I wlll miss them very much,. 'Home-5tart Staff has supported us both individuolly and 0$ o fomily. There hos been much improvement in my childs behaviour which is due to the support ond guidance she hos received. There hos been so much help given to us whlch hos helped wlth Ilvlng now and thefuture when we are In our permanent home. Ourfamily dynomic hos improved a lot due to the support we received. With regular meets and communlcation, It has helped us get to where we ore ot today with giving us the tools to recoverfrom our previou5 51tuation. The Home start teom are o lovely bunch and arelull ol knowledge and advice. We are grateful to have had the posltive input and thank everyone who h05 been involved in our journey,. Home-start Groups,, Generic Groups: We have provided 87 Groups for parentslcarers to attend with their children during the last year. These have primarlly been dellvered from the Children and Family Hubs or Well-Being Centres run by Medway council. These facilities are specifically designed and resourced for young children and therefore provide ideal environments to run the groups from. The sessions provlde a range of age-appropriate activities to support children's development. Parents/carers attend with their child/ren and are encouraged to support them to engage with the actwities on offer. Many of the parents that attend these groups have recelved support from other Home-start services. The groups therefore often provlde a follow on from home vlsiting support, offering a Ilght touch intervention as an exlt strategy for familles.
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES. REPORT IINCWDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) {CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The groups have been attended by 47 different families, accumulating in 755 attendances. Additionally, to further support families during the half terms and Summer holidays, we arranged a number of picnics, stay and play sessions and a trip to Rochester Castle. We carried out a Customer Satisfaction and Consultation Survey ICSCS). The consultation was distributed to all families that were receiving support from Home-start Medway and we were pleased to receive 51 responses. Representing 130 individuals,151 parents/carers with 79 children). 43 of these responses were from famllies currently attend Home-start groups. Parents described the following benefi'ts of attending groups for their childl ren: IOO%- enjoyed coming along to the group, 98%- helps with thelr 50clal skills, 93%- supports their development, 93%- makes new friends, 67%- encourages my child/children to eat healthy and 63%- help5 my chlldlchildren's speech and language. TinyTalkers: During the last year we were a150 commissioned to deliver the Tiny Talkers Programme for Medway Council. This 4-week tar8eted programme has offered support to children aged 3-4 years who have been identified as having delayed Speech and Language. The session content was developed by a Speech and Language therapist with contributions from Home-start Medway's Group Worker and Volunteers. Below is one of the session plans which details the core areas that are covered each week and the format the session take5: Each week the tMeS change to ensure the sessions remain en8agin8 for the children attending. UknJ •pcen ParwJt• a¥n &tolW tt thkj wrfh bjrt ¢h&Y 10 rollth¥sltr 2 k•Jtrrfs w•b'ThJ ¥#J th•n ask th•dN[dl • rj ID wth ca15 the Lrf a thkl L•., sJy k•Jk iiw 1th•th• 10 g•c(nd 10-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The groups have been facilitated by a paid member of Staff from Home-start Medway and S volunteers. The activities overthe 4 weeks have supported the children's speech development, as well as providing helpful resources for parentslcarers to use at home, further enriching the home learning environment. We currently offer the service from 5 venues in Medway namely; Strood Family Hub, Oaklands Wellbeing Centre, HOO wellbeing Centre. Twydall Wellbeing Centre and Deanwood Wellbeing Centre. These venues are all sites associated with the Children and Family Hubs in Medway. As such, they are well resourced and easily accessible for families. The groups have proved to have a very positive impact to date. Parents complete an assessment at the beglnnlng and end of the programme. enabling us to assess their child's progress. 73% of parents have reported an improvement in their child's speech followin8 attendance at the sessions. This15 extremely positive 8lven that it is such a short intervention. Parents tell u5: 'LeL7ders ore very understonding and patient, listen to concerns and really help to improve in those areas, and 'He hus shown significant progre55 since thefi'rst session,. In addition, MCH have provided 2 staff that have offered more intensive speech and Language support in the home for children that have been identified via the programme. To date of the $7 families that have engaged with the programme, 37% have either received further referrals into a speclalist pathway or, have received follow up visits from the Community Nursery Nurses team, in their home setknn8. Support lor familles at Chrlstmas: This year we received support from the Giving Tree at Bluewater. They provided us with 73 presents and a voucher for £116. We also received a number of donation5 through our Amazon Wishlist thi5 year. A lady called Danielle Perry approached us to provide free gifts for the children we support. Danlelle provided us with 35 beautiful sacks of presents for our children. 11
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 UnLI£IiILfi. G'L.'LIL7rd£ We received 30 food hampers from KICC. Wlth the combination of the sacks provided by Danielle, the gifts from Bluewater and the Amazon Wishlist, In total 73 sacks of presents were dlstrlbuted to children this year. Please see 2 x case studles at the end of thls report that demonstrate the Impact that Home Visitin8 SUPPOrt has had for them. Support for OLIY Arrrip.d F+orces Ifui)de(I by thL Vetl&Y¢lll¥ FuiiridatiLin arid Army C.eiitriJl fijnd VIL7 1.151.11<1 Having now provided services to our local Army families for the last 7 years, we are acutely aware of the unique pressures they face. Families deployed into the area have often lost their established support networks which can cause anxiety and stress on family life, increase isolation and impact on mental health. To support families to manage this, we have facilitated groups forthe spouses and children of servin8 Army personnel. During the last year we have delivered 179 groups for the spouses and children of serving Army personnel active within l RSME (Royal School of Military Engineering), 36 regiment and the Queen's Gurka Engineers. The sessions provided have resulted in 1728 attendances from 130 direct beneficiaries160 families), 7 of whom were servin8 Army Personnel. Demographics of participants: Ethnicity of Participants FrerKh Asiani'tn¢*an swn other io 12-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCWDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Age5 of Participants Gender of Partlclpants 90 80 70 60 50 40 Jo 20 io 17 •lH4 Mal Fémale Musical Bumps: Thls session is meticulously designed to nurture children's speech and language skills through the engaging medium of muslc. Here's what the session entails: Dance Movements: Children are encouraged to express themselves and Interpret the music through dance, whlch not only aids in physical development but also in understanding rhythm and language patterns. Instrumental Play: Hands-on experience with instruments allows children to explore sounds, contributing to auditory discrimination and phonemic awareness key component5 in language development. Slnglng Along: Engaglng wlth a varlety of nursery rhymes and famillar songs provides repetitive language structures and vocabulary, enhancing memory and artbculation. The combination of these musical activities creates a fun and immersive learnin8 environment that supports and encourages the natural acquisltion of speech and language in young children. The gioup5 ore so friendly and my child look5 forward to it every week. Stay'n, Play With one session currently delivered from Brompton Barrack5 and two sessions a week from Invicta Park Barracks, these Eroups are popular for all Army families. The sessions offer a range of diverse activities, such as; 13-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TrUSTEES' REPORT (INCWDING DIRECTORS, REPORll ICONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 o Messy Play & Sensory Corner: Encourages exploration and sensory stlmulation. o Book Corner: Fosters a love for reading and language acquisition. o Singing and Action Rhymes.. Enhances listening skills and coordination. o Trikes and Bikes: Promotes physlcal development and balance. o Puzzles & Craft: Stlmulates cognitlve skills and creativity. o Themed Activlty.. Changes weekly to keep engagement high and learning fresh. The Stay and Play sessions are not just about play; they encourage parents and children to socialise with their peers enabling them to make friends, reducing their isolation and supporting their integration into the Community. The activities provided have the following benefits for participants; Developmentsl Benelit5: o Improves motor skills through hands-on activities. o Boosts brain development with stimulating tasks. o Supports language development with interactive plav. o Encourages the use of senses, crucial for overall growth. Healthy Lifestyle Promotlon: o Provision of a healthy snack time to instil good eating habits. o Offers ideas for healthy packed lunches. o Encourages children to sit at a table to eat. 5chool/Nursery Readiness: o Introduces children to communal diningfr taking turns and peer interactions preparing them for school/ nursery routines. 14-
HOME-STAKf MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCWDING DIREcfoRS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 We have arranged for a number of external organisations to visit the groups to promote the services that they offer children and families, and further support Integration into the local community. Impact of thls support: We seekfeedbackfrom particlpants at regular intenials durlng the year. We use this feedback to understand what is working well, what needs to change and what impact the service is havlng on those that are attending. We have reviewed the feedback which identifies that 95% of participants felt that the sessions had reduced their own and their childlren's Isolation and increased their frlendshlps. 88% felt that the groups offered a safe envlronment for chlldren to learn and play whllst 78% identified that the sesslons had supported their children's speech and language development. Further benefits are detailed in the 8raphs below: 8•nefit5 for parents/carers attendln8 8roups lrtGtga59d ability to fDPg Wlth farnily lile SiipooiitJ my m•nt•l liwlth wll.b•lD8 Arf•4s tej nth•v h•lp anrl adr• Improved tElaikonshlp vArh mv chllQ/r• Incig•5gd 50cl•l N•twovk / Frlendsfiips 10 15 ZO 25 30 35 40 4) Ben¢fSts for Chlldren attendlns the sesslons SWJi)orT•(Y my (Nld's 14noiia Suppoitiiig my cfvild/rpn'£ do11PM0Trt Stpthirin& Iv414tinn 10 15 20 25 3Q 3% 0 45 15-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Parents also gave vert)al feedliack Such as, 71Ms is o very imwtontgroupfor militaryfvnilies to rneet otkrs.. Ths group helps U5 to rede the i50lati( and helps us to makefiiends.. When I come to thi5 group lleel relaxed andhappy wotclmng my doughter play in 0 safe envlronment.. It helps wtth thildren'5 soc1 lThr5 ond development.. 'Everythinq thot th15 group hos to offer is very helplulfor both mothe15 ond children. We love to come every time when we con.. Case Study l- Home Visiting Support {Famlly Worker) Referral from CIN team for slngle M um of 4 children, only 2 children Ilve wlth her IC3 & C41 they are placed on supervision order, the other 2 ICI & C21 have an SGO with maternal grandparents, There has been prevlous DA with children's father. Issues at referral - CIN team still involved. Children recently returned to mum following a short removal to foster care. Mum ha5 low self-esteem, lack of self-care and hold5 a lot of guilt re the children being removed. C4's speech has deteriorated since returning home to mum. Children's defiant, negative behaviour & lack of boundarles- such as dropping unwanted food on to the floor & drawing on walls. Home conditions not always adequate. CIN team would like FF worker to role model play with the children for mum, she has limited experience due to DA in her life & being prevented from interacting with the children. 16-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT {INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) ICONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Plan of work & support offered. l. Parenting FF worker to offer x 4 play sessions in the home using a variety of resources- mainly for C3 but will include C4 when she is not at school. Mum will be aware of a range of activities she can offer to promote interaction with the children and Improve their parent / child relationship. Discuss routines, boundaries & conslstency. Outcomes - Parentlng FF worker provided x 4 play sessions- offerlng palnting, playdough, collage, cooking & puzzles. Role modelllng each activity. Mum joined in every session and appeared to take on board my explanation of the benefits to the children's development of each aciivity. C4 fully immersed himself in the activities. FF worker offered basic parenting strategies to help improve the children's behaviour such as distraction techniques to divert their attention. Open discusslon wlth mum to highlight the importance of supervlsing the children during play to ensure they are safe but to prevent them drawing on walls & damaging furniture. 2 - Practical support FF worker to observe home conditions at Visits, discuss any concerns with mum & update CIN team accordingly. FF worker observed deterioration in home conditions during period of involvement, the flat became increasingly untidy, and often lots of washing piled up, open black sacks of rubbish in kitchen diner area. Mould was unaddressed which then began to transport to chlldren's beds. These issues addressed by CIN team. Many of the children's toys were broken & dirty. FF worker 8ave support to sort & clean tOy5, disFJ)slng of broken toys or toys that were no longer age approprlate. Outcomes - Practlcal support FF worker provided a food bank box, Christmas presents to all the family & a food hamper. An unsuccessful application to sofology for a new sulte was also submitted. FF worker requested school uniform for C4 and shoes for both chlldren from Wonderfully Made, this was successful. Mum welcomed FF worker into her home & engaged with the sessions appropriately alongside the children. The children appeared to enjoy the sessions too. It is hoped that Mum will use the experience of seeing activitie5 in action & be able to repeat on her own with the children, this will stimulate their development & continue to develop the parent child relationship. On going 5UPPOrt from CIN team, 50 final outcorne known. Feedback from parent '1 don't want you to leave, please stayforever. You are a genuine person who tells me a5 It 15. Me & the kids have really enjoyed it all. I hove liked having your compuny as I have no one to talk to. I wlll engage more with the children, I wont to do the octivities, but I need to get the equipment. Thonk youfor your support through it all. I wish you could stay,. 17-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTOR5, REPORT) ICONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Case Study 2- Home Visiting Support (Volunteer) This was a self referral from a 29-year-old first time mum with a child who has just had his first birthday. Objectives: Setting Routines. Emotional Support- Listening ear. Support in finding time for herself without feeling guilty Issues: For 3 weeks followin8 the birth mum stated she struggled to bond with the baby. As the baby wasn't sleeping very much, Mum started to feel very low, crying every day, doubting her ability to be a mother and struggling to bond / interact wlth the baby, She recognised she had post-natal depression. Mums, self-esteem was rock bottom and she felt very isolated. Mum was very anxlous and was stressed most of the ttme, She felt the baby sensed thls and seemed stressed too. She seemed to stru88le wlth day to day runnlng of the home and housework seemed Insurmountable. This has made mum feel more stressed as she described her husband as a bit of a 'neat freak, and mum feels 8uilty that the house is not as tidy as it should be when he comes home from work. Mum was due back to work in March 2023 but due to the amount of holiday accrued since bein8 on maternity leave, Is due to officially return to work at the beginning of June. She may do an odd shift leading up to the return so she can put the baby into a nursery so he can get used to being without mum and mixlng wilh other children, making his transition to fu Ilti me nursery easier too. At Mld Revlew., Since the volunteer has been supporttng the famlly, mum stated she found It easler to cope on dlfflcult days and Is bondingi interacting and playin8 wlth her chlld. She feels she copes better wlth the housework but doesn't stress so much if things aren't completely done or didn't get done. She now feels more in control and able to cope with her child'5 demands. Mum feels the objective5 that were set at the beginning of support have been partly met but feels in need of a bit more support with routines and balancin8 things. Mum is also juggling raising her child as well as doing a course (deadline is coming soon for coursework to be handed inl. Mum is very aware she may not have been able to complete this if she was still feeling the way she was before the help & support of the volunteer. Outcomes.. Mum looks forward to the volunteers vislts a5 they have a chat first and volunteer always ask5 how her week has been which makes such a difference to have someone to chat to and to share thing5 Wlth someone outside of the family who doesn't judge her. Mum has a better relationship with her child and feels all of her previous concerns are much improved as she doesn't get so easily upset which makes her feel more in control and a more confident parent. Mum h35 found the biggest impact since having the volunteer support is she is no longer crying on a daily basis. The volunteer has helped with setting routines, bonding, playing & interacting with her baby, and has learnt not to worry over what she hasn't done, but to recognise what she has done & how far She ha5 come. 18-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Mum has also managed to complete her coursework before the deadline & th15 was because of the help of the volunteer playing with the baby whilst she was on the cornputer doin8 this. She is now getting out and about to baby groups etc on her own and is no longer feeling isolated. Feedback: Mum said, 'Its indescribable how much of a difference the help and support of the volunteer ha5 mude to our family. She cannot thank her enough and would recommend Home-start volunteer support to onyone with bobies/ young children struggling in the future,. FINANCIAL REVIEW Total Income for the year fell slightly to £250,531 from £3SI,315 In 2023, wlth the maln decrease resulttng from an overall reduction in smaller grant applications although we were grateful with the continued support of Medway Council whlch allowed us to have a strong delivery base. Funding from The Veterans Foundation, Bl8 Lottery, Kent Communlty Foundation and Nat6onwlde Bulldln8 Society amon8St others allowed us to develop group work and individual support to a range of famllles In Medway. Total expenditure has Increased to £304,499 from £287,769 in 2023, as a result In an Increase In staff costs to £229,208 from £202,618 in 2023 additional staff allowed us to develop further projects. Volunteering costs have decreased during the year to £5,352 from £12,458 in 2023. We have also secured the lease of our new premises in Strood, placing us at the heart of our delivery area but also allowlng us to hold group sessions and parent groups In the safety and comfort of our bespoke premises. Overall thls has resulted in a deficit for the year of £53,968 {2023- surplus £63,546) and resulted in an decrease in funds from £466,825 to £412,857 at the year end. RESERVES POLICY The Board of Trustees has set a Financlal Reserve Policy which states that: Reserves are maintained at a level which ensures that Home-start Medway organisation's core activities could continue during a period of unforeseen difficulty. A proportion of reserves be maintained in a ready reallsable form. At the end of the financial year £IIO,OJO was held for ongoing liabilities including early termination of office lease, state redundancy payrnents, office equipment on lease, utilities and accountancy fees. The Board of Tnjstees. who a members of the community who bring with them their own varied specialist skills, have overall responsibility for ensuring that the company has an appropriate system of controls, financial and otherwise. They are also responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose. with rea9)nable accurdcy at any time, the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the Finala1 Statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. 19-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIREcfoRS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS It remains that the Trustees have in place on-going arrangement5 for monitoring Services via re8ular reports to the Board. Through di5CU55ions Wlth staff and representatives of volunteers, the Board engages in the operational activities of Home-start Medway and reviews the organisation's policies and procedures that are timetabled for scrutiny at frequencies appropriate to the issues under consideration. Home-start Medway complies with the national quality assurance scheme. The Trustees have devised a fundraising and promotional strategy set out in a new Strategic Plan. Promotional events will inform interested parties of the excellent value for money servlces delivered by Home-start Medway. Effective communication with stakeholders is essential to maintain the support of partner organisations and the community in which Home-start Medway works. In a multi-agency environment it is essential to have trust and a clear understandSng of purpose. This openness and accou ntability Is a strategic approach at the centre of the Board's decision-making process, considered fundamental to the success of the Charity's work. -20-
HOME-sfART MEDWAY UMITED STATEMEIIT OF TRusfEES' RESPONSIBILMES The tnkn. who are also the directors of Homfr513rt Medway Limited for the purpose of compary law are responsible for preparing the Tru5tees' Report and the financial statements in accordance wlth applicable law and Unlted fingdom knntin8 Standards Iunited Kingkn Generally Accepted Attountlng PrxtI). Company law repiulres the trustees to prepare flnanclal ststements for each flnanclal year whlch glve a true and fair view of the state of affalrs of the charity and of the Incomin8 re%)urces and appllcation of f6ources, indudin8 the Income and expendlture, of the charltable company for that year. In preparlng these flnanclal ststements. the triths are rdJulred to: - select suitable accounOn8 poIKies and then apply them consistenttr, - observe the methods and prlnclples In the Charitles 50RP; - make judgements and esdmates that are reasonable and prudent. - state whether appllcable UK Accountln8 Standards been followed, subject to any materlal deFMrtures dlsclosed and explained In the flnandal statements; and - prepare the flnandal statements on the 8oln8 concern bas15 unle55 It Is Inapproprfate to presume that the charlty w511 contlnue In operdtlon. The trustees are re5ponslble for keeplng adeThth acc4JuntlnB records that dlsclose with reasonable accuraLy at any tlme the flnanclal posltfon of the charlty and enable them to ensure that the financlal statemerts comply wlth the Companles Act 2006. They are also responsSble for safe8uardln8 the a55ets of the tharlty and hence foi tsklnB reasonable steps for the preventlon and detectlon of fraud and other Irre8ularhles. The tfUStees' report was appred lry the Board of Trustee Mrs S Bolland. Chalr Tee -21-
HOME-sfART MEDWAY LIMITED INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Home-start Medway Limited (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2024. Responsibilitles and basls of report As the trustees of the charity land also Its directors for the purposes of company law} you are rsponsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act}. Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity'5 financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Actl. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act. Independent examiner's statement Since the charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that l am qualih-ed to undertake the examination because l am a member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention In connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006Act; or the financial statements do not accord with those records; or the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirement5 of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts glve a true and falr vlew which Is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination- or the financial statements have not been prepared In accordance wlth the methods and prlnclples of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charlties applicable to charities preparing thelr accounts In accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021. I have no concern5 and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to whh attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached. Sally Meah FCCA On behalf of TC Group Star House Star Hill Rochester Kent MEI IUX Dated: .... -22-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED STATEMEMf OF FINANCIAL AcfiviTIES INCWDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Unrestrlrted Restricted funds funds 2024 2024 Totsl Unrestrlcted Restrlrted funds funds 2023 2023 Total 2024 2023 Notes Income from: Donations and legacies Investments 15,517 366 234,648 250,165 366 78,175 227 272,913 351,088 227 Total Income 15,883 234,648 250,531 78,402 272,913 351,315 Expendlture on: Charitable activities Other expenditure 9,444 498 294,557 304,CK)I 498 21,672 266,093 287,765 Total expendlture 9,942 294,557 304,499 21,672 266,097 287,769 Net Income/(expendlture) and movement in funds 5,941 {59,9091 (53,968) 56,730 6,816 63,546 Reconclllatlon of funds: Fund balances at l April 2023 283,264 183,561 466,825 226,534 176,745 403,279 Fund balances at 31 March 2024 289,205 123,652 412,857 283,264 183,561 466,825 The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expendlture derive from continuin8 activities. -23-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED srATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION ASAT31 MARCH 2024 2024 2023 Notes Fixed assets Tangible assets io 24,442 24,112 Current assets Debtors Cash at bank and in hand li 11,642 460,504 241 481,891 472,146 482,132 Creditors: amounts falllng due within one year 12 (83,731) 139,419) Net current assets 388,415 442,713 Total aets less current Ilabllltles 412,857 466,825 Net assets ex¢ludln8 pension liablllty 412,857 466,825 The funds of the charity Restricted income funds Unrestrlcted funds 14 123,652 289,205 183,561 283,264 412,857 466,825 24-
HOME*START MEDWAY UMITED STATEMEIIT OF FINApiaAL POSMON ICQIfflNUED) ASAT31 MAR012024 The company is enlitled to the exemptlon from the audlt requlremert contslned In sectlon 477 of the Companies Act 2006, forthe year ended 31 March 2014. The dlrectors acknowledge thelr responslbllides for comptyln8 wlth the requlrements of the Comparfes Art 21N)6 wth respert to accounlfng record$ and the preparatlon of financial statements. The members have not requlred the company to obtain an audlt of Its finandal statements for the year In questlon In attordance with sertlon 476. These flnaftdal statements have been prepared In accordan wlth the prov151ons appllcable to companles subkct to the small companles regime. The financlal statemerts were approved ty the triistees on.. Mr5 S Bolland. Chair Tru•t•• Company reg15tratlon number 05135567 IEngland and Wales) -25-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Accountin8 pollcies Charity Infomiatlon Home-start Medway Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in En8land and Wales. The re8lStered office 15 L5 Temple Court, Knights Park, Knight Road, Strood, Kent. ME2 2LT. The charfty'S business office address is Canterbury Street Gillingham Kent ME7 5TP. 1.1 Ac¢ountln8 convention The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Flnancial Reporting Standard applicable In the UK and Republic of Ireland" {"FRS 102") and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 1021" (effective l January 20191. The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102. The charity has taken advantage of the provlslons In the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows. The financial statements are prepared In sterling, which is the functional currency of the charlty. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The princlpal aoUnting policies adopted are set out below. 1.2 Charftable funds Unrestricted funds are available for use at the dlscretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives. Restrlcted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements. Endowrnent fund5 are subject to specific conditions by donors that the capital must be maintained bythe charity. -26-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Accounting pollcles (Contlnued) 1.3 Income All income is recognised once the company has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably. There is one exception to the above in relation to grant income. The Charity has departed from tIE SORP and deferred grant income which does not meet the criteria, it is considered beneficial to match the income with the costs for the readers of our accounts. If the charity was to apply the 50RP there would be an additional £38,938 of grant income. For le8acies, entitlement Is taken as the earller of the date on whlch elther: the company Is awarE that probate has been 8ranted, the estate has been fina115ed and notification has been made by the executor{s) to the Trust that a distribution will be made, or when a dlstrlbution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy. in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the company ha5 been notified of the executor's intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the companyi or the company is aware of the 8ranting of probate, and the criteria for irtorne recognition have not been met, then the legacy Is treated a5 a contingent a55et and dlsclosed If material. Donated services or facilities are recognised when the company has control over the item, any condtions associated with the donated itern have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use of the company of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charlties SORP IFRS 1021, the general volunteer time of the Friends Is not recognlsed and refer to the Trustees, report for more information about their contribution. On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the company which is the amount the company would have been willing to pay to obtain seNices or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recoanised in expenditure in the period of receipt. Incorne tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation. Income tax recoverable in relation to investment Income Is recognlsed at the time the Investment hcome is receivable. -27-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Accounting policies Icontlnued) 1.4 Expenditure Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic befit to third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measu red reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in u ndertaking each activity. Dlrect COSt5 attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs whlch are not attributable to a 5in8le activ*y are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset's use. Governance costs are those incurred in connection wlth administration of the company and compllance with constitutional and statutory requirements. Charitable activities and Governance costs are costs incurred on the company's operations, Includlng support costs and costs relatin8 to the governance of the company apportioned to charitable activlties. 1.5 Tangible flxed assets Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measu red at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses. Depreciation is recognised so a5 to write off the cost or valuation of asset5 les5 their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases: Leasehold land and buildings Computer equipment 5 years straight line 25% reducing balance The galn or loss arising on the dlsposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and Is recognised in the statement of financial activities. 1.6 Impairment of fixed assets At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carryin8 amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determlne the extent of the imteirment Ioss lif anyl. 1.7 Cash and cash equlvalents Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities. -28-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Accountln8 pollcles (Continued) 1.8 Flnancial instruments The charity has elected to apply the provislons of Section 11 'Basic Financial Instruments, and Section 12 'Other Financial Instruments Issues, of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments. Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. Financlal assets and Ilablllties are offset, wlth the net amounts presented In the financlal statements, when there Is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention tosettle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneouslv. Basicfinancial ossets Basic financial a55ets, which Include debtors and cash and bank balance5, are Initrally measured transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financlng transaction, where the transaction Is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Flnancial a55et5 classified as receivable within one year are not amortised. Basicfinoncial liabilities Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt Instrument is measured at the psent value of the future payrnents discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classlfied as payable within one year are not amortised. Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, Using the effectlve Interest rate method. Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities If payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Derecognltlon oAflnanclol Ilobllltles Flnancial Ilablllties are derecognlsed when the charity's contractual obllgations expire or are discharged or cancelled. 1.9 Employee beneflts The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee's 5eTvices are received. Termination benefits are recognised Immedlately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee orto provide termination benefits. 1.10 Retirement beneffts Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due. -29-
HOME-sfART MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Critical accountln8 estimates and judgements In the application of the charity's accounting policie5, the trustee5 are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on hlstorical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differfrom these estimates. The estirnate5 and underlying assumptions are revlewed on an ongoin8 basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revlsed where the revislon affect5 cnly that perlod, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods. -30-
Lr> e4 Ln
HOME-STAKf MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS {CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Income from investments Unrestrlcted Unrestricted funds funds 2024 2023 Interest received 366 227 Expenditure on charitable actlvltles 2024 2023 Direct costs Staff costs Depreciation and impairment Telephone/lT costs Office expenses Staff expenses Cleaning Insurance Licence fee Volunteers Training Entertainment Legal fees Accountancy and bookkeeplng 229,208 8,156 11,430 26,330 5,716 236 1,235 5,433 5,352 290 488 5,596 4,531 202,618 6,002 13,944 39,859 546 638 1,147 5,899 12,458 681 3,973 304,001 287,765 Analysls by fund Unrestricted funds Restricted fund5 9,444 294,557 21.672 266,093 304,001 287,765 Trustee5 None of the trustees lor any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits frirn the charlty durlng the year.
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED NOTE5 TO THE FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Employees The average monthly number of employees during the year was: 2024 Number 2023 Number io 10 Employment costs 2024 2023 Wages and salaries Social security costs Other pension costs 213,204 11,816 4,188 186,384 12,276 3,958 229,208 202,618 No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year. Other Unrestrirted Rertritted funds funds general 2024 2023 Net loss on dlsposal of tangible fixed assets 498 Taxation The charity Is exempt from tax on income and gains falling withln section 505 of the Taxe5 Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. -33-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 10 Tangible fixed assets Le•$ehold land and bulldlngs Computsr equlpment Total Cost At l April 2023 Addltions Disposals 16,505 30,487 46,992 8,985 8,985 14,243) {20,748) 116,5051 At 31 March 2024 35,229 35,229 Depreciation and Impalrmenl At l April 2023 Depreciation charged in the year Ellmlnated in respect of dlsposals 14,025 2,480 116,5051 8,856 5,676 13,7451 22,881 8,156 120.250) At 31 March 2024 10,787 10,787 Carryln8 amount At 31 March 2024 24,442 24.442 At 31 March 2023 2,480 21,632 24,112 11 Debtors 2024 2023 Amounts fallin8 due wlthln one year: Other debtors Prepayments and accrued Income 6,000 5,642 241 11,642 241 12 Creditors: amounts falling due wlthln one year 2024 2023 Notes Other taxation and social security Government grants Other creditors Accruals and deferred income 4,552 76,170 974 2,035 4,096 29,234 874 5,215 13 83,731 39,419 -34-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 13 Government 8ftnts Deferred income Is included in the financial statements as follows: 2024 2023 Deferred income is included within: Current liablllties 76,170 29,234 Movements In the year: Deferred income at l Aprll 2023 Released from prevlous perlods Resources deferred In the year 29,234 (29,2341 76,170 52,702 152,702) 29,234 Deferred incorne at 31 March 2024 76,170 29,234 14 Restrlcted funds The restricted fund5 of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. At l April 2023 Incomlng resources Resources At 31 March expended 2024 Medway Council Financial Fitness REAP BBC Children in Need Groups Medway Community Healthcare Kent Communlty Foundation Lloyds Bank Foundation Armed Forces Grant 63,969 55,321 6,156 24,588 1,169 4,646 2,290 3,245 22,177 120,270 44,360 (129,765) {70,208) {4,336) {28,917) 19,663) 13,272) 15,8391 12,2861 (40,2721 54,474 29,473 1,820 12,139 4,056 1,374 2,451 959 16,905 16,468 12,550 6,000 35,0(X) 183,561 234,648 (294,557) 123,652 -35-
HOME-5fART MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 14 Restricted funds (Continued) Previous year: At l Aprll 2022 Incoming resources Resources At 31 March expended 2023 Medway Council Financlal Fitness REAP BBC Chlldren In Need Groups Medway Communlty Healthcare Kent Community Foundation Lloyds Bank Foundation Armed Forces Grant 47,646 56,341 15,080 20,416 2.863 11,382 5,610 7,948 9,459 109,055 79,175 192,732) 180,195) 18,924) 135,643) 11,694) 16,736) 13,320) 14,703) 132,150) 63,969 55,321 6,156 24,588 1,169 4,646 2,290 3,245 22,177 39,815 44,868 176,745 272,913 1266,097) 183,561 -36-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 14 Restricted funds (Continued) Medway Council The funding from Medway Council is so Home-start Medway can offer horne-visiting support to local families who have children under the age of five. The funding helps to pay staffing costs and the charities general expenses. Financial Fitness The Flnancial Fitness funding enables Home-start Medway to provide a free servlce that ultimately helps families get themselves onto a level financial playing field. Reducing the stress of debt helps with all the famlly members, emotional wellbeing. The Royal British Legion The one year funding from The Royal Brlttsh Legion Is speclfically for Home-5tart Medway to support the Army families in the Brompton Barracks area and Ex-Army families. The funding pays for an additional member of staff and expenses attributed to thls support and for recruiknn8 volunteers from within the Army families. REAP The REAP fundln8 enables Home-start Medway to hire a team to support people in hardship or crisis situation5. BBC Chlldren In Need The three year funding from BBC Children In Need is specifically for Home-start Medway to support families who have or are experiencin8 low level domestic abuse. Providin8 a new Dornestic Abuse Coordinator to directly support, organise home visiting volunteers, run a peer support group and help with safety plannin8 via the One Stop Shop. Medway Community Healthcare Supporting famllles In their own home around potty tralning, sleep behavlour and Introducing solld food. Groups (Kent Communlty Foundatlon, The Blg Lottery Awards For All. ABF The Soldlers Charlty) Reducing isolation and increasing social interaction, supporting with parenting, improving gross and fine motor skills through messy play, promoting peer to peer and group support. Within Grey n Play our intergenerational 8roup we are promoting Stron8 inter8enerational relationships, increaslng soclal interaction, whllst also helping to Improve mental health and supportlng older people with dementia. Lloyds Bank Foundatlon The above restricted fund represents monies given to us by Lloyds for the delivery of groups. -37-
HOME-START MEDWAY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 15 Unrestricted funds The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes. At l Aprll 2023 Incomlng resources Resources At 31 March expended 2024 General funds 283,264 15,883 19,942) 289,205 Prevlous year: At l Aprll 2022 Incoming resource5 Resources At 31 March expended 2023 Redundancy, lease, utility and accountancv costs General funds 42,2 184,334 42,200 241,064 78,402 121,672) 226,534 78,402 121,672) 283,264 At the end of the financial year trustees have agreed to designate £42,200 for ongoing liabilities including state redundancy payments, office equipment on lease, utilities and accountancy fees. 16 Operatin8 lease commltments Lessee At the reporting end date the charlty had outstanding commltments for future mlnlmum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, whlch fall due as follows: 2024 2023 Within one year Between two and five years In over five years 20,000 80,000 97,425 5,699 197,425 5,699 17 Related party transactions There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year12023- none), -38-