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 C￿opted 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 )Lir*ZJ
J￿-z5 luE-23 ￿￿25 ￿-2) r40w-23 D•C-ZJ J*24 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 ￿n￿lI health
¢hilthen's *t11-￿
wthledini ￿CIated
Copni ￿1th health
Bel￿ In¥Llved In fv chiltrtfiS*Se4dopTh*nViearn*
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
Vol￿teer 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. BIer1d￿j 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 t￿MeS change
to ensure the sessions remain en8agin8 for the children attending.
UknJ •pc*en
Par**wJt• *a¥n &tol*W tt
thkj wrfh bjrt
¢h&Y 10 rollth¥s￿￿ltr
2 k•Jt*rrfs
w•b'ThJ
¥#J th•n ask th•dN[d￿l
•* r￿j ID
wth
ca15 the Lrf a thkl
L•.,
sJy
k•Jk ii*w
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
Siipooii*tJ my m•nt•l liwlth w*ll.b•lD8
Arf•4s tej nth•v h•lp anrl ad￿r•
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'£ do1￿1￿PM0Trt
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 red￿e 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 soc￿1 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 Fina￿la1
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 appr￿ed lry the Board of Trustee
Mrs S Bolland. Chalr
T￿￿ee
-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 wh￿h 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 a￿ets 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 a￿oUnting
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 b￿efit 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 p￿sent
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-