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2025-03-31-accounts

Annual Report and Financial Statements For the Year ended 31st March 2025

Charity Number: 1128325 Company Number: 06782971

Because childhood can’t wait

Home-Start Elmbridge

Annual Report and Financial Statements For the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

Home-Start Elmbridge

Charities House, 1 The Quintet, Churchfield Road, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12 2TZ

T: 07731 861598

E: enquiries@home-start-elmbridge.org.uk

W: www.homestartelmbridge.org.uk

facebook.com/HomeStartElmbridge

instagram.com/home_start_elmbridge

Registered Charity No. 1128325

Company Registration No. 06782971

Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

Report of the Trustees for the Year to 31 March 2025

A - OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Home-Start Elmbridge (HSE) is an independent charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable families within our local community. While we primarily assist families with at least one child under the age of five, we also have services available to those with older children. Referrals to HSE can come from a variety of sources, but our support is always free, confidential, non-judgmental, and tailored to meet each family’s individual circumstances and pace. What sets us apart is our unique approach which involves carefully matching trained and supported volunteers, all with significant parenting experience, to families facing challenging times.

We work in partnership with other agencies to deliver high-quality support that is adaptable and responsive to the individual needs of each family. HSE is one of over 160 local schemes across the country and operates as an independent charity under the umbrella of Home-Start UK. We adhere to their aims, ethos, guidelines, policies, methods, training, and quality assurance processes to ensure consistency and excellence in our services.

In 2024–2025, with the support of 85 dedicated volunteers, we provided support to 201 families through a range of services—including home-visiting support, specialised groups, parenting programmes, one-to-one counselling, and crisis intervention. Thanks to delegated funding from Walton Charities, we were also able to offer practical help to families facing urgent needs, supplying essentials such as white goods, baby items, food vouchers, school uniforms, and care packages.

Thanks to funding from the SGN Fuelling Futures project, we were able to help provide energy advice and information to families, this included access to free carbon monoxide alarms and referrals to the Priority Register. We were also able to help working parents who were facing financial hardship thanks to the In Work Cost of Living Fund. We supported an increased number of families facing housing instability, limited access to public services, or uncertain immigration status with the challenges these issues present.

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

Our main objectives are:

Public Benefit Statement

We primarily support families living in Elmbridge with at least one child under the age of 11. Referrals come from a wide network of early help professionals, including health visitors, social workers, and schools. Increasingly, families are reaching out directly - often prompted by recommendations from friends or through social media. We are proud to serve a diverse range of families, inclusive of all backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities.

Our approach is holistic and tailored to each family’s unique circumstances, involving not just the primary caregivers but the wider family unit. Support typically includes regular visits from trained volunteers, alongside access to specialist groups, parenting programmes, counselling, and crisis intervention where needed.

We actively monitor the evolving needs of the Elmbridge community, ensuring our services remain responsive and relevant. This includes regularly reviewing both the availability of local support services and the specific needs identified within the families we serve.

Our activities provide public benefit to the Elmbridge community by:

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

B - STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The charity is overseen by a board of six Trustee Directors, all of whom have undergone induction training and a structured interview process to ensure they possess the necessary qualities, skills, and knowledge. These board members are volunteers from the local community and receive ongoing specialised training as needed. Trustee Directors are re-elected every three years, with careful consideration given to their experience, expertise, and diversity. Each trustee leads a specific operational area aligned with their previous experience and knowledge specialism.

Day-to-day management is handled by the Director, supported by a Senior Family Coordinator, Support Coordinators, a Charity Support Officer, and a Development Officer. This team coordinates crisis support, specialist carer support, group work, and counselling services, primarily through a network of home-visiting volunteers.

Trustee Directors are responsible for reviewing and mitigating risks through preventative controls and corrective actions. Regular assessments of operating strengths and weaknesses are conducted, and risk management is incorporated into Board meetings and yearly audits. Audit outcomes for main risk areas are submitted to the HSE board, where one area is reviewed in detail at each board meeting. Any outstanding actions are tracked to minimise potential impacts on the charity, and mitigations identified accordingly.

HSE monitors and controls operational organisation through a series of structured policies and procedures that are centrally coordinated through HSUK. Trustees ensure the operational delivery of these mandatory policies and adapt recommended policies as necessary to reflect the local circumstances of Elmbridge.

Chair’s Report

This year has been one of remarkable achievement and tireless commitment to our mission of supporting the increasing number of families reaching out for help. The support our team and volunteers offer to families continues to ensure every child in their early years has a happy and secure childhood, and parents appreciate the role they play in shaping their children’s futures. We’ve made progress this year through different projects and opportunities.

Every year we see a notable reduction in government and council funding, which has led to more competition for the funds available from funding providers. The knock-on effect on both statutory services and other charities who provide family and children support has created an unforeseen increase in the need for our services. We have had our most successful year ever in terms of fundraising activities which, together with the grants and donations received, resulted in one of our most financially robust years in the history of HSE. However, with rising costs and the challenge of maintaining and growing funding streams, our reserves and cashflow will continue to be closely monitored.

We were lucky to have been the chosen charity of the Mayor of Elmbridge, and the funds and profile raised through events supported by him had a significant impact on our financial security for next year. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Councillor Neil Houston and his wife Veronica for their passionate support and commitment to HSE throughout this year.

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Home-Start Elmbridge

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

We continue our mission of offering tailored, non-judgmental support to families with young children through its dedicated volunteers. We have continued success in recruiting and retaining our volunteers and this year has seen even more enhancements to our volunteer package. Key initiatives have been in development around expanding volunteer roles, volunteer skills enhancement recruitment of volunteers with language skills, University Partnerships and advancing our Commitment to Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion .

We have seen an incredible increase in the number of agencies and organisations we network with, and building these relationships is enhancing our profile and extending our reach. This has been a success not only locally but also in the relationship we have with HSUK, and it is encouraging to see the exposure and credibility we have within the HSUK national federation. Our enhanced social media strategy has substantially elevated our profile, expanded our network, and strengthened our brand presence across key platforms.

Following the pilot in 2023-24, Dad Matters Surrey relaunched in 2025. A Dad Matters project lead, and a Chair of the Surrey Steering Group have been recruited and are working with us to drive the project forward. Various initiatives are underway to improve the lives of dads and their young families across Elmbridge.

I am privileged to have a board of trustees who are committed to this organisation and always go ‘that extra mile’ to support myself, the staff, and our volunteers and I am extremely proud of the relationship our board has with the staff team.

I want to thank Carol Hodges our Scheme Director and the fabulous team that surrounds her. They should be very proud of what they achieve year-in year-out and the testimonials they receive from so many families are heart-warming and humbling.

I would also like to thank those who have been so very loyal in funding us in the past and providing support in so many ways, they are vital to us being able to fulfil our mission. We are also grateful for the commitment and support from our patron, Ruth Langsford, who helps us increase our profile. and securing alternative funding avenues.

Any support is never taken for granted and it is always received with our gratitude and thanks .

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

C - ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Director’s Report

The year 2024-25 saw the cessation of direct funding from Surrey County Council’s Early Help programme, the first time in the history of HSE. However, we were incredibly fortunate to be selected as the Mayor’s Charity of the Year. Thanks to the remarkable commitment and energy of the Mayor and Mayoress of Elmbridge, over £65,000 was raised on our behalf.

This generous support not only softened the immediate impact of losing statutory funding but also allowed us to invest in the future by appointing a dedicated Community Funding Officer This new role strengthens our capacity to secure the sustainable funding we need to continue delivering our vital services to families across the borough.

Once again, this year has continued the trend seen in 2023–24, with an increasing number of families seeking support for children with additional needs. Our SEND playgroup and support/advice café in Lower Green Community Centre has continued to grow and it was extended to support families throughout the school holidays. Last summer, we were proud to host a dedicated screening at the Everyman Cinema, tailored specifically for children with additional needs. We also ran specialised model train sessions, both of which were hugely successful and greatly appreciated by the families who attended.

Advocating for children remains at the heart of our work. This year, we’ve seen a concerning rise in the number of children entering reception class only to be placed on reduced timetables, often without access to full-time education. We have worked closely with Surrey County Council’s SEND department to ensure that the right support is in place for these families. Our focus has been on helping children transition into reception with the appropriate provisions to meet their individual needs from the outset.

Alongside this popular group at Lower Green, we launched a new group in Weybridge specifically for parents of babies and toddlers. The response was immediate, with the group reaching full capacity shortly after opening. The offer is for HSE families who may find traditional community playgroups overwhelming or financially out of reach, offering a safe, supportive, and accessible space to connect and engage.

The success of these groups is made possible by the dedication of our trained HSE facilitators and the invaluable support of our 16 committed volunteers. We are also grateful to Walton Charity, whose funding enables us to provide transport for families, ensuring access to our groups is not a barrier. The continued growth of our SEND group simply wouldn’t be possible without the support and funding from Spurgeon's Family Centre.

We have been fortunate to continue receiving strong support from our volunteer team, with 71 individuals either volunteering or completing training during 2024–25. The majority of these volunteers provide in-home support to families for two hours each week. Their contributions are wide-ranging from accompanying to medical appointments, playgroups, professional meetings, demonstrating positive parenting, offering emotional support through a listening ear, sharing parenting tips and helping children become school ready.

Families have been referred for many reasons including poor mental health, post-natal depression, emotional impact of poor housing conditions, recovering from abusive relationship, bereavement and disability. This year we have seen a concerning rise in families without stable housing or living in unsuitable accommodation.

In addition, families have accessed our Challenging Behaviour parenting courses, which were successfully delivered in local schools including Cleves, Hurst Park, and Hinchley Wood.

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Home-Start Elmbridge

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

To ensure families continued to feel supported, our Parent Support Café is there for parents who have previously attended the parenting course, or the SEND playgroup and the children are now at school. It is a place where families can offer each peer support, helping to reduce isolation.

We are fortunate at HSE to have a highly experienced, trained counsellor as part of our team, who has been supporting families across the borough for several years. When a Family Support Coordinator identifies a need related to emotional wellbeing or a history of trauma, families are offered the opportunity to receive one-to-one counselling. This specialist support is delivered through weekly 50-minute sessions, provided in the family’s home over a 12-week period.

Each family supported during the year has been offered their own holistic package of care.

Feedback from families consistently shows that we continue to provide appropriate support to families which enables them and has a positive impact for families now and in the future.

Feedback example:

“My time with Home-Start helped me feel less alone and I was supported by people who are caring, thoughtful and so helpful. There was a SEN playgroup to go to in the time that I was really struggling – it was a godsend.”

“I’ve felt much less isolated as a Mum and validated that I was doing a good job with my children.” Safeguarding continues to be outstanding, and we maintain a strong partnership with Surrey County Council, actively participating in multi-agency meetings and presenting on Safeguarding Boards to ensure the highest standards of protection.

None of these achievements would be possible without an outstanding team of 13 staff. The team consistently pursue continuous professional development, not only in Level 3 Safeguarding but also in specialised areas such as safeguarding children with disabilities, Level 3 Education Certification, poverty and energy training courses for parenting facilitators, FASD, EEDI, supporting families with personality disorder diagnosis and many more.

This year, Olive Leach, our Development Officer, proudly celebrated 10 years of service. Olive has worked tirelessly to secure funding through bid writing, often navigating challenging circumstances. To strengthen our fundraising efforts and diversify income sources, Olive has expanded her team by bringing on Kat Freeman, who will focus on community fundraising.

This year was my 17[th] year with HSE. Whilst families continue to face similar challenges to when I first started, new and growing pressures have emerged. The rising cost of living, significant increases in utility bills outpacing wage and benefit rises, and some of the highest nursery fees in the country here in Elmbridge, all place additional strain on families. These pressures compound for families where there is poor emotional health, children with challenging behaviour, relationship difficulties or housing problems.

I am proud of how quickly the charity adapts services to meet the evolving needs of families. Rebecca Kingsnorth, Crisis Support Worker, now delivers the Christians Against Poverty course 1:1 in family’s homes alongside energy advice. This valuable service has been made possible through funding and training provided by SGN, which includes safety measures such as carbon monoxide alarm awareness, support for fuel poverty, and budgeting guidance.

HSE’s work would not be possible without the dedication of our 73 volunteers. All our volunteers benefit from ongoing professional development and receive regular support and supervision every

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

6–8 weeks from a Family Support Coordinator. We are deeply committed to ensuring our volunteers feel valued and supported.

Feedback from families who received support for 2 hours per week from their volunteer over a number of months:

“At a time when life felt overwhelming, Home-Start provided me with a support, a listening ear, some respite, and much needed space to find myself and a way through. I’m now in a much better frame of mind to face life’s challenges and truly embrace the joy a child brings to your life.”

Volunteers reported after training:

“I personally loved arriving at a family’s door and seeing their faces light up.”

“Absolutely really enjoyed working with the families and was very impressed with the original training which was excellent and varied and extremely useful.”

HSE offers support to families in Elmbridge through all the services detailed above, home visiting, the various groups, budgeting and fuel poverty, parenting courses and counselling. Our holistic approach to supporting families is only possible through the army of volunteers who offer a few hours of support weekly. We are also truly fortunate to benefit from the commitment of the Directors on our Governing board. Kathy, Sally, Liz, Nicky, Jeremy and Eleanor are all fully committed and work tirelessly in the background. We are very privileged to have so many volunteers – collectively donating thousands of hours each year.

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

D – FUNDRAISING

This year, we were fortunate to receive funding from a wide range of sources, with many of our long-standing partners continuing to champion our work. Their support reflects confidence in the quality and impact of our services, and we are truly grateful for their commitment.

However, we are mindful that this level of support cannot be guaranteed in the future. HSE relies heavily on the goodwill of funders and individual donors, and the sustainability of our services depends on continued support. We remain especially thankful to our principal grant-making bodies, alongside the many local organisations and community members whose contributions have been invaluable throughout the year.

In the past year, grants accounted for the largest share of our income at 61% reflecting the strong support of our institutional partners. Donations contributed 24%, demonstrating the continued generosity of individual supporters, while fundraising activities made up the remaining 15%.

We would especially like to thank:

Abigail Chalrinho Adam Earl Alistair Cutts Anne Miller Barclays Bank Barker Martial Arts Carole Barratt Caroline Bradley Caroline Wood Central Surrey Voluntary Action Chris Odom Church of the Holy Name, Esher Colets Health and Fitness Community Foundation for Surrey Co-op Local Community Fund Councillor Steve Bax Danesfield Manor School Daniel Klarin Elmbridge Borough Council Elmbridge Road Runners Foxhall And Flour Gillian Fellows Gwenda Cochrane Harry Wilkinson Hedin Automotive Henry Smith Charity Judith Coltman Kathleen Williams Keith Goodwin KFC Foundation KWW Solicitors

Liz Ambekar Netsai Mangwende New Look, Walton-on-Thames Nicky Mangold Orla Bradley Peter Chicken Rachel Lucas Rochills, Walton-on-Thames Roger Barton Ross Leach Sainsbury's, Walton-on-Thames Saputo Dairy UK SGN Spurgeons Charity Squires Garden Centres, Hersham St Charles Borromeo School, Weybridge St Faith's Trust St James Church, Weybridge St Lawerence's School, East Molesey St Mary's Church, East Molesey Stagecoach, Hinchley Wood Stripey Stork Surbiton Hockey Club Surrey County Council Surrey Downs Health & Care Partnership Surrey Governors Association Waitrose & Partners Esher, Hersham and Weybridge Walsingham Care Walton Charity Weybridge Land Charity Weybridge Male Voice Choir

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

E – FINANCIAL REVIEW

The accounts for the year to 31 March 2025 are shown on pages 14 to 18, preceded by the report of the Independent Examiner.

Income for the year was £365,351 (2024: £296,569) and Expenditure was £271,026 (2024: £249,092). This resulted in an increase in reserves of £94,325 (2024: surplus £47,477).

Reserves as of 31 March 2025 were £285,732 (2023: £191,407) in total, split into £196,262 (2024: £128,640) of Unrestricted Reserves and £89,470 (2024: £62,767) of Restricted Reserves.

Grant income, despite being slightly lower than last year, was a notable achievement given the challenges of raising funds, with continued support from Henry Smith, Walton Charities and Surrey County Council. Significant one-off donations, as well as two major events in March organised by the Mayor of Elmbridge are reflected in an increase in Fundraising Income, together with higher receivables and, consequentially, year-end unrestricted reserves.

Higher staff costs include a cost-of-living increase, and extra hours worked due to high demand for our services.

F – TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charity at the end of the year and of the incoming and outgoing resources for the year then ended.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to select appropriate accounting policies and then apply them consistently, making judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. The trustees must also prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue its activities.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and SORP FRS 102.

The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Small company provisions

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under the Companies Act 2006 and SORP FRS 102.

Approved by the Trustee Directors on 25[th] September 2025 and signed on their behalf by

K Clark Trustee Director and Chair

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

For and on Behalf of the Trustees

G - REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS

Legal status

Home-Start Elmbridge is a Company Limited by Guarantee (06782971) and a Registered Charity (1128325). It was incorporated on the 5[th ] of January 2009 and is governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association.

The registered address is:

1 Quintet, Churchfield Road, Walton on Thames, Surrey KT12 2TZ

Management Committee

Trustees and Directors:

Kathleen Clark Independent Appointed April 2021, Chair Sally Blackwood Independent Appointed May 2019, Treasurer Nicky Mangold Independent Appointed May 2020, Volunteers Elizabeth Jones Independent Appointed January 2022, Safeguarding Jeremy Sharples Independent Appointed September 2023, Governance & Risk Eleanor Miller Independent Appointed November 2023, PR & Marketing Sally Grimstone Independent Appointed October 2024, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Staff Wellbeing Resigned: Sherrie Beckett Independent August 2024, Families

In accordance with the charitable company’s Articles of Association N. Mangold will retire by rotation and offer themselves for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.

Advisor to the Trustees:

Neil Clark Independent GDPR and Information Technology Rod Horler Independent HR and Employment Law Company Secretary Ann Charlton Independent Appointed February 2022

Independent Examiner

Jackson-Scott Associates Limited, 100 Gilders Road, Chessington, KT9 2AN

Bankers

CAF Bank Limited, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

’ - Independent examiner s report to the Trustees of Home Start Elmbridge.

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of Home-Start Elmbridge for the year ended 31[st] March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity Trustees of the Charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

If 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 I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of The Association of Accounting Technicians which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Angela Eden FMAAT ATT(Fellow)

10 September 2025

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Home-start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31 March 2025 st HOME-StART ELMBRIDGE statenlent of Fli)ancSal A£tlvltles (liicludlnq Income and Expendlture Account) For the Year Ended 31 Mar(h 2025 Notes Unrestrirted Restrided FU￿lS F￿d& 2025 2024 Incoming ReSou￿e5 Giants I￿o[ne Donatlons Fuiid-Raising Iwbterest Iw>me 50.( 84.940 56,451 3.808 I￿.097 220J197 227.551 84.940 60.735 $6,451 5.807 2.476 Totsl Income 175.254 190.097 365.351 296.569 Resoui¢e5 Expended cha￿table Costs staff costs FamilyArtiwtses I Support VOl￿teel ¢(k5ts 22,644 135,006 27.588 158,450 139.448 27.588 3Z.195 1292 2A79 1.292 Total (haiitable Costs 23,936 163,394 187,330 174,122 F￿￿kaiSIng Costs staff Costs othercosts 27.722 3.128 30.850 27.722 3,128 .850 24.396 105 24.501 Total RmdtaI5i￿ Costs Admlnlstratlon and gjpport Costs staff Costs Premises 13,122 16.(MK 16.950 5.338 1.436 52.846 13,122 16.(KK) 16.gso 5.338 1.436 52.846 15.716 13,9 16.029 3.202 1.622 50,469 Home-start Fee Al￿bt and Accounting Total Admin and ￿pOrt Costs Total Resources Expended 107,632 163.394 271M26 249.092 Nettransferto Ilfroml Reser¥es 67.622 26.703 94.325 47A77 Totsl funds at 01 April 2024 128,640 61767 191A07 143.930 Total fur￿5 at 31 Marth 2025 196.262 89.470 285.732 191A07 14 |Page

Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

The Trustee Directors are satisfied that the Charity is entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The Trustee Directors acknowledge their responsibilities:

These financial statements were approved by the members of the Trustee Director Board on 25[th] September 2025 and are signed on their behalf:

S Blackwood Trustee Director and Honorary Treasurer

For and on Behalf of the Trustees

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1 – ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Accounting Convention

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2015) and applicable UK Accounting Standards and the Charities Act 2011. They have been drawn up on the historical cost accounting basis.

Grants Due

Grants due are accounted for in the year in which they are receivable.

Resources Expended

Resources expended are accounted for on an accruals basis.

Pension Schemes

The Charity contributes up to a maximum of 5% of gross salary to employee personal pension schemes where the employee contributes an equal amount.

General Reserve

It is the policy of the Charity that unrestricted reserves should not be allowed to fall below six months’ expenditure, to allow the Charity to maintain services to families in the event of a sudden unexpected fall in income.

Funding Policy

This fund arises from grants or donations given to the charity where the donor specifies the use to which the funds may be put. We are therefore required by law to comply with the donor’s wishes in the use of these funds.

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Home-Start Elmbridge

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

2 – INCOME

3 – STAFF COSTS

– STAFF COSTS
2025 2024
£ £
Salaries 177,336 161,768
Social Security 9,298 7,344
Pensions 6,834 6,142
Travel and Training 5,826 4,306
199,294 179,560
Allocated to:-
Charitable Costs 158,450 139,448
Fundraising 27,722 24,396
Administration and Support 13,122 15,716
199,294 179,560

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Home-Start Elmbridge

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

4 – CURRENT ASSETS

Prepayments including insurance
Accrued Income		 2025
2024
£
£
332
309
37,707
1,891
38,039
2,200

5 – CURRENT LIABILITIES

LIABILITIES
Payables 2025
2024
£
£
11,615
7,017
11,615
7,017

6 – RESTRICTED FUNDS

7 – PAYMENTS TO TRUSTEES

Any payments to trustees related to reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of the charity.

8 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

There were no related party transactions in the year.

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Home-Start Elmbridge

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

Appendix A

Our Services

Working alongside parents, our early intervention support helps to build independence and resilience empowering parents to build positive and healthy futures for their young children. The support we give is not judgemental, it’s compassionate, confidential, and as individual as each family is.

The families we work with are often experiencing multiple difficulties and those struggling to cope with problems such as learning difficulties, disabilities, mental health, wellbeing issues, physical illness, domestic abuse, addictions, isolation, vulnerability, poverty, and homelessness. As such HSE recognized the need to introduce additional services to compliment the traditional Home Visiting support.

Our vision is to deliver a holistic approach to support, during the last year we have offered the following services:

Home-visiting volunteer support

Our home-visiting volunteer service offered one-to-one confidential practical and emotional support to families in their own homes. Our highly trained staff and volunteers provided high quality peer-topeer support, working alongside parents, making sure they had the skills needed to nurture their children. We work at each family’s individual pace with no time limit for support.

Crisis Support

For families who needed immediate intervention, our Crisis Support Coordinators worked with them directly, visiting for 2 hours each week, helping to resolve urgent needs and deal with emergency type situations. This support is viewed as short-term intervention over a few months, until such time families are ready to avail of our other services or can cope on their own.

Carer Support

For families who are living with an illness, disability, or Special Educational Needs (SEN), specialised support is provided by a dedicated member of staff. Liaising with the supervising FSC, our Carer Support Coordinator visits families for 1-2 hours each week. Initially, we offer emotional support to these families as often when we are introduced to the family, the family member is not yet or newly diagnosed. We help with access to appropriate benefits, with appeals when disability benefits have been declined, provide awareness and knowledge of disability issues as often parents ‘don’t know what they don’t know’ and help them access to appropriate services and build up independent support networks to reduce isolation. This support tends be for about 3-6 months. These families can also attend our weekly playgroup/clinic sessions at the Lower Green community centre in Esher.

Counselling Support

Our counselling service was provided by a professionally qualified integrative-relational counsellor and is provided to parents that we have identified having complex emotional needs. We offer 12 free counselling sessions (50 minutes) on a weekly basis in the family home. Our counsellor usually works with 4 families at any given time.

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Home-Start Elmbridge

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

Group work

We ran several specialist peer support groups aimed towards parents dealing with poor emotional health, low self-esteem, and isolation. When possible, crèche facilities were provided to parents who had young children. We have added new groups and closed existing groups in an attempt to keep abreast of the changes the needs of the families we support. We aim to be flexible and as a result at times these groups can be up and running very quickly to meet demand. Our groups included:

• Over 5s Parent Support Café - a regular weekly drop in café held at the Cromwell Centre in St John’s estate, open to parents with children aged 5 to 13 years old who are living with Special Educational Needs. These sessions provided opportunities for parents to meet with others in similar circumstances and provided mutual support and developed connections.

• Parenting Courses – we ran three 10-week courses for parents to help them with Challenging Behaviour and are currently in the middle of a third course. The courses were held in the 3 different schools in Elmbridge on Wednesday mornings. The course is designed to provide support in circumstances where parents are experiencing significant detrimental impact due to the behavioural challenges of their children because of neuro developmental disorders. Apart from developing several key parenting skills to support improved relationships with their children, parents benefitted from meeting others who are experiencing similar issues. Many of the referrals for these courses come from the Elmbridge Family Centres.

• Under 5s Playgroup and Café – a regular weekly drop in playgroup/café held in the Methodist Church in Weybridge. The group is open to families we support with young children aged 0 – 5 years old and has particular focus on supporting those facing social isolation, emotional distress, lowincome families, and those with parental capacity issues. These sessions offer a variety of ageappropriate toys, books, and activities designed to support early childhood development including social, language, and motor skills. The café also encourages parents to build friendships and peer support networks, making it especially beneficial for those new to the area or without extended family nearby.

• Carer Support Playgroup and Clinic is a new group that we started in October 2023. It is being run as a regular weekly drop-in session at the Lower Green Community Centre, Esher. Families are welcome to join in between 10am and 12pm. These sessions are open to our Carer Support families (families who are living with an illness, disability, or Special Educational Needs), with children aged 0 to 5 years old, however parents of older children (aged 5 to 11 years old) can also attend (without children) to get advice and peer support from other parents. The idea of this group is to offer these families a safe, informal, and non-judgemental environment where the children can have fun taking part in activities.

• Stay and Play Summer Park Sessions – over the summer holidays, we ran 6 meet up in the park sessions for families to attend. These popular sessions were held on Wednesday mornings each week in July and August 2024, and families reported they have provided a lifeline over the long summer holidays.

Dad Matters

Please note that this service was paused during 2024-25 but will be reintroduced in 2025-25.

The Dad Matters project, aimed at helping fathers build strong relationships with their children and families, while also supporting dads experiencing anxiety, stress, and other mental health challenges.

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Home-Start Elmbridge Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025

Key areas of activity included:

Outreach – Volunteers engaged dads in maternity settings, at events, and through “Walk and Talk” sessions. Conversations focused on early bonding, mental well-being, and signposting to relevant services.

Group Support – “Dad Chat” sessions were held during antenatal classes, offering peer support and online workshops tailored to new dads.

Targeted Support – Specialised support was provided to dads in more complex situations, including those with experience of perinatal mental health issues, child loss, or caring for children with additional needs.

One-to-One Support – Individual emotional support was offered via in-person meetings or virtual contact.

Healthcare Partnerships – Relationships with local healthcare providers were strengthened to improve access, raise awareness, and ensure the sustainability of support for dads.

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