Company registration number." 0947S111 Charity registration number.. 1161247 Home-start Newcastle Borough (A company limited by guarantee) Annual Report and Financial SlalementS for the Year Ended 31 M?rch 2024 Daryl Denson ACMA VAST The Dudson Centre Hope Street Stoke on Trent ST5 1DD Home-start Newcastle Borough Contents Refe￿nce and Aéminislralive Details Trustees. Report 21015 Independent Examiner's Report 16 Stslemenl of Financial Aelivilies 171018 Balance Sheet Notes to Ihe Financial Statements 201034 HI)me￿tart Newcastle Borough Reference and Administrative Details Trustees Carole Dawn Johnson - Chair Ditys Beard - Vice Chair David Williamson- TreaSU￿r Gillian Burnett-Faulkner (appointed 27 June 2023, resigned 9 October 20231 Julie Cooper Neil Dudley Yvonne Flood Timothy Worley Wendy Hocking- Schème Manager Senior Management Team Registered Office Cornerslone High Street Knutton Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 68X Independent Examiner Da￿ Denson ACMA VAST The Dudson Centre Hope Street Stoke on Trent ST5 1DD Bankers CAF 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill Wesl Malling Kent ME19 4JQ Charity Registration Number 1161247 The charity is incorporated in England. Company Registration Number 09476111 Page 1 HoMo￿tart Newcastle Borough Trustees, Report (incorporating Directors, Report) The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annu81 report logelhèr with the financial statements and auditors, report of the charitable company for the year ended 31 Msrch 2024. Structure, governance and management Nature ofgovernlng document The charity 15 a company limited by guarantee ané regislered charity. It is operated under the rules of ils memorandum and articles of oss9¢ialion dated 6th March 2015. 11 has no share capital and the liability of each membèr in the event of winding-up Is limited to £1. Recruitment and appointment of trustees Trustees are recruited through a variety of advertising channels, including personal recommendations from currenl trustees, advertising, posters displayed promoting the scheme's woik in public places and disseminating information via our partnerships in the locality, and Ihe VCSE advDGa organisalions sueh as VAST (Voluntsry Aclion Stoke on Trenll. SCVYS Islaffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Organizalionl and Support Slaffordshire. Expressions of interest are followed up by Ihe Chair. Interested Indiv￿ua1S are inviled as guests lo obsèrve the management committee MeetI￿S and subjèct to a successful meeting with the Chair and Scheme Manager and agreement that they wish to be nominated for a position on the Iruslee board, they are invited lo complete a formal application, provide referenc8s, undergo a DBS enhanced level ¢he¢k and sign up the scheme's code of conduct. With reference lo the Memorandum and ArtKles of Association, a third of the committee is required lo stand down al the AGM and if they wish lo continue in their role as a trustee and a direGtor of the organi5alion, they can be re*lecled by the committee. Objectives and a¢tivities Obiects and aims The charitable obj8cls of lh8 charity are.. al To safeguard. protect and preserve the good health. both mental and physical of children and parents of children bl To prevent ¢ruelty to or maltreatment of children cl To relieve sickness. poverty and need amongst children and parents of children dl To promote the education of the public in better standards ol child care, principally but not exclusively within the area of Newcastle Borough ané its environs. The airns of the charity are lo prDvide supporl for local families and to give these families Ihe means lo cope with the diffieullies they are experiencing. We aim lo build better lives for both the child or children of the family and their parents by improving their conliden¢e. health. mental wellbeing and lo imprDve and encourage better family relationships. Page 2 Home-start Newcastle Borough Trustees. Report (incorporating Directors, Report) The Iruslees of Hoine-start Newcastle Borough oversèe the governance of the scheme which works within the local community supporting families with children under 12 across Newcaslle-under-Lyme, where there ale many deprived areas. With over 28 years of experience, providing crucial support during Ihe critical formative early years of childhood, reaching out early on lo parents facing dilficullies. with homelife and parenting. aiming lo pr8venl famity crises and miligale the potential negative impacts on childrèn. The Home-start approach is 5UPPOrting families earfy on, with rK) predefined level of need,, instead. HDmÈ-Stsrt believe that any family seeking help does 50 because t￿Y need il al that moment. The aim is lo help parents build better lives for their children by helping them lo tackle issues that they fa￿ such as loneliness and isolation, coping with muttiplè children, children's behaviour Ihal challenges and ill health, disability or special needs. Charitable A¢tivitles undertaken for public bgnelit The Iruslees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Home-slart Newcastle Borough provides front-line family 5UPPOrt services within Newcastle-under-Lym8_ Our expert staff and lived-expeiience volunteers support parents with children undei 12. Newcastle has pockets of deprivation.. 19 neighbouthoods within the lop 30°A and Knutton. our location., in th8 top 10Qh most deprived. IIMD 20191. Family needs are unique and indiwdual, Ihis year Ihe following circumstances were affecting their abilrty lo parent and provide the best opportunities for their children.. 81°A of parents suffered poor mental health which wa5 affecting their ability lo provide stsble nurturino homes and the ability lo oo into th8 Ioc81 community and provide OPF)Ortunity for their children lo socialise. 61°h of children had poor mental health including low confidence, poor self*sleem, and few friendships. 660/0 of the families accessing our support had eornplex needs" 18.4/0 01 all Newcastle households are experiencing fuel povety IPublic Health Oulwmes Framewoikl. As a local HOme￿lart, at OLJr core is delivering home-visiling support via our volunteers, often parents themselves. there is a great deal of evidence highlighting the dislinciive value of volunleer-led support. for a comprehensive support offer, we also have an experience staff team, who are more able to support alongside slalulory agencies. or with parents who have more complex needs, who we are able lo engage with successfully, building relationships and helping them access the service and support th8y n8ed. Our service brings real Impad to the lives of families. We provide praelical and emotional support for families in their own homes and in the comrnunity. Our support is tailored to the individual needs of our families who may be experiencing drfficullies and challenges including poor emotional wellbeing ot parents or child￿n, child development and learning needs, isolation, and financial worries. The earliest years m?ke the biggest impact, and we work lo make SU￿ Ih05e year5 count. Page 3 HomeStart Newcastle Borough Trustees. Report (incorporating Directors. Report) For ¢xamplc, our ￿er0￿ce ￿UpPort£ pa￿￿tS.. o To help them manage children's behaviour that challenge5 o To help their child sleep safely and soundly in their own bedroom o To introduce positive parenting and rewards o To help set boundaries and consequences o To encourage children lo eat a healthy and varied diet o Tv iiilruLIui¥ d bvd-tiiiiv ioutiiie, so children go to bed at a regular time o To help with their child's anxiety, which may be about leaving them lo go to nursery or school o To encourage sharing and turn taking, not grabbing or hitting other children o Tn hp.lp mAnagg their journeyhNalk to school or nursery in the morning o To improve parents. confidence. o To reduce parents isolation and help them go lo group5 and meet other parents o To help with their child's confidencè and social skills with others. The success of Dur support is Tooled in the non-judgemenlal, compassionate relationship that a family develops with their support worker hence their malched worker will remain with them Ihroughoul their timc with u- in all but exceptional circumÉtances. As a trusted provider.. the chart below shows the wide range of people relying on the Home-start service since April 2023 which includes local schools, nurseries, social prescribing teams, health & midwifery services, social care teams and parents themselves.. Souroes of Referrals into Homo-start Sincg April 2023 9. Other P3rtriors Agenues 19, Primary Schoo15 S, Health Prof8ssional 3, Tier 2 family - Support (County Council) 17. Sell Releffa -x S. Staffordshiré Safegaurding 2, Early Help Team (County Council) 1, Housin&. 8, Mental Hea1tn SeNices Page 4 Horne￿tart Newcastle Borough Trustees. Report {incorporating Directors, Report) Home*tart SeNicès In line with Slaffordshire County Council's Eady Help Strat&gy 'R￿ht Help, Right Time. Right Place. effective early help relies on collaboration with organisalions being able lo play lo their slrenglhs. One of Home-slart's strengths lies In the services flexibility and autonomy, essential for those families who do not ft)eel the threshold for slalutory intervention or who do not have a mental health diagnosis but who need help. The seTvi¢e bridges th8 gap and prevents difficulties escalating into GIISIS. Followng the introduction of the Family Support Advisor IFSAI post in 2022 to cornplemenl our volunteer service, it has provided extra cap&ily to support and address the more complex needs of families and providing LJS with a greater number of 5LlPPOrt interventions. As a fully trained, experienced support worker. they use their professional knowledge and excellent familiarity with other available services and worting relalionships to provide comprehensive, holistic support to the @nlire family including direct support lo Ihe children. The FSA supports.. Families who require short bul intense intervention Children who require diiecl work More complex needs families (3 or more identified needs) Families that requi￿ more than 1 visrt a week. Additionally, we benefited from piloting a specialised Family support Worker IFSWI for families who have a child with additional needs or special educational needs or disability. ISENDI. Funded by the National Loltery Awards for All grant. This funding enabled.. parè.n￿ tn imrilg.mgnt str2togies routines specific to ehildren's neèds • Supporting referrals to specialist organisations Assistance to navigate application processes lo secuie support such as Disability Living allowance, Education Health and Care Plans IEHCPI and specialist equipment Identifying and securing Correct support in educational settings Parents attend medical appointments The provision to help parènts wth leaming needs unde15tand Cor[esponden￿ from bodies such as schools and social workers Assistance to parents with physical disabilities to engage and play with children or tske them out. Our SEND support is helping families lo break ijown the obstacles that physical and learning need5 often present which can prevent them from participating in community life. Helping parents develop confiden¢e lo manage their childlienl outside the home.. become less isolated and morè able lo access groups, SerV￿e's. people and facilities in their communily.Helping families access the right equipment, advice and provide reessur?n￿ so parents can provide a nurturing a positive home environment in which child￿n can flourish and meet their Potential because every Child matters. Our main goal is to provide extra 5UPPOrt and resources to local families facing challeng&s. We aim lo level the playing field, giving everyone a fair chance lo slrenglhen their resilience and en9age fully in their community. Page 5 Home-start Newcastle Borough Trustees, Report (incorporating Directors. Report) We draw on the strengths of the people in our local community building the assets in the community, one family al a lime. Those with parenting expeiience can ulilise their knowledg8 and enhance their skill set through our training opportunities and personal development opportunilies volunteering with Horne-slart. We are not only helping lo increase the resilience of families al home by holping them lo connect with others, but il also improves the community for all. H@Iping the volunteers and families actively participate and benefit from and with a wide range ol community4)ased support and lo move fO￿ard as conlribulors to their communities. Our Approach Havi￿ a staffed éelivery sewvice alongside our volunteer servi￿, enables us lo respond to the needs of Newcastle families more effeGlively. Our IradiliDnal plac8d based approach aims al Ioc81 empowerment pairing local volunteers, parents themselves with lived expeiience who embody local knowledge and parentin9 experience, with local families in need. Often having previously received support Ihernselve5 our volunle8rs have an intimate underslallding of the Challeng￿ families face gnd the obstacles in a￿esSing support and shape their support lo harvest trust and non-judgemenlal approach to promote open communication. Aligning w(ch the Earfy Help Strategy, "Right Help, Right Time. R￿h1 Place" we provide timely support to parents, and children preventing issues escalating into crises, fostering resilience and independence, and reducing strain on statutory setvices through.. One-on-onè support in farnilies, homes Peer lo Peer groups Information, advice and guidanc8 Slay-and-Play community gioup sessions. Parenting Together Thig year w93 the fing1 year of a 3-year funding gr&nt, for the 'P8rentitr)g Tog¢therf proje¢t. prtsvided by The National Lotterls Reaching Communities grant. 11 has rnade a signifFcanl impact on the lives of families and volunteers in our local community. ftinding a volunteer home-visiling service and the three Slay and Play community group sessions. The Parenting Together Project aimed al Providing comprehensive support lo families faciny various challenges and recognising the value that volunteering brings lo the community. We provide a vèrsatile hybrid approach lo support which in¢ludes a mix of home-visiling and telephone support, tailored to each family's specific needs. We are grateful to The National Lottery for their flexibility in supporting our projèct's evolution, last year they agreed lo allocate unused funds towards Covering the costs associated with our invaluable Family Support Advisor. This adaptation re¢ognises the signrficanl impact this role has had on achieving PDSltwe outcomes for the families we serve. Enhanced Referral Process.. Families specify their preferied method of support,. the majority want home visiting with 2 few opting for telephone support only. However. we often provide a hybrid solution, primarily based on home-visiiing and supplemented with telephone support when necessary. Pa9e 6 Home-start Newcastle Borough Trustees. Report {inGorporating Directors, Report} Triage and Welcome Process.. Following a referral, which 15 Increasingly facilitated through our Stre￿IlThed online system, our weekly triage team ensures that we Can meÈl the needs of the families as Ind￿ated in the relerral form. CommLJnicalion often begins with a comprehensive welcome letter, aGknowledging their Pla￿[Tbe￿I on a wailing list whi18 assuring them that we will maintain regular contact which wè call Keep In Touch IKITI calls, Managing Waillisls and KIT Calls: We understand the anxiety that being on a waiting list can evoke, and to allewate this, we promptly assign each applicanl lo a KIT team member who contacts them weekly or fortnightly based on their circLJmstances. The objective is to provide continuous support. monitor changes in Iheir needs, and address any safeguarding concerns or urgent support requirements. The staff and our KIT call volunteers made 162 successful KIT calls to farnilie5 in 2023124. Matching Process.. Our Family S8rvices Coordinator meticulousty matches parents wrth a suitsble vdunleer or staff member after engaging in a discussion with both parties. This ensures a harmonious partnership that is instrumental in achieving the goals sel during the initial meeling. We provide personalised support for each family. completing a simple assessment of needs with them, and identify area5 where they want change. Together with their volunteèr or support workei. they can be helped lo gain the outcomes identified. The length of the support needed lo meet their needs can vary from family to family, dePer￿ing gn what outeomes are identified. The support given lo each family is regulady reviewed until the outcames have been rnel and there is a posrtive change for the children and parents in the household. Personalised Support and Outcome Plans.. Every family we serve benefits from personalised 5UPPOrt. including a needs assessment, goal idèntification, and a detailed ovlcome plan. Our volunteer or support worker wllaborales with the family to help them achievè trh•. *pg_r.Kfig.fl nijtrnmos, addressinu 2reas idéntifièd in n88d of change. Ongoing Review and Duration of Support.. The support provided lo each family Is regulaily reviewed until the agreed outcomes are mel, as a family's journey to success is not always a linear one, wè adjust as we go along to ensure positive changes for both children and parents in the household. The duration of support varies from farllily to family. Gonlingenl on the outcomes identified. On average, families receive support for approximately nine months, although some complex cases may require longer-term assislanee. Information Advice and Guidance Our Infotmalion. Advi￿, and Guidance IIAGI setvice is often for specffiG issues, and usually lor a shorter time span. W8 look the year tu monitor the effectiveness Df the service. The IAG element of our Se￿iCe allows us lo support parents flexibly basis, esp￿lalIY when specific concerns 8rise, and often wilhoul the need for a comprehensive out¢cJme plan or a family-widè assèssment. We specifically placed 12 families on the IAG service in 2023124 as It was recognised thal this service would suit their needs the best. Our experienced staff have developed and leamt how to support families with many varying ne&ds. Learning how lo support them effedively by working closely w(th them, listening to them regarding the diffiGullies Ihey were facing, and hearing what they fell would help Ihem. The staff team deal with a higher number of families than our volunteers, and as such gain and develop a higher level of skills, ulilised, by sharing information and guidance with the volunleers. Page 7 Home-start Newcastle Borough Trustees. Report (incorporating Directors. Report) Parenting Together l Home-start Together Our Family Support Service is Complemented by the delivery of community groups, and mainly concenlraling on delivery to the 04. under school age children fitting with Home-start UK'S focus and our early years support offer. Accessed free lo ?nyontr wilh a Ghild under 4 residing in Newcastle, we also signp051 our families wrf(h young children into our groups, assisting our family support work with the family. Our aim is to providé a free, local group in a friendty, a￿SSIble venue to Gounler the inequity they are likely lo experience "socially i501aled children lend lo have lower SLfbsequent educational attainmenl, be part of a less advantaged social class in adullhoC￿ and are rnore likely lo be psychologically dist￿$sed in adulthood" (Lacey, Kumari & Bartley, 20141.. The sessions provide opportunities for paienl81 engagement and age•appropriale play lo support learning and ¢Jevelopmenl. During the year, just under 1700 attendances wer8 recorded at our Stay and Play sessions. The groups are a place for parents lo engage in developmental and fun activities with their baby or pre-school toddler. We held 113 FREE sessions. including the delivery of Rhyme and Craft in both Clayton and Kidsgrove librari8s, Ihgse are 45-minute sessions encouraging story time, rhymes and craft aciivilies. Additionally the Lunch and Play session, in Kidsgrove Children's Cenlre, which includes and a make and lake Graft aclivily and a messy play area. gratefully acknowledged by parents, is held around luneh lime, SD we can provide a healthy Ghildren's meal, and parents with lea and loasl, ulilising (( as an opportunity ID highlight healthy eating and energy effrciency. providing food cooked with a slow cooker. Iii tli¥ la¥t 12 Iiiuiitlib. uvei 150 parEnl51carer5. and 140 Ghildren, have enfvyed Ihe a¢iivllles at our weÈkly 04 Stay and Play groups, registering more than 1600 attendance5, and we provid8d ovw 700 healthy meals. We conslanlty review the session5. to ensure that we rneel DLJr commvnily's needs. Using the feedback and listèning to parenls, comrnents and discussions with the Family engagement Worker, when asking whsl they Would like includeé in the nex1 sessions,. they enjoy the opportunity to engage and rllix with others within their local community and widerb their social networks. and for many these are the 51epping-slones tg gaining the selfvconfidence lo access olh8r support 8nd services available in the Community. We have developed a local partnership arrangement with the local Children's Cenlre. a base for our community group Home-slart Together. The Children's Centre will support the ongoing development of our service and ￿MMUnitY sessions. The health visitors are ￿gUlar attenofees delivering services to the community at Ihe centre, which builds on our recenl project and partnership development. Whe￿ Home¥Slart asslst in the delivery of their 'BriJshing for Life, oral health advice pa¢ks. Wortting in the same loeation aids us in building good relationships wrth other agencies. Page 8 Home-start Newcastle Borough Trustees, Report (incorporating Directors, Report) Peer to Peer In September 2023 we started a Peer Support Group where parents can gel together and provide support for each other. During the sessions. we support the parents lo join in with activities such as baking. crocheting. quizzés. bingo. walks and many other crafts. They have also had a speaker in a session lo give a talk about finances. They offer support, advice and guidance lo each other. They agree on the activities lor the meelings, with their favourile sessions involving learning about and cooking different foods. We have had 12 parents attend Ihe 25 5eb51UnS biiiLe Il beyilll in September 2023. We have 5 parents who allend regularly. The other parents come and go as a drop in. These sessions are currently being devolved so that our staff are less involved, and they become truly volunteer led. Hnmg-StArt UKI Cadent Warmth Prograrnme The Cadent partnership has provided ijs with 2 years funding to help keep our community warm. sale and connected. They have provided us with resources and materials lo help us keep the community safer. so we can help prevent fuel povèrty, providing energy etti¢iency awareness. carbon monoxi(Je alarms and awareness io highlight the risk and dangers of CO. The project has provided us with free slow cookers lo encourage energy efficient cooking. Coalfields Regeneration Trust As our service operate5 in an area that once had a working coal mine. we are eligible for support from the Coalfièlds Regeneration Trust. We gain support and access to the Coa￿le1d$ Community Investment Program. providing access lo many guidance documents for research and support. as well as regular updates from the Servi￿ which highlights training and grant funding opportunities. sent out by their regional grant manager. Children in Need Grant We are In the final year of our Children in Need grant. which has provided essential unreslricled funds towards our core costs for 3 years, which started In October 2021. By providing funding lo Charitie5 who support disadvantaged children. their 5UPPOrt has been invaluable as we work across many areas within Newcastle affecled by significant deprivation. We advised that our support would assist children in the following ways. Children will have improved social skills Children will feel more confident Childrèn will fool las8 worried. 82 children have directly benefilled from this project this year. Having the contribution lo core costs has proviued the stability to enable Ub lu cuiiliriue lu deliv¥i vui li8lTiily suvvvit Jgivibv. Page 9 Home-start Newcastle Borough Trustees. Report (incorporating Directors. Report) Holiday se54ions including the under 12's During the school holiday5, we held six sessions which Includ￿ older children and siblings lup lo 11 years). For many families this is the first lime they have attended one of our sessions. Ea3ter fun 5e33ion Holiday Madness Circus skills . Beach party Halloween Spooklacular Christmas Party104 only) We had 114 familie8 Wlth 176 children attendin9 the six larger group $e$$ions plus 8n extra-8pecial 04 Christmas Paty. Due to the timing of the Christma5 school holidays this year. most of the older children were still in school. Vve have consislenlly received lols of positive feedback for the sessions, families stating that th¢y valued them being fret. that they were fun, and helped keep th¢ ¢hildr¢n entertained in the holidays. We are happy lo see many families returning for the other sessions, which indicates their family has benefited from the sessions. The circus skills session was a great h with the child￿n. Awards for All We were lucky enough lo gain 12 months funding from The National Lottery Awards for All funding, for our part tirne Family bupport Vvorker I&ENUI which commenced In January 2023. Our part lime SEN FSW helps parents navigate the many obstacles they face h8ving a child in their family with opecial Educational Needs, supporting families whts have at least one child with additional needs, whether formally diagnosed or not. They are a SEN parent themselves and understand the differences and challenges that this brings lo a household. They have supptsrted 14 families and 26 children over the la.¢t 1 ? months. and is a gr93t 3ddition to OLir service. providing expert assistance on SEN and disabilitigs lo our whole team. Page 10 Home-slart Newcastle Borough Trustees, Report Ilncorporatlng Dlrectors. Report) Over the course of the year, families have ￿en supported to.. make referrals to other agencies lo support a diagn051S. undersland and repty to correspondence for these and other agencies and to attend appoinlmenls. contact and liaise with health and education prDfe5sionals. find and access information regarding diagnosis, the diagnosi5 process. support groups and local groups. improve the parents, wellbeing. join local play aclivilies. by being an extra hand. idenlify rf a child has SEN or if the challenges expeiienced are helped with eff8clive parenting. pul positive and fl8xible routines in place in the home, or for 5pecrfi¢ limes thal are more of a challenge. use visual aids such as timetables. and now and next boards. • effe¢tively manage any difficult behaviours and 'big' emotions. Our SEND support has helped peer farnilies lo break down the obstscles that physical and leaming needs often present which can prevent them frorn part￿1patIng in community life. Helping parents develop confidence lo manag& their childlrenl outside the home,. become less isolated and more able lo access group5, services, people and facilities in their community. We help lamilies access the right equipment, advice and reassuran￿ so parents Can piovide a nurturing a positive home environment in which children can flourish and me81 their potential because every child matters. Volunteers Our volunteers commit to support, one or occasionally two farnilies al a lime. donating 34 valuable hours per week. Volunteers usually parents or grandparents thèmselves, a￿ recruited from our local community and provided with a quality training schedule lo support the families in a non-judgemenlal. empalhelt¢ way,. The Home-slart approach. We arè hére to ensure that children thrive, and we do this by b•ing 210n9$￿e families, in the Children'￿ gslly ya3rg providing". lational support lo parents and families volunteer home-visiling • a focus on the earty years primarily an offer of 'early help, accessible and inclusive . etsmmunityllect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables. Trade creditors Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or seNices that have been aequired in the ordinary couise of business from suppliers. Ac¢oLJnls payable are classilied as current liabilities if the Charity does not have an uncond((ional [￿h1, al the ené of the reporting period, lo d&f8r settlement of Ihe credrtor for al leasl twelve months after the reporting dale. If there Is an unconditional right lo defer séttlement for al least twelve months after the reporting dale. they are presented as non