Report of the trustees for the year ending 31 March 2023
The trustees are pleased to present their annual director’s report of the charity for the year ending 31 March 2023. The Annual accounts have also been prepared to meet the requirements for a director’s report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
Home-Start North Down has been operating in the Bangor area since early 1989. Home-Start North Down offers free, confidential support, friendship and practical help to parents in North Down, including Bangor, Conlig, Donaghadee and Holywood.
When a family either requests or is referred for support, the experienced family support organisers visit the family and then expertly match a service to each family to ensure that the anticipated outcomes for the family can be met.
Home-Start North Down’s key aim is:
To support families with young children through difficult times to ensure that each child has the best possible start in life.
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Chairperson’s Report
I am pleased to present the 2022/23 report on the work of Home-Start North Down in my capacity as Chairperson.
Every year brings its own unique challenges and the year 22/23 was no different. Guided by our Manager Alison McCaw our staff members Janine Caldwell (Coordinator), Jacqueline McKeown (Administrator), Norma Jess (Finance), Donna Hunter (Family Worker Maternity Leave August 22), Jennifer Wills (Family Worker) and Lindsay Murray (Maternity cover from August 22) have been the bedrock of the organisation and I’d like to thank them all for their commitment and service to the work of Home-Start North Down.
During the 2022/23 year I am very proud of the outcomes we have demonstrated with 110 families receiving support in year through home visiting or group support. This was enabled by 36 volunteers who have diligently visited families at home and/or assisted at Family and Baby Groups. Volunteering continues to be the life blood of our scheme and without the support of our skilled volunteers, Home-Start North Down would not be able to meet its objectives. Families tell us that they appreciate the work of our staff and volunteers and value having a trusted person alongside them. I am also grateful for the sterling work of our café volunteers and for the valuable service which they provided.
Other supports made available to families throughout 22/23 have included breastfeeding support, speech and language therapy, Community Advice and Debt counselling, mental health support/information and mindfulness activities such as arts and crafts.
Sincere thanks are also due to our Trustees for their professionalism and expertise over the course of the past year and for the manner in which they have worked together to achieve the best outcomes.
Janice MacArthur (Chairperson) Home-Start North Down
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Key Objectives
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To support the development of Parenting Skills by supporting the development of early relationships between parents and children and through encouraging stimulating play and activities which support the development of language and cognitive skills;
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To support Parents’ well-being by helping them cope with their own physical health, mental health and self-esteem and reducing any feelings of isolation;
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To support children’s well-being by supporting parents in caring for children and promoting children’s health and physical, social and emotional development, and early identification and support of children with emotional, learning or behavioural difficulties; and
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To support overall family management by providing support with household budgets, home management, stress in the home or other issues as appropriate to each family.
Outcomes for Families
Improved children’s well-being Reduced isolation Increased confidence Improved language development and/or socialisation (child) Improved family management Foster secure emotional attachment Improved access to health promotion advice Increased self-efficacy (belief in their own ability)
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Key Activities, Achievements and Performance
Main reasons for referrals to HSND
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Parent’s mental health
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child’s behaviour/child development
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• isolation/lone parent
Other key reasons include domestic abuse, multiple children under 5 and physical health.
The scheme supported 110 families and their children in North Down in the past year.
A range of family support methods were delivered primarily by staff and volunteers including home visiting and group support.
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36 active volunteers
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26 new volunteers trained for family support
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• Incredible years was delivered to 6 parents
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60 packages of 1:1 Home visiting support was provided
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10 families received Partnership with Parents programme
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78 families were offered group support through weekly Family Groups
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• 18 families were offered support through the weekly Baby Group
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• Total number of children supported 127
Additional activity provided for families
Speech and Language Therapy Breastfeeding support Community Advice/Debt counselling Aware NI Mood Matters/Living Life to the Full – Mental health support Arts and Crafts – mindfulness activity for parents Baby massage/yoga Summer Programme Counselling support Food/fuel support
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@Home Community Café
12 volunteers were recruited and trained to run the @Home Café from our premises on High Street which opened in October 2022. The café was open 2 days per week offering a delicious selection of scones cakes, hot and cold drinks, soup, sandwiches, paninis and children’s lunches and snacks. The café is open to the public and offers a welcoming space for everyone, but especially for parents with small children with room for highchairs and buggies and a play corner for children while the adults can drink their coffee – hopefully while it is still hot!
Partnership Working
Family Support Hub Sure Start Delivery Donaghadee ASSET Centre and Community Outreach Donaghadee Methodist Church Parent and Toddler Group
During 2022/23 the project had a bank of 36 active volunteers and 6 volunteer Trustees. We are very grateful for the range of skills our volunteers bring to the work of the project. Their dedication, sensitivity and approach means Home-Start North Down is uniquely placed as a non-stigmatised service in our locality. Home-Start North Down received the Ards and North Down Making a Difference Award 2023 in March.
Financial review
Home-Start North Down was funded by a range of organisations in 2022/23 including:
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South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust
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BBC Children in Need
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Public Health Agency
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Awards for All
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Telecommunity Fund
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Arnold Clark Foundation
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Tampon Tax
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White Stuff
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Bangor Golf Club
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Small donations from kind benefactors
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The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and 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 102) (effective 1 January 2015).
Finance and Legal
Accountants: O’Boyle Accounting & Tax 4 Bingham Street Bangor. BT20 5DW Bankers: Danske Bank PO Box 183 Donegal Square West Belfast BT1 6JS Solicitors: Worthingtons 21 Oxford Street Belfast BT1 3LA
Directors and Trustees
The directors of the charitable company (the charity) are its trustees for the purpose of charity law. The trustees and officers serving during the year were as follows:
Dr Jodie Carson – Chairperson (until October 2022) Janice MacArthur – Chairperson (from October 2022) Charles Ballantyne – Vice-Chairperson Colin Millar - GDPR Jennifer Rice Cherie Getty Treasurer
Staff Team:
Alison McCaw – Manager Janine Caldwell – Coordinator
Donna Hunter, Jennifer Wills, Lindsay Murray (Maternity Cover) – Family/Group Workers Jacqueline McKeown – Administrator Norma Jess - Finance
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Family Support Volunteers
Alice Kerr
Angela O’Sullivan Carol Walters Danielle Monaghan Heather McCrackin Ilona Boyd Ingrid Baillie Julie Dorman Katie McClure Kelly Ann Donnachie Margaret Mitchell Maureen Ellson Michele Field Pamela Patton Sarah McClure
Sarah Christie Sharon Murdoch Susan Kelly Suzanne Ferguson Sylvia Henderson Heather Armstrong Heather Tough Ita Neeson Jackie Durkin Janet Calvert Lynn Willis Margaret Brown Orla Edgar Samantha Wallace Vivienne McCarthy
Hayley Harrison Judith Smith Leanne Fulton Lorraine Alexander Myfanwy Bolingbroke Zoe Dougan Martha McBriar Barbara McCavanna
Café Volunteers
Eliana Harrison Ilona Boyd Julie Beattie June Pollock Valarie Wren Lisa Greenfield Daneille Monaghan Suzanne Hunter Ashley Orr Maureen Ellson Victoria Smyth
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Charity number: NIC106098 Company number: NI022755
Registered Office: 101-103 High Street, Bangor, BT20 5BD
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