Lead the delivery of high-quality early help support through family support and volunteer coordination. The role empowers families with children aged 0–5 to build confidence, reduce isolation and improve outcomes for their children.
About Home-Start Merton
Home-Start Merton provides compassionate, non-judgemental support to families through trained volunteers, one-to-one support, family groups and community-based activities. We believe every child deserves the best possible start in life. Childhood doesn’t wait.
Key Responsibilities
Support for Families
- Review referrals and assess needs of families with children aged 5 years and under, including expecting parents
- Assess risk using appropriate risk assessment forms and questionnaires
- Introduce families to appropriate Home-Start support, usually a Home-Start volunteer to offer weekly support.
- Ensure support to families is reviewed at regular intervals and at the end of Home-Start support, in line with current Home-Start guidance
- To work collaboratively with Children’s Services, local service teams and other community-based services to provide the most effective service for children, young people and families
- To provide, record and report the appropriate data to ensure support programmes can be accurately monitored and evaluated
- To provide written case studies as evidence of the effectiveness of individual interventions
- Undertake designated responsibilities to safeguard and promote children’s welfare.
- Provide occasional one to one support to families to build trust and help with transition to other appropriate services.
- To deliver group work programs in the community.
Group Work
- Group work is a core part of the role, including planning, organise, facilitate and evaluate a weekly community family group, using evidence‑based approaches to reduce isolation, improve family wellbeing, support children's communication and emotional self‑regulation, promote shared play, and strengthen connections within the local community.
Family Support
- Assess parents and children in their home and identify areas of support.
- Develop detailed support plans with families, ensuring their needs are identified, reviewed and met throughout their Home-Start journey.
- Signpost and support families to access appropriate statutory, voluntary and community services.
- Carry out initial assessments and home visits to determine family needs, strengths and support requirements.
- Regularly review family progress and update support plans accordingly.
- Promote Home-Start Merton within the community and develop partnerships with local organisations.
- Maintain accurate volunteer records and identify training and development needs.
- Conduct formal six-weekly reviews and regular catch‑ups with both volunteers and families.
- Provide regular supervision, support and reflective practice sessions for volunteers.
- Introduce volunteers to families and provide ongoing guidance throughout the placement.
- Match volunteers with the most appropriate families based on needs, skills and circumstances.
- Complete all pre‑placement checks and assessments before volunteers begin supporting families.
- Conduct initial volunteer meetings, interviews and suitability assessments.
- Take lead responsibility for the recruitment, assessment and onboarding of all new volunteers.
- Support the recruitment and training of new volunteers
- Matching and introducing volunteers to families
- Providing support, supervision and development opportunities to volunteers
Working in Partnership
- Maintain close links with the Home-Start Merton team
- Network appropriately within the community to raise awareness of HSM services
- Liaise with referrers and other professionals within statutory and voluntary organisations working with children and families
- Monitor and evaluate family support work and provide written reports as required by relevant bodies
- Provide weekly and monthly reports to line manager
- Attend regular practitioner/ partner meetings as required
- Work collaboratively with other appropriate organisations/individuals with a view to developing Home-Start services
General Responsibilities
- Comply with HSM’s administration, monitoring and financial systems
- Ensure that the Charity Log CRM is regularly updated and accurate
- The post holder may be required to undertake other duties that fall within the nature of the role and responsibilities of the post as detailed above.
- This post may involve occasional evening or weekend work
