A Fresh Start

Although Cornwall is a beautiful and much-visited county, there are huge areas of deprivation and it is one of the poorest areas in Europe. With a booming tourist industry and breathtaking landscapes, it is sometimes hard to imagine anything but an idyllic life here. Yet, low wages, seasonal employment, lack of housing and high rentals are driving economic deprivation in parts of our county, with one in five children in Cornwall living in poverty.

Home-Start Kernow works with families who are literally making a choice to heat their home or to put food on the table, and they believe that no family should have to live this way. The rising cost of living is putting families who were already struggling with their mental health under immense strain and Home-Start Kernow wants to be there to help them.

The charity works to ensure that families in Cornwall, with a child under five, have access to the support they need to give their child the best possible start in life. Whatever the challenge, they want to empower families to overcome their challenges and find joy in their parenting relationship. Help is given through one-to-one home-visits where a trained volunteer is ‘matched’ with a local family to support them on a weekly basis. As well as one-to-one support, Home-Start Kernow also has a county-wide group offer where families can attend a weekly group where they have the opportunity to meet friends, grow in confidence and access community- based support, as well as referrals to other organisations as needed.