Decision details

Homestart Host are a respected partner organisation who deliver a variety of services across the borough to offer early support to families. They offer services such as, Infant Feeding Peer Support, Play Learn Grow, Genetic Outreach, Dad Matters and the Befriending Service.

The Family Hubs grant provided to the council by DfE provides an opportunity to enter into a grant agreement with Homestart to enable them to enhance some of the services they deliver in areas where we know families would most benefit. Enhancing Play, Learn, Grow and increasing bilingual support within services will have a positive impact on our most vulnerable families. Homestart have a high success rate engaging
with families as they use a peer support model. Harder to engage families are often more willing to work with peers than professionals. Providing support in community languages will encourage BAME families to take up the support they require earlier, thus preventing escalation to higher
cost, more intensive services further down the line.

RESOLVED - To approve the award of grant funding of £50,000 to Homestart Host to enable them to enhance Play, Learn, Grow across the borough and to build on their bilingual support offer to encourage more BAME families to access targeted early help support. The grant would run from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026, with an option to extend for
a further one year up until 31 August 2027 should funding be available and it be identified that there is still a need across the borough. Funding will be from the DfE Family Hubs Grant, with no additional cost to the council.

Option One – To approve the award of grant funding of £50,000 to Homestart Host to enable them to enhance Play, Learn, Grow across the borough and to build on their bilingual support offer to encourage
more BAME families to access targeted early help support. The grant would run from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026, with an option to extend for a further one year up until 31 August 2027 should funding be available and it be identified that there is still a need across the borough. Funding will be from the DfE Family Hubs Grant, with no additional cost to the council
Option Two - Do not approve grant funding from DfE Family Hubs Grant for Homestart Host This is not recommended as this option will not provide additional support for some of our most vulnerable families, with the risk that children will not achieve their potential and needs escalate into higher cost services..

Option Two - Do not approve grant funding from DfE Family Hubs Grant for Homestart Host

None