Happy 2 Year Steph

Happy 2 Year Steph

by | Apr 23, 2026 | News

Happy 2 Years Steph!

 

Today marks the second-year anniversary at Home-Start Medway for our amazing Early Years Practitioner Steph.
 
Over the last 2 years Steph has developed a very impactful programme called Little Adventurers which she now leads delivery of. This programme has made such a difference to children in Medway. Over the last year Little Adventurers has been delivered across a variety of schools, Nursery settings and Children and Family Hubs. 237 children have attended in the last year, with 187 showing an increase in their developmental scores (79%). This would not be possible without such a great programme and the hard work and dedication of the staff that deliver it. Steph and the team regularly receive lovely feedback such as:
“We have been incredibly fortunate to partner with Home-Start for over a year now, and the impact of their six-week themed programmes across our Strood and Gillingham settings has been truly wonderful.
 
Our children, aged 3–4, have gained so much from the sessions. We’ve seen real growth in their confidence, speech and language development, and overall behaviour. The activities are always engaging, creative, and carefully thought through, allowing children to explore, communicate, and express themselves in ways that really support their development.
 
What makes the programme even more special is that it doesn’t just benefit the children — it brings parents in too. Watching families engage together, learn together, and grow in confidence together has been incredibly powerful.
Stephanie is simply amazing. Her warmth, enthusiasm, and natural ability to connect with both children and adults shines through in every session. She creates a safe, nurturing space where everyone feels valued and included.
 
The programme has also been refreshing for our educators, inspiring new ideas and approaches that we’ve been able to carry into our everyday practice.
We are so grateful for this partnership and look forward to continuing to work together to support our children and families.” (Nursery setting)
So on this, Steph’s second birthday at HSM, on behalf of the children and families, we wanted to extend our warmest thanks for all that you do. You are amazing
Morrisons Easter Donation

Morrisons Easter Donation

by | Mar 20, 2026 | News

A Huge Thank you to Morrisons

This Easter We are incredibly grateful to Morrisons in Strood for their generous donation of over 100 eggs to Home-Start Medway. This wonderful contribution will make a real difference to the families and children we support, helping to put a little extra on the table for those who need it most and allowing children to celebrate Easter. It’s acts of kindness like this that remind us how much our local community cares. Thank you, Morrisons, your support truly means the world to us and the families we work with!

Love Shouldn’t Hurt

Love Shouldn’t Hurt

by | Feb 14, 2026 | Groups, News

Valentine’s Day fills our high streets with hearts, flowers, and the language of love. But for many families across Medway, this time of year tells a very different story, one that we at Home-Start Medway see and hear every day.

This Valentine’s Day, we want to talk about something important: Love Shouldn’t Hurt.

What Love Should Feel Like

Real love, in all its forms, should feel safe. It should feel like being heard, respected, and valued. It should mean having the freedom to be yourself, to see your friends and family, and to make your own choices.

Healthy love lifts you up. It doesn’t tear you down.

When Love Becomes Harmful

Domestic abuse doesn’t always look like what we see on television. It isn’t always visible. It can look like:

  • A partner who controls the family finances, leaving you without money of your own
  • Someone who isolates you from the people who care about you
  • Constant criticism that chips away at your confidence and sense of self-worth
  • Monitoring your phone, your whereabouts, or who you spend time with
  • Emotional manipulation that leaves you feeling confused, guilty, or responsible
  • Threats, intimidation, or physical harm

Abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of age, background, or circumstance. It happens in all kinds of relationships. And if you are a parent — or pregnant — the impact on your children and your family can be profound.

You are not alone. And it is never your fault.

The Families We Support

At Home-Start Medway, we work alongside families with young children who are going through some of the most difficult periods of their lives. Domestic abuse is one of the most significant challenges many of the families we support have faced in their lives.

Our trained volunteer home visitors offer a consistent, non-judgmental, and compassionate presence, someone who simply shows up, listens, and walks alongside you. We don’t judge. We don’t tell you what to do. We believe in your strength, even when you struggle to see it yourself.

Here at Home-Start Medway we have Yvette, our dedicated Domestic Abuse Co-ordinator, who runs her fantastic One-Stop-Shop, DA Café for people who have suffered DA to meet and support each other. She does some amazing work around Medway and have helped many. 

If Something Doesn’t Feel Right

If you recognise any of these signs in your own relationship, or in the relationship of someone you care about, please know that support is available.

You don’t have to be in immediate danger to reach out. You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to take one small step.

Talk to someone you trust. That might be a friend, a family member, your GP, a health visitor, or us.

Getting Help

National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247 (free, 24 hours a day) nationaldahelpline.org.uk

Medway-based support – MIDAS (Medway Integrated Domestic Abuse Service) medway.gov.uk/domesticabuse

Oasis (Kent and Medway)
0800 917 9948
For non-emergency support.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 09:30–11:30am, 12:30–2:30pm
Thursday and Friday 09:30–11:30am
(except bank holidays)
helpline@oasisdaservice.org

Home-Start Medway If you have children under five and are struggling, we are here for you. Contact us at: 01634 570717

Happy 2 years to Yvette

Happy 2 years to Yvette

by | Jan 8, 2026 | News

Happy 2nd Anniversary at Home-Start Medway to our fantastic DA Co-ordinator Yvette.

During the last 2 years, Yvette has worked tirelessly to further develop our services for families that have experienced Domestic Abuse. 

As well as co-ordinating the OSS on behalf of MDAF, Yvette also supports the delivery of the Phoenix programme, facilitates a DA cafe and provides 1-1 support for families.

The feedback from parents speaks for itself about the impact of the support that Yvette offers:

 

“I can’t express how grateful and how appreciative I am of all the help this lady, Yvette has given me.  All the support and understanding and reassurance building my courage, always making me feel better when it’s a really bad day and every situation I’m grateful and I’ll be forever grateful. I’m so thankful to have ever meet this beautiful lovely lady the support she’s giving me and my children is unreal. She’s made me feel brave and face dark situations head on she’s giving me my power back, my courage and my bravery. Honestly, I can’t thank her enough for the support and the friendship that I have received from her”.

“I would like to start by saying how incredible Yvette has been. She has honestly gone above and beyond for all of us and I cannot thank her enough for all she has done. These last few years have been extremely challenging and Yvette has been there to support us, not just practically but emotionally too. I have felt very alone and isolated at times and Yvette’s support has helped me through some of my families most difficult times when I couldn’t see a way out.
I really can’t put into words how invaluable Homestart has been to our lives. We’re still on our healing journey as a family but with the help of Homestart we feel in a lot more of a better place to deal with challenges and hurdles in the future”.

Thankyou for everything that you do for families in Medway Yvette, we are so privileged and proud to have such a dedicated professional on our team 😊

If you have experienced domestic abuse and need some support, you can refer yourself into our service by calling the office on 01634 570717.

The Mayor’s Reflection on our AGM 2025

The Mayor’s Reflection on our AGM 2025

by | Jan 8, 2026 | News

The Mayor’s Reflection on our 2025 AGM

At the end of last year Home-Start hosted their AGM and have the privilege of hosting many great attendees including the Mayor of Medway himself, below is his own words of his experience and refection of what our AGM meant to him.

For over 40 years Home-Start Medway have offered volunteer support for parents and carers in our towns, helping families from all backgrounds in their most challenging times. Their positive impact and longevity is the testimony of the commitment and dedication successive members of the charity have shown, and they are one of the very few Medway charities to have received royal recognition, winning a Queen’s Voluntary Award.
Before Christmas I had the privilege to address Home-Start Medway’s AGM over at the splendid Gillingham Golf Club (which I discovered the Mayor is the honorary president of!).
I have been a councillor for over 17 years now, I have seen a lot of budgets, sat on many committees and read innumerable reports about life in Medway. It remains a source of great sadness to me that so much of our Council spend is needed to address brokenness and the consequences of brokenness, providing in cases where people’s lives have spiralled out of control, where families and households have been torn apart, with the impact most keenly felt by children.
Home-Start’s overarching aim and mission statement is that every parent should have the support that they need to give their child the best start in life ‘because childhood cannot wait.’ Under Raz Goodred’s excellent leadership and through the fantastic band of volunteers, Home-Start supports Medway parents and carers to grow in confidence, to strengthen their relationships with their children and to widen links with their local communities.
 
Much of their work is delivered in the family’s own home, and the sense of support, reassurance and commitment that must convey to those needing their help has been a huge contributor to the wonderful outcomes we heard about. The testimonies from victims of domestic abuse who have been supported through their awful, traumatic experiences was both harrowing and yet paradoxically also heart-warming to hear – you could not help but come away with a sense of hope.
It was a great experience to meet both team members and service users, and on behalf of our towns we thank you for standing alongside some of our most vulnerable residents. If you feel you could support Home-Start in any way, please see their website.