Home-Start Bradford District

Who we are

Home-Start Bradford District is an independent charity committed to promoting the welfare of families with young children and providing volunteer-led support in families’ own homes. We know how hard it can sometimes be to raise a family: there are good times and there are not so good times, and we can all need a helping hand from time to time.

We offer help to families when they need a bit of extra support. Trained volunteers visit families on a weekly basis, providing emotional support and practical advice in the areas each family needs.

Our culture and values

Our working practices are built around three pillars:

Respect

Because of the parenting experiences that the Home Start Bradford District team have we bring a genuine respect and empathy to the service we provide. We demonstrate respect by listening so that we understand different views and situations; by being honest and transparent in all our actions; and by upholding principles of equality towards everyone we support and work with.

Integrity

We always endeavour to act with integrity because this builds our inner confidence and the confidence others have in us. Our integrity helps us know when to say ‘no’ for the best interests of others. We demonstrate integrity in all we do through our commitment to our work; our responsibility and accountability; and, by being consistent in our actions and behaviours.

Togetherness

Working and interacting together, with positivity, helps us all do more and achieve more. We are supporting and encouraging of each other, of the families we support and with all our stakeholders and partners. We are aware of our strengths and areas of expertise and, by embracing and respecting those of others, we can develop respectful and mutually beneficial relationships.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Home-Start Bradford District is here to support all families with young children through their challenging times. To do this, we need to strive to be the most inclusive organisation we can be. We want to create an environment where every family, volunteer and staff member, supporter and funder feels welcomed, included and valued.

As an employer and service provider we are required to comply with anti-discrimination legislation. It is also firmly within our ethos and values as an organisation to ensure that all staff, volunteers, families, funders and other stakeholders are confident that we will treat everyone with fairness, dignity and respect.

We are committed to a culture that does not tolerate victimisation, harassment or bullying. We will investigate and take action on any reports of practice, which trustees, staff, volunteers or families believe to be unfair or discriminatory.

We know that (for example) parents and children facing poverty, from black and minority communities, with special educational needs or disabilities, or who have lived through significant trauma, are all more likely to experience inequalities in their future outcomes in education, health, employment and opportunity. This leads to too many families not receiving the support and care they need.

As a charity with a proud heritage in standing alongside all families who need our support, we have always had a role in tackling inequality and ensuring families get the help they deserve to thrive. However, as societal and organisational understanding of discrimination, anti-racism, accessibility and diversity develops, we also acknowledge that we have much more to do ourselves as an organisation to be more diverse and fully inclusive.

Our vision is to be a charity where every family, every volunteer, every member of staff and every supporter, funder and partner feels welcomed, included and valued as part of the Home-Start movement.

Inclusion has a central role within Home-Start UK’s strategic framework, Together with Families, which identifies four strategic commitments to pursue collectively. We are called “to address inequalities in all we do – in terms of access to early years’ and family support, by reviewing our reach, enhancing our own diversity, ensuring inclusive ways of working across all we do, and using our influence to effect change.”

We therefore have in place an Action Plan which sets out our priorities to advance towards our vision. It is led by the Chair. We are wholeheartedly committed to ensuring EEDI is central to our work and are open and willing to improve. We acknowledge there is a lot to do, and our Action Plan offers steps towards this. We are keen to continue to build our understanding and work with others to achieve change.