Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire

10/06/2026

You don't need to wait until your baby is born to bond with them.

Pregnancy is the perfect time for you as parents, and the people around you to get to connect with them.

This Infant Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to share some top tips for connecting with your baby, watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi1979HrjH8

09/06/2026

Research shows us that our first 1001 days are the most important. Even though we don’t remember much of it as adults, our experiences as babies shape who we are.

Before we talk, we are developing confidence, self-esteem, physical skills and connections with others.

Having good infant mental health lays down the foundations for all future development, allowing us to build healthier adult brains.

Our early intervention at Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire acts as a building block for a child’s development.

Want to know more? Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7taRqgb_v8E

People make the mistake of thinking that because they can’t remember their first 1001 days, that they aren’t important. But the most up-to-date developmental...

09/06/2026

Thank you to everyone who came by our stall at the Oxfordshire Play Association - OPA Play Day in Benson at the weekend! 😀

Despite the drizzle, lots of children enjoyed our Spin the Wheel 'Move to Win' activity 🤸‍♂️ and 'I Spy' games 🔍, as well as the free hugs from Buddy the Bear! We even met two potential volunteers! 🤩🥳

Thank you so much to our current volunteers, Gill and Leah, who helped on the day - we're so lucky to have you on our team! 💜

08/06/2026

The theme for is ‘Attunement’, but what does that actually mean?

In short, it means how 'in tune' you are with your baby. How do you connect with your baby?

06/06/2026

We're pleased to announce that our next Volunteer Preparation Course will start from 25 September! 🙌🤩🥳

If you've been thinking about volunteering and would like to support families with young children, we'd love to hear from you!

📣For a change, and by popular demand, it will now be held on Fridays! Hopefully this allows more of you to find time to join us and learn all about becoming a home-visiting volunteer!

🙌 Receive free, high quality training
🙌 Learn new skills & enhance your wellbeing
🙌 Change the lives of the families you support
🙌 Make friends & connect with your community

If you can spare 2 hours each week to support a parent and their children, please contact us at:
[email protected]
01235 511152

More info: www.homestart-southernoxfordshire.org.uk/volunteer

05/06/2026

A huge, big, great welcome to our newly trained home-visiting volunteers! 😃🙌

We hope Yvonne, Ruth and Clare enjoy their time volunteering at Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire - we know you'll do wonderful things and be a great help to families that really need a bit of extra support! 💜🥰🤸

04/06/2026

We had a great time at our Early Summer Social event celebrating our amazing volunteers recently! We enjoyed a cream tea 🫖 and joyous weather 🌞 and it was great to have so many (30!) of our volunteers join us!

We think it's so important that our volunteers get opportunities to meet up and chat and socialise with each other as well as the Home-Start team. We'll be doing more of these throughout the year! 💜

"I just wanted to say a big thank you for the lovely cream tea treat on Friday afternoon. It is helpful to meet other volunteers socially and feel part of a team and even exchange ideas." - HSSO Home-Visiting Volunteer

Huge thank you to Chilton Garden Centre for having us and treating us so well! 🙌

If you're thinking about volunteering, keep your eyes peeled for more details about our next Volunteer Preparation Course coming soon! 👀

02/06/2026

is here! 🎉

It’s time to celebrate all things volunteering! We have 55 wonderful volunteers, the most amazing human beings 🌟, truly the best of the best 🤩🏆, and we honestly couldn't do what we do without them!

Dedicating thousands of hours to helping support hundreds of families every year 💜, our volunteers really are the heart of Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire! Thank you all so much!

02/06/2026

We are here for ALL families, this Pride month and beyond, always.

01/06/2026

As soon as your baby is born, they are able to begin conversations with you. 👶🗣️

By picking up on their cues and responding, you'll help their brain 🧠 development. Think of it like a game of tennis - serve and return.

When your baby responds, respond back. Moments of connection release those feel-good hormones so your baby feels loved and understood. 💜

Find out more in this video: https://youtu.be/-ThuCBtFGxc

11 likes. "Helping your baby's brain to build: Serve and Return"