Family Support
One of the most consistent messages we hear from 4in10 members working to support families living in poverty, is that the mental toll that living on a low income takes on both parents and children is high and rising. Research carried out by Home-Start London in 2025 with families supported by the charity found that
nearly nine in ten families (86%) say money worries are making parenting harder;
81% feel stressed or anxious due to financial pressures; and
six in ten (61%) say money worries increase their sense of isolation.
These findings were echoed in the findings of a participatory action research investigation conducted by young peer researchers supported by Toynbee Hall who found that over half of young people have experienced increased stress within their immediate family during the cost of living crisis.
Addressing child poverty in the early years is especially important given all we know about the impact that poverty-related stress can have on an infant’s developing brain, affecting both emotional and physical development.
Something we hear in almost every conversation across the network is that families currently experience services as fragmented and hard to navigate. So, it is very welcome that the Government has recognised the need to do much more to support families through the expansion of Better Start Family Hubs. It is vital that those developing hubs do so with flexibility and sensitivity to the local context and in close partnership with VCSE organisations who know their communities best.
It is also important that the focus on supporting children to reach the Good Level of Development (GLD) threshold does not alienate families living in the most precarious situation by making them feel they are failing when it is in fact the structural inequalities they face, that are holding children back.
Call to Action
Local authorities must work closely in partnership with local voluntary and community organisations to develop Better Start Family Hubs so that their services meet the needs of the local community and are accessible to all families.
Best Practice
All parents struggle at one time or another and Home-Start is ready to support London families through their toughest times. >
Watch this short film to see through the eyes of a child the difference Home-Start volunteers can make.
