Surviving a funding cliff edge
Derby Community Parent Programme is a thriving perinatal volunteer programme which began in Derby in 2016 under the umbrella of a local social enterprise. The volunteering initiative grew from strength to strength in the local community and is highly valued by local families and professionals.
At the beginning of 2021 the social enterprise merged with a large charity and a decision was made to no longer seek funding for the programme. The coordinators and their 27 volunteers were devastated, both for themselves and for the parents who desperately needed support.
In the video below, the directors and volunteers from Derby Community Parent Programme tell us their story of how they fought to keep the programme going and the challenges they faced along the way…
At the time it was announced that the programme had to close, a steady stream of referrals from midwives had to cease immediately until continuation funding was found. This process took time, and many parents were left unable to access the support they needed.
Carefully recruited, well trained and supervised volunteers provided one-to-one support at home, in the community and in hospital during pregnancy, labour and birth, and the early months after baby was born. Local parents described the support of their volunteer as a ‘lifeline’ particularly during the pandemic.
90% of the mothers supported showed statistically significant change in their overall resilience, including improvements with:
- Bonding with baby
- Housing issues
- Economic circumstances
- Mental health
- Physical health
- Confidence as a parent
- Personal relationships
- Access to social support
Now the programme has been lifted into the community, we hope that Derby Community Parent Programme will continue to go from strength to strength. The support they offer is vital and was thankfully clearly recognised by local professionals and commissioners.
We wish them all the best for the future and hope they continue supporting parents for many years to come.