🌟 Home-Start East Antrim Support Services 🌟
➡️From January 2026
🏡 Home-Visiting Volunteer Support (Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus and Larne)
Our trained volunteers provide weekly 2 hour home visits for families with a child under 5 offering:
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Practical help with routines, appointments, or daily tasks
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Emotional support through listening and encouragement
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A non-judgmental presence to reduce stress and build resilience
This service is ideal for families experiencing:
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Isolation or low confidence
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Postnatal depression or anxiety
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Parenting challenges
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Additional needs or disabilities (parent or child)
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Multiple births or lack of support networks
✅ Fully trained and supervised volunteers
✅ Tailored support based on family needs
✅ Safe, compassionate, and confidential
🎨 Stay & Play Programmes
We run weekly Stay & Play sessions offering:
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Engaging, age-appropriate activities for children under 5
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A welcoming space for parents to connect and share experiences
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Supportive staff and volunteers who understand the challenges families face
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Ideal for families experiencing isolation and finding it difficult to attend other groups due to anxiety or low mood.
📍 Newtownabbey – Tuesdays, 09:45–11am
📍 Carrickfergus – Wednesdays, 10:00–11:30am
📍 Larne – Thursdays, 09:45–11am
🌿 Sensory Start Stay & Play
A welcoming, inclusive play-based session for children aged under 5 with additional needs and their parents.
These sessions include sensory activities, promote emotional regulation, and offer a safe space for parents to connect with others facing similar challenges.
📍Carrickfergus – Mondays, 10:00–11:30am
✨Together Through Play Programme *NEW*
A supportive 5-week parent and child programme designed for early years children with additional needs. The programme brings parents and young children together in a safe, nurturing environment where play is used to support communication, learning and development.
Across the five weeks, parents are supported to build confidence in using play as a tool to support their child’s development, learning practical strategies they can easily replicate at home. Each week, families receive a take-home resource pack with activities and guidance to help continue learning through play in everyday routines.
📆Starts w/b 19th January – w/b 23rd February (1 week break for half term w/b 9th Feb)
📍Newtownabbey – Tuesdays, 11.30am – 12.45pm
📍Larne – Thursdays, 11.30am – 12.45pm
🤱Baby Start *NEW*
A warm, welcoming group for parents with babies from birth to pre-crawling, particularly those who may be experiencing social isolation or who aren’t currently attending other baby groups. It’s a gentle, supportive space for parents to connect others, share experiences, and enjoy some relaxed time with their baby. Includes a light breakfast, tea/coffee etc for parents.
📍Carrickfergus – 10.30am-12pm
☕ Parent Carers Coffee Morning & Wellbeing Sessions
A relaxed, adult-only drop-in for parents of children with additional needs up to age 8.
Enjoy a cuppa, connect with others, and take time for your own wellbeing. This session is led by one of our volunteers who is a Parent Carer herself.
📍Carrickfergus – Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00am
👶Baby Bank Support Service
Our Baby Bank provides essential items to families facing financial hardship, including:
🚼 Nappies
🧴 Toiletries
👕 Clothing (up to age 5)
This support is available to:
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Families living in the Larne area
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Families registered with Home-Start East Antrim
*Please note: A diagnosis is not required to avail of our support for children with additional needs
Families who wish to avail of our support must be referred either through a professional or a self referral on the following form:
Https://homestarteastantrim.org.uk/online-referrals/
If you have any questions/queries about the different support services that we offer please do not hesitate to get in touch!
