Sri Lanka

Home-Start Lanka
825, Singhepura
Pelawatte- Battaramulla
Sri Lanka
Tel: 009411 2785666/ 4862401
info@homestartlanka.org.lk
http://www.homestartlanka.org.lk/about.php

Chairperson: Mrs. Madusha Dissanayake
Mrs Indica Samarakoon (Programme Co-ordinator – Colombo District)
Mrs Shevanthi Stork (Administrative and Communications Officer)
Ms Dimuthu Peiris ( Monitoring and Evaluations Officer)

In the beginning

Home-Start in Sri Lanka was set-up in October 2003 by Madu Dissanayake. She trained as a professional Home-Start volunteer and after a year of volunteering began her career as the Co-ordinator for a Home-Start scheme in London. Madu’s thoughts turned to her own country and the need for Home-Start in Sri Lanka.

“Home-Start wants to see a society in which every parent has the support they need to give their children the best possible start in life.”

Objectives

HSL supports parents with the information they need to make informed choices and as they grow in confidence, they strengthen their relationships with their children and widen their links with the local community which will empower the family as a whole to uplift their social, emotional and financial status. HSL wish to build strong foundations for the development of a volunteer-based civil society, to help vulnerable families to gain a sustainable livelihood, where parents are capable of facing the challenges to support the needs of their young families.

Home-Visiting Support

Our coordinators and staff are trained to respond to a variety of needs. A parent/carer could be calling at the early stages of the child’s diagnosis or throughout the journey of adjustment to the dynamics a special need brings to the family or during transitions, crisis situations, mother’s post natal illness or during a family bereavement. After the initial assessment by the coordinator the family will be matched with the most suited volunteer to start his or her regular weekly visits to the family.

Parents Sessions

As a parent, you are constantly seeking information, resources and other parents who can relate to the feelings you have and who have walked a similar path. As the parents of children with special needs or parents of different physical, emotional and social needs, we all know too well the feeling of isolation. Home-Start recognises the need to further strengthen family connections through support and information. These group sessions provide an informal opportunity for parents to come together to meet other parents, share information, network and gather resources. These sessions will include guest speakers who speak to issues or topics in which parents have indicated an interest. Home-Start knows the value of peer support, the power of information, the importance of partnership, and the essential role of community in all of our lives. Parent groups are one more way we can respond to the support and information needs of families. Parents say these sessions reinforce that "you are not alone."

Family, Infant & Toddler Program/ Family Drop-in

This is another programme of early intervention for children from birth to five who have or may have special needs and/or delays in devel

Web site designed by Flare Imaging Ltd