Lifestart Services is a charitable body offering a high quality, evidence-based programme for parents of children from birth up to age five years in County Donegal. Our core programme – the Growing Child – is delivered within the family home on a monthly, fortnightly, weekly or more frequently depending on need. The programme has been proven to reduce parental stress; strengthen the relationship between parent and child; and support parents in their understanding of how a young child develops and learns. We work with parents so they can support their child to grow and develop in areas of speech and language, problem solving, better self-esteem, and of course, in preparing the child for their later successes in school.The programme offers age-specific information on child development and is tailored to suit each individual child and family.The programme is delivered by specially trained family visitors in the parent’s own home – the best environment for early learning and development.
The primary purpose of Lifestart Services CLG is “to produce better child development outcomes by making available to parents evidence-based knowledge and information on how young children develop and learn”, through the provision of parent education, child development information and intensive family support to those most vulnerable.
There are three dimensions to our service
1. A county wide targeted service for ‘at risk’ families with children from birth to pre-school or school entry, where support needs have been identified by clinicians and referred by Social Workers and other TUSLA/HSE Health and Social Care Professionals
2. An early intervention and prevention dimension aimed at all first time parents (FTP) in the county. The programme is offered to all first-time parents by the Public Health Nursing Service (PHN), who refers parents into the service. This model supports first time parents to build parental capacity and self-efficacy, preventing potential problems, which could emerge if not dealt with at this stage.
3. Booster Thematic Sessional Interventions- these are timed, needs led interventions focusing on specific areas of development, parents and their children are struggling with. The areas covered are: Attachment & Bonding; Sleep& Routines; Positive Behaviour: Feeding & Nutrition; Speech, Language & Communication; Toilet Learning and Play. These interventions are delivered intensively over a four to ten week period, reviewed and adapted regularly throughout delivery.