All families need support to provide responsive, nurturing care
This can be done through a network that encourages, cares and provides practical support. Home-visiting is designed to do exactly that; to equip churches to practically and effectively support expecting/new moms, dads and caregivers through the First Thousand Days season of their child’s life.
Home-visiting
Home-visiting seeks to deepen a caregiver’s ability to sensitively care for and connect with their child, encouraging them to play a more proactive role in their baby’s foundational moments of life. The role of the home visitor is to become a source of connection, love and true friendship to enable the mom/caregiver to do this. The Home-visiting training equips church volunteers (home visitors) with the skills to foster authentic, trusting relationships with families, whilst walking a journey of support to be the village to the family in the FTD of life. The Home-visiting materials and training have been designed for The Church but using existing evidence-based programmes. Church volunteers undergo two days of training, to then identify from within their church or surrounding community, the pregnant women or families to walk alongside and support – with a focus on those families/moms who are disconnected from community and struggling.
I visited the mom today. She recovered well from the Caesar and the baby is all healthy with the 6 weeks checkup. I was holding the baby to release the mom to do one of her most important things. I felt so connected to her and to the baby. Vice versa, I can feel that she feels supported too. It was so amazing. It is really great to pray before visiting because God revealed at the very moment what’s the steps to take. We can plan so many things ahead but the very moment to follow His guide is so important to me. I love being in this ministry. Pray for each one of us to have meaningful relationships and community built.
Start Home-visiting in your church
Sign up here to apply for the next home-visiting training in February 2021.
I think this will be a wonderful ministry for new mothers
As I looked through the material, I was struck by the incredible gift that these questions are to the women we’ll be meeting with. My kids are nearly 6 now and I wish I’d had someone to ask me those kinds of questions when I was pregnant.
This is the proverbial older sister and helping hand all pregnant moms need. A journey to create, discover and join the supportive parenting village that every young family desperately needs to thrive in the difficult season of adjustment to family life.
