A service helping new parents in Bolton launched in May this year has gone from strength to strength.

Home-Start has been working with families across Greater Manchester for over 30 years; they train volunteers to offer practical and emotional support to families in their own homes.

They work with parents who may need help for various reasons, including poverty, domestic abuse and poor mental health.

Initially the service in Bolton was to offer specialist support from volunteers trained in Parent Infant Mental Health (PIMH), however, the team has now expanded to cover support for families with children aged two to five and specific help for new fathers.

PIMH Coordinator Tracey Whistlecraft is now joined by Dads Matter Coordinator Dan Blackman and Paula Williams to support families with young children.

Over the past five months, the service has trained up several volunteers and has provided telephone support to new parents across the borough.

There are plans to take on even more volunteers as further referrals are made to the service.

Tracey Whistlecraft is the PIMH Coordinator for Bolton with 14 years' experience of working with Home-Start.

She said: "I didn't know how it was going to pan out but it has exceeded all expectations.

"I've been blown away by how many volunteers have come forward from Bolton.

"The service has taken off and we have had referrals coming in at a steady pace. Considering a service like this wasn't available in Bolton before it goes to show that it is very much needed.

"Supporting families when they've just had a baby is so important, even more now with the worry of coronavirus.

"We've been organising the training virtually and that has gone really well, in fact people seem more comfortable in their own homes.

"A lot of the volunteers who have come forward are parents themselves, so they have experienced the same problems and now how to support people."

Currently the service is offering telephone support as face to face meetings are not possible. Home-Start have also been sending activity packs to families through the post. Already, the service has received positive feedback from parents.

Tracey said: "We tailor the support for every family and we always make sure the conversation comes back to their baby, even the activity packs help with that interaction.

"Families have told us that they've really appreciated the supported and the fact that someone is taking the time to talk toe them.

"When you have a new baby it can be overwhelming but it's good to know someone is there for you."