Every child deserves the best possible start in life and at the core of that is a loving and secure childhood. Many parents are doing their best but parenting is tough. It can be even harder when a parent is on their own or struggling with mental illness, debt, loneliness, housing problems. What these parents need is not judgement but support and practical help. Home-Start Manchester has been supporting families in the city for over 15 years. We recruit and train volunteers to befriend and encourage other local parents. Our volunteers visit the families at home each week and offer direct, consistent and effective support. Early intervention in the lives of these families can be truly transformational. It can nip problems in the bud, foster confidence and self-belief in parents, give children a better childhood and provide them with a more solid foundation for the future. It is impossible to fully estimate the impact our volunteers have had in the lives of the families they support. There are potentially 1000s of families in our city that are stronger, safer and happier because of the care and support they have received from Home-Start Manchester.