| Abstract: | Jane Gibbons, NISW, 5-7 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SS Summary In an exploratory study, we examined the characteristics ofa sample of families referred to a branch of Home-Start (a voluntaryorganization to help stressed parents of under-fives) and thework of its volunteers. Comparison with families on social workers'case-loads suggested that Home-Start was able to work with awide variety of families, including those with severe difficulties,and that it offered a qualitatively different and complementaryservice to that of the local authority. |
