A FLEDGLING group which aims to help the parents of young children in Malvern struggling to cope is hoping to raise £1,000 in order to gain charitable status.

Heather Williamson, chairman of the steering committee of Home-Start, said the service has proved to be very effective in other areas.

"Malvern needs Home-Start because it has got areas of social deprivation and if you help families in social crisis with children under school age then you can make a difference" she explained. "It can be single families struggling to cope, or families with several children under five not coping, or marital stress because of problems with childcare.

"Intervention before children reach school age can prevent family breakdown, break the cycle of deprivation and alienation and save the taxpayer untold future expense.

"There is more and more realisation of the fact that there are lots of parents who haven't been well parented themselves and don't have very good parenting skills."

A Home-Start volunteer can regularly visit families to help overcome problems and bring enjoyment into a family situation.

Ms Williamson said: "They can talk and listen to the parents, play with the children, be an extra pair of hands, share parenting experience and generally offer support and friendship for as long as necessary."

To get Home-Start in Malvern up and running, Ms Williamson, who is also chairman of the governors at The Chase, said they needed to show an income of £1000 by the end of September before charitable status could be granted.

Once that is secure, the group can apply to a variety of trusts and funding agencies for the £45,000 needed annually to pay and train an organiser and run the service.

Anyone who is able to offer support, advice or financial help, however small, is asked to contact Ms Williamson on 01684 575584.