Our Charity History
2024
For 28 years, we had proudly operated a successful local Home-Start, benefitting from being part of the wider Home-Start federation. However, as the charity had grown and evolved, it became clear that continuing within the federation no longer fully aligned with our vision for the future. Leaving Home-Start and becoming Lotus (Lotus Families) has given us the freedom to expand beyond the services traditionally associated with the network, allowing us to develop and strengthen specialised support for survivors of abuse and their families. Later in the year, we took a significant step forward by becoming a member of Women’s Aid, further reinforcing our commitment to delivering expert, survivor-centred services.
2021
From 2021 we secured funding for an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Coordinator, a role that has been instrumental in deepening our connections with marginalised communities across East Sussex. This position has gone beyond policy work—it has actively strengthened our engagement with underrepresented groups, helping to break down barriers to support. By working directly with communities facing systemic disadvantages, the EDI Coordinator has ensured our services are not only accessible but also culturally responsive and tailored to meet the diverse needs of those who need them most.
September 2020
For years, we had been supporting parents (primarily mothers) experiencing child-to-parent violence (CPV) through our existing programmes while persistently seeking funding to develop dedicated group support. Despite four years of unsuccessful funding attempts, we remained committed to addressing this critical issue.
In September 2020, we finally secured funding for specialist staff training, which became a pivotal moment for our CPV work. This investment not only enhanced our team’s expertise but also provided the springboard for securing two years of dedicated funding to support families across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove, ensuring they received the specialised help they desperately needed.
March 2020
Staff and trustees were proud to receive SafeLives Leading Lights accreditation, a mark of excellence that recognises the high quality and safety of our Lotus Domestic Abuse Recovery Programme.
Leading Lights is the national accreditation programme for risk-led, community-based domestic abuse services, including recovery group work. It sets rigorous standards to ensure that victim-survivors receive consistent, high-quality support, no matter where they are in the country. Achieving this accreditation reflects our commitment to delivering safe, effective, and survivor-centred services.
2016
Supporting domestic abuse victim-survivors has always been a core part of our work. Since 1996, we had provided essential assistance through non-targeted services. However, in 2016, recognising the growing demand from our clients for specialised support and the local service gap, our staff undertook specialist domestic abuse training. This enabled us to launch a dedicated women's domestic abuse recovery programme, providing targeted support to women victim-survivors including their children, across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove, building on our long-standing commitment to family safety and recovery.
2014
To strengthen support for families across the county, we merged with our sister independent charity, Home-Start Hastings and Rother to become Home-Start East Sussex. This unification allowed us to extend our reach, ensuring families throughout East Sussex, including Brighton & Hove, could benefit from a more sustainable and cohesive support network. By coming together, we enhanced our ability to provide consistent, high-quality services to those who need them most.
2009
Just a year later, we extended our reach into the Borough of Eastbourne, recognising the growing need for support among families facing hardship. This expansion allowed even more parents and young children to access our services, strengthening the charity’s mission to create safer, more resilient communities.
2008
As the need for these services became increasingly clear, we expanded into Wealden District, ensuring that even more local families had access to the support they needed to build safer, more stable futures.
1996
Home-Start South Downs was founded by local mothers and professionals who recognised the unique challenges faced by families with young children, particularly those experiencing hardship and vulnerability.
With the support of Home-Start policies and procedures, they came together to create services for families (primarily mothers with young children), including a volunteer home-visiting service.
