A GREENOCK mum has thanked her ‘guardian angel’ for offering her a lifeline — after she found vital help from a family support charity.

Mum-of-two Sara McCarthy told the Tele how she had reached breaking point and was in desperate need of support to help her care for her two young children.

Her oldest son has Asperger’s syndrome and she was struggling to manage with a baby as well.

After finding HomeStart Inverclyde she was matched with a befriender who was able to step in and alleviate the pressure.

Sara, 33, said: “I am from England and I moved up here with my husband’s work.

“I have no family to help and my husband works five days a week.

“My oldest Sam has very challenging behaviour and I have my 18-month-old as well. 

“I couldn’t leave the house because I couldn’t deal with both of them at the same time and I had no-one.

“I was at a toddlers’ group and someone told me about HomeStart.

“I didn’t think I would be able to get help because I didn’t have a social worker or anything.

“But I was wrong and they have changed my life.”

Co-ordinator Lisa Carberry placed Sara with volunteer befriender Karen Berry and it was a perfect match.

Sara said: “I don’t know what I would do without Karen.

“I made her an angel as a present for Christmas because she really is my guardian angel.

“She saved my life.”

Greenock mum-of-three Karen has a 24-year-old daughter who has autism.

She too returned to Greenock from the USA when her family was young.

Karen, 44, said: “I know what it is like as there was no support at all when my daughter Courtney was young. I wish I’d had HomeStart for me!

“My children are all grown-up now and I wanted to help other mums. It is the best thing I have ever done.”

Sara added: “Karen knows exactly what I am going through. With a child with additional support needs you are learning as you go along.

“Now I can phone Karen and we can go out and she can help with the little one while I have Sam.”

HomeStart Inverclyde was set up two years ago and it provides one-to-one practical and emotional support to any parent with one or more children under five.

Trained volunteers carry out weekly home visits and work alongside parents, in their own homes, to help them cope with the stresses and strains of life and give them the skills, confidence and strength they need to nurture their children.