Hartlepool Borough Council's Best Start Family Hubs and Health Visiting Service have been awarded the prestigious Baby-Friendly Award by the UK Committee for UNICEF Baby-Friendly Initiative.
It recognises their commitment to giving babies the best possible start in life.
The award acknowledges the high-quality support provided to parents and families across Hartlepool, helping them build strong, loving relationships with their babies while receiving expert advice and guidance on infant feeding and early development.
The Baby-Friendly Initiative is a global programme that aims to transform healthcare for babies, mothers and families through a partnership between UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO). In the UK, it works with public services to support families with infant feeding and nurturing relationships, helping children get the healthiest, happiest start.
The award is presented only after a rigorous assessment by a UNICEF UK team confirms that recognised best practice standards are firmly embedded within services.
Hartlepool’s Best Start Family Hubs provide a one-stop shop of free support for families with children, from pregnancy through to age 19, or 25 for young people with SEND. Services include support with emotional wellbeing, early language development, infant feeding, perinatal mental health and parenting.
Meanwhile, the Health Visiting Service supports families from pregnancy until a child reaches the age of five, through home visits, telephone support and health clinics.
Left to right: Michelle Readhead, the Council’s Specialist Nurse – Infant Feeding and Healthy Weight, Councillor Jim Lindridge and Clare Wright, the Council’s Clinical Lead for Health Visiting and School Nursing, with the award
Councillor Jim Lindridge, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council's Children's Services Committee, said: "This award from the UNICEF UK Baby-Friendly Initiative is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to increase breastfeeding rates and improve care for all mothers.
"Breastfeeding protects babies against a wide range of serious illnesses, including gastroenteritis and respiratory infections in infancy, as well as cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes and obesity later in life.
"We also know that breastfeeding reduces the mother's risk of some cancers and supports the mental health of both mother and baby.
"We set out to ensure that all mothers and babies are supported to form a close and loving relationship, whatever their choice of feeding method, as this is the best start for every baby."
Anne Woods, UNICEF Baby-Friendly Initiative Deputy Programme Director, added: "We are delighted that Hartlepool Borough Council's Best Start Family Hubs and Health Visiting Service have achieved full Baby Friendly status.
"Our work to support breastfeeding is based on extensive and resounding evidence that breastfeeding saves lives, improves health and cuts costs in every country worldwide, rich and poor alike.
"Mothers using the Council's Health Visiting Service and Best Start Family Hubs can be confident that the staff will provide high standards of care."