Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s (MPFT) Children and Families 0-19 service in Staffordshire and 0-5 service in Stoke-on-Trent have been awarded the prestigious Baby Friendly Gold Sustainability Award by UNICEF, making MPFT one of only 17 community Trusts in England to be awarded the title.

The Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI), set up by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, is a global programme which provides a practical and effective way for health services to improve the care provided for all mothers and babies. In the UK, the initiative works with public services to protect, promote and support breastfeeding and to strengthen mother-baby and family relationships.  Support for these relationships is important to promote optimum health and development for all babies, not only those who are breastfed.

Pauline Evans, Infant Feeding Lead for the Children and Families 0-19 service said, “This is an amazing achievement which confirms that the excellent standards our Children and Families services pride ourselves on delivering have been embedded in to our everyday practice. This accreditation proves that we are supporting the women of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in making fully informed, evidence-based feeding choices, signposting them to where they can find support.

“Implementing BFI standards across the geography of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent has entailed sustained change in practice. It has also involved forging close, collaborative, working relationships with our many stakeholders, working together in partnership to support our mums and babies.”

Anne Woods, Deputy Programme Director for UNICEF UK wrote “I am pleased to now confirm the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Health Visiting Service can now be accredited as a Gold Baby Friendly Service. I would like to pass on congratulations from everyone at UNICEF UK for this excellent achievement and for accreditation as a Gold Service.”

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