Cornwall Council’s health visitors have been commended for providing new mums and pregnant women with a ‘very high standard of care’.
The praise comes from UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) which reassessed the health visiting team in November.
It means the team has maintained consistently high standards for 12 years since its first assessment in 2012.
The scheme aims to help maternity, neonatal, health visiting and children’s centre services offer the best support to families with a focus on infant feeding and forming close and loving relationships with their babies.
Services which implement the ‘Baby Friendly’ standards receive the prestigious Baby Friendly award, a nationally recognised mark of quality care.
Assessments include interviews with staff members, parents and carers as well as in-person visits to support groups and drop-in sessions.
In their summary, BFI assessors said: “Staff are commended for their work to maintain the standards established. It was clear to the assessment team that pregnant women and new mothers receive a very high standard of care.
“The staff we interviewed were without exception sensitive and kind with excellent communication skills. They displayed genuine enthusiasm towards supporting babies, mothers and families in their care.”
It continued: “Mothers clearly appreciate the support they receive across Cornwall, commenting on staff kindness (96% reported that staff were all kind and considerate to them and their family) and how they have gone out of their way to provide needed help and support.”
Comments from parents included: ‘My health visitor bends over backwards to support me’ and ‘The infant feeding team need medals – they are angels’.
Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, cabinet member for children and families at Cornwall Council, said:
“It is great news that BFI assessors have once again acknowledged the hard work and dedication of our fantastic health visitors. I am incredibly proud of the work they do in our communities to help families with things like infant feeding, breastfeeding and building loving and positive relationships with their babies.
“This plays a crucial role in one of the council’s key priorities to make sure Cornwall is a brilliant place to be a child and grow up.”
For more information visit the health visiting and infant feeding and breastfeeding web pages on the council’s website.
Press release issued on January 8, 2024.
