Achievement for BwD Children’s Centres

Blackburn with Darwen’s Children’s Centres are celebrating after passing the second stage of the assessment process on their journey towards achieving a prestigious ‘Baby-Friendly Award.’

The Baby-Friendly initiative recognises the high standard of skills and knowledge demonstrated by the Children’s Centre staff. It was set up by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation as a global programme to provide 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 local authorities to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and responsive bottle feeding, as well as to strengthen mother-baby and family relationships. Support for these relationships is important for all babies, not only those who are breastfed.

The award is given after an assessment by a UNICEF team has shown that recognised best practice standards are in place.

Councillor Maureen Bateson, Executive Member for Children’s Services, said:

I am delighted at this achievement with the assessors commenting that work at our Children’s Centres was ‘unique and outstanding’. Breastfeeding protects babies against a wide range of serious illnesses and we want to make sure that parents receive high-quality support and information at all times.

Anne Wood, Deputy Director of UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative, added:

Blackburn with Darwen Children’s Centres present a positive approach towards implementing the Baby Friendly standards and have consistently displayed enthusiasm and commitment towards providing an effective training programme.

The assessment revealed the staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to implement Baby Friendly standards to support parents to have close and loving relationships with their baby, promote breastfeeding and support mothers with feeding their baby.