Released on: 08 January 2024
New parents in Hackney will receive essential infant feeding support, thanks to new funding secured by NCT.
NCT, the national charity for pregnancy, birth and early parenthood was awarded funding from Hackney Council to run a range of Infant Feeding Peer Support Services in the community, across the borough, and on the postnatal and neonatal wards of Homerton Hospital. The new service, which started on 1 December 2023, means NCT can support even more new parents to feed their babies, however they decide.
The service will employ seven new members of staff and includes home visits, post discharge phone calls, online and phone support, a free equipment hire service as well as an Infant Feeding Support website.
Helen Lloyd, Head of Programmes at NCT, said: “As a new parent, it can be a struggle, both emotionally and physically to feed your baby. It takes time to become confident with feeding and we know with increased access to feeding information and support, new mothers in Hackney can make feeding decisions that are right for them and their family.”
NCT has worked with Hackney Council to secure a further parent empowerment contract - the Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities project. This is a community-based programme, training NCT staff and parent volunteers to deliver parenting courses across Hackney Borough.
The courses hope to improve access to parenting support particularly for families who might be struggling.
For more information about the service, please contact Janie Pengilly, Commissioned Services Manager at NCT at Janie.Pengilly@nct.org.uk .
