Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Isle of Wight 0-19 health visiting service has achieved Stage 3 accreditation from the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, recognising the team’s high standards of care and support for babies, parents and families.
The nationally recognised accreditation reflects the service’s commitment to providing evidence-based support for infant feeding, nurturing close parent-infant relationships and helping every child get the best possible start in life.
The award recognises the dedication of health visitors, community nursery nurses and support staff who work with families across the Isle of Wight from pregnancy through the early years, providing compassionate, personalised care that meets each family’s individual needs.
Alison Rollett, Infant Feeding Lead for the Isle of Wight 0-19 Service, said: “We are incredibly proud to have achieved Stage 3 accreditation. This is a testament to the passion, professionalism and commitment of our whole team, who work every day to support babies, parents and families across the Isle of Wight.
“Every family deserves high-quality, evidence-based care and support to make informed decisions about feeding their baby and developing strong, loving relationships. This achievement reflects our commitment to delivering that care consistently for everyone who uses our service.”
The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative supports maternity, neonatal, health visiting and children’s services to improve care for babies and families through internationally recognised standards based on the latest evidence.
The standards recognise services that help parents build close and loving relationships with their babies while providing consistent support for infant feeding, whatever feeding choices families make.
Kate Walters, Associate Director of Public Health, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for our Isle of Wight 0-19 team and everyone involved in supporting families across our communities.
“It demonstrates our commitment to delivering compassionate, high-quality care that improves outcomes for children and gives every family the best possible support during those important early years. I would like to thank every member of the team for their dedication in achieving this national recognition.”
UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Deputy Programme Director, Anne Woods, said: "We are delighted that the isle of Wight Health Visiting Service has 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 on the Isle of Wight can be confident that their Health Visitors will provide high standards of care.”
