Specialist Baby Feeding Supporter- Until September 2027

Job summary

Specialist Baby Feeding Supporter £38,256, - £39,276 Pro Rata (Fixed Term to September 2027, 21.6 hours per week) The candidate will be required to support parents with baby feeding questions and concerns; providing support and evidence-based information in person and via Newham Baby Feeding Helpline as part of Newhams Family Hubs programme.

Main duties of the job The post holder will be required to; Support parents with infant feeding questions and concerns in person at Baby Feeding Cafes and virtually via Newham Baby Feeding Helpline.

Maintain excellent listening and communication skills using a strengths-based approach, supporting parents own learning and self-efficacy: providing support and evidence-based information to enable informed decision making.

Liaise with the Senior Specialist Baby Feeding Supporter, Infant Feeding Coordinator and Health Visitors where there are concerns outside of remit of role. Communicating effectively and professionally with all members of the multidisciplinary team and with outside agencies involved in provision or planning of care.

Demonstrate awareness of the needs of clients/families from diverse ethnic/family groups. Record activity and data at end of each shift to support information sharing with health visiting, Public Health and Family Hubs colleagues. Contribute to fulfilling the minimum requirements of the Family Hubs Programme.

At its core, this includes providing support and guidance to parents in Newham to help improve breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, duration and support families with their wider infant feeding goals.

Promote access and engagement of the Newham Family Hub offer Maintain knowledge and understanding of service guidelines and policies appropriate to the role and demonstrate evidence-based practiced based on these and UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative standards.

About us

Newham is one of the UK's most diverse and vibrant boroughs, home to around 373,000 residents and over 96,000 children and young people. As one of London's youngest and fastest growing communities, Newham continues to benefit from significant regeneration linked to the Olympic legacy.

While the borough faces challenges including deprivation, housing pressures and health inequalities, it is also characterised by strong, resilient communities and a commitment to ensuring that every child has the best start in life and the opportunity to achieve their full potential This post is employed by the London Borough of Newham, who was the first London borough to offer a fully integrated 0-19 health and social care service as we have assumed direct responsibilityfor providing School Nursing services, Health Visiting and Family Nurse Partnership in 2017.

Therefore, our CYPS directorate will be delivering the 0-19 Healthy Child programme through the Childrens Health Service. The Children's Health0-19 Service had their recent CQC inspection in 2021 and rated Good in all areas.

Newham Best Start Family Hubs with Childrens Centres and Childrens Health 0-19 Service jointly achieved Stage 3 (Full) UNICEF Baby Friendly Accreditation in May 2026. Together we are working to maintain Full Baby Friendly accreditation, aiming to apply for Gold Accreditation in 2029.

Job description

Job

responsibilities

Overall Purpose of Job The London Borough of Newham LBN has been identified as one of the 75 local authorities chosen to trial a new-style family support centre known as a Family Hub. They will be created in Newham through a £4 million Family Hubs & Start for Life grant fund successfully secured by the Council from Central Government.

The Family Hub concept is an approach that ensures services and professionals work better together to provide families easier access to services in their local community.

It will include, for example, health services (antenatal, maternity, health visitor, school nurses), early years and childcare, education, parenting support, safety and relationship support. The Specialist Baby Feeding Supporter will contribute to fulfilling the minimum requirements of the Family Hubs Programme.

At its core, this includes providing support and guidance to parents in Newham to help improve breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, duration and support families with their wider infant feeding goals. The post holder will be expected to incorporate the Baby Friendly standards in all aspects of his or her role.

The Health Visiting Service contributes to the London Borough of Newham LBN key priorities set out in the corporate plan for children, young people and families and in accordance United Nations UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The post holder will be a member, of the Health Visiting Service, working within the Newham Infant Feeding Team.

They will contribute to the provision of infant feeding support as a part of delivery of the Healthy Child Programme (HCP) 2023, NHS Long Term Plan 2019, updated 2023, National Family Hubs priorities, and LBN Public Health priorities (50 Steps) Newham Best Start Family Hubs, Childrens Centres and Childrens Health 0-19 Service jointly achieved Stage 3 Full UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative BFI Accreditation in May 2026.

Together we are working to maintain Baby Friendly accreditation at Re-assessment in 2028, aiming to apply for Gold Accreditation in 2029. The post holder will be expected to incorporate the Baby Friendly standards in all aspects of his/her role.

The post holder will undertake duties as delegated by the Infant Feeding Coordinator and Integrated Team Manager, providing support and information to parents in Newham around infant feeding, to complement the core infant feeding support offered by the Health Visiting Service.

The post holder will work as part of the LBN public health nursing team, liaising and working with statutory and voluntary agencies to promote the health and wellbeing of the local population as delegated.

Using a client-centred, counselling skills approach, the post holder will support parents to find solutions to common infant feeding issues and concerns enabling more mothers to reach their breastfeeding goals; support parents who use formula to do so as safely as possible; to support parents to introduce healthy, family foods at around 6 months; support healthy weight for baby, mother and family, support maternal and infant mental health and well-being, including supporting, parents to develop reciprocal, close and loving relationships with their babies.

The post holder will be required to undertake the key functions of the role in a timely manner including liaison with Health Visiting and CHIS staff to share confidential, patient identifiable clinical data and information on a daily basis to facilitate clinical service delivery to local children and families living in Newham.

They will also be expected to collaborate with other parts of Newhams infant feeding system, such as with Maternity Services, commissioned services and voluntary organisations. The post holder must follow LBN Safeguarding and Data Protection procedures. The post holder will report to the Infant Feeding Coordinator.

The post holder must attend mandatory training as applicable to the role. The post holder has no budget responsibility The post holder has no line management

responsibilities

The post holder will be required to adhere to the dress code of smart but casual.

Job Summary

The Specialist Baby Feeding Supporter will: Deliver education, information and support within antenatal and postnatal workshops; in person at Newham Baby Feeding Cafes and other community events.

Provide support to clients using a range of communication methods including video calls, phone calls, text messages and emails Promote breastfeeding to pregnant women, their families and the wider community in Newham and to provide information and support to enable women to breastfeed their babies for as long as they wish.

Where exclusive breastfeeding is not possible, to support parents to make informed decisions around safe and responsive bottle feeding. Supporting all parents to develop close and loving relationships with their babies. Support the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator with audit as part of UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative accreditation.

Use a person-centred, non-judgemental approach, supporting all parents to feed their babies as safely as possible including breastfeeding, bottle feeding and introducing solid foods.

Draw on in depth knowledge of lactation to support mothers to with complex multi-factorial infant feeding challenges including physical, psychological and social barriers, enabling women to reach their own infant feeding goals; supporting increased initiation, prevalence and satisfaction of breastfeeding in Newham.

Work collaboratively with health visitors in the co-ordination of care-plans including where appropriate assessing and referring to GPs, tongue tie service, Speech and Language Therapies (SALT), dieticians and other specialist services.

Arrange loan of breastfeeding equipment when required as part of a feeding plan, teaching mothers how to use equipment safely. Support maternal and infant mental health and well-being, including referral and signposting as appropriate.

Record activity and data at end of each shift to support information sharing with health visiting, Public Health and Family Hubs colleagues. Maintain mandatory training and supervision. Key Tasks and

Accountabilities:

Model London Borough of Newhams HEART values. Work collaboratively with other members of Newham Infant Feeding Team under the direction of the Senior Specialist Baby Feeding Supporter and the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator to cover the rota for the Baby Feeding Helpline, workshops and other events across the week 7 days.

Work collaboratively with external infant feeding partners such as Maternity Services and community based commissioned services as well as the wider Family Hubs Network. Deliver culturally sensitive, co-produced group sessions to enhance complementary feeding practices in diverse local populations.

Respond in a timely manner to parents phone calls, voicemails, text messages and emails, offering return video or phone call, platform as preferred by the client, i.e. Whats App Support parents with infant feeding questions and concerns; providing support and evidence based information.

Signpost parents to appropriate partner services and follow up where necessary. Maintain excellent listening and communication skills using a strengths based approach, supporting parents own learning and self-efficacy. Provide follow up with reliable, evidence based resources.

Liaise with Senior Baby Feeding Specialist, Infant Feeding Co-ordinatorand Health Visiting teams where there are concerns outside of remit of the role. Communicating effectively and professionally with all members of the multidisciplinary team and with outside agencies involved in provision or planning of care.

Document support provided on electronic healthcare records RiO. Demonstrate awareness of the needs of clients/families from diverse ethnic family groups. Maintain knowledge and understanding of trust guidelines and policies appropriate to the role and demonstrate evidence-based practiced based on these and UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative.

Attend and take an active part in team meetings. Participate in individual performance reviews. Identify and pursue own educational and professional development including mandatory training.

Follow all LBN Safeguarding and Data Protection policies and procedures. Attend monthly 1-1 supervision with Infant Feeding Co-ordinator United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990

Person Specification

Experience Essential

About You

The candidate will/must have: -IBCLC or Breastfeeding Counsellor, or Peer Supporter working towards BFC or IBCLC qualification. -In depth knowledge of infant feeding including lactation, the value of breastfeeding, and common issues including awareness of how to support mothers to estab