MATERNITY AND PARENTING
Tell us about your experiences of health visiting services
All families expecting a baby or with children aged 0-5 years are offered a universal health visiting service. In Northumberland this is delivered by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.
We want to hear about your experiences of using the health visiting service. This will only take around 10-15 minutes of your time. We will use your feedback to report to the NHS anonymously on what is working and help identify how to improve care for parents and carers.
Healthier Together
The Healthier Together website is full of useful health advice for parents, carers, young people and health professionals. All of the information has been approved by clinicians so it’s a great place to go for reliable advice. Topics include common illnesses in babies and children and how to know when to keep your child off school.
Growing Healthy 0-19
If you need to contact the health visiting team or any part of the Growing Healthy 0-19 Northumberland Service there is now one central number to call: 0300 373 2488.
Download the free Growing Healthy 0-19 Northumberland app to access health information for children and young people. Parents and carers can also use the ‘Health Chat’ option to direct message the health visitor team or school nurse team. Follow Growing Healthy 0-25 Northumberland on Facebook for health advice, local services and events.
Healthy Start
If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.
If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. The card is added to every four weeks.
Support group for parents of autistic children
Northumberland Recovery College is running some weekly online sessions for parents of autistic children. Taking place every second Wednesday (starting 30 March 2022) from 10.00am -11.30am, these informal sessions are a chance to share advice and experiences with other parents. To register email: nrc@mentalhealthconcern.org.
NHS pregnancy information
The NHS website has information about pregnancy, labour and birth, and support available.
Northumberland Early Help
Northumberland’s Early Help service works with children, young people and their families who would like some extra support. If you choose to use the service you will be given an Early Help Assessment to see how the service can best support you and your family.
To get in touch email: EHA@northumberland.gov.uk or call 01670 536400.
Find out more on the Northumberland County Council website
Find links to the Central, West and North Northumberland websites in ‘Useful Links’ below.
Northumberland Family Hubs
Northumberland’s Children’s Centres relaunched as Family Hubs in Autumn 2022.
The Children’s Centres provided a wide range of support services for children aged 0-5 and their families. As Family Hubs, this support will be rolled out to all young people extending the age range to 0-19 and to 25 for anyone with additional needs.
The Hubs will be in the heart of their communities, with midwives, health visitors, early years and mental health professionals, youth workers, and a host of other services – including relationship, parenting, and financial advice – brought together into a one-stop-shop that meets the needs of family life for young people of all ages.
Family Hubs will build on lessons learned during the pandemic and will offer online and virtual services too, so that support can be accessible in the right way, and the right place, at the right time.
North East Young Dads & Lads
North East Young Dads & Lads Project offers support to young fathers aged under 25 who live, work or study in the North East. They can offer individual or peer support to help overcome financial hardship, unemployment, homelessness, relationship breakdown and other challenges.
There are also training and education opportunities available on topics such as Paediatric First Aid and First Aid at Work, Positive Relationship Skills and Caring for Children.
Have you used maternity or support services in the last 12 months?
Tell us about your experiences of and views on services so that those who provide them know what they are doing well, and what could be improved. Your feedback can help make services better for everyone.
Dadpad
Because babies don’t come with a set of instructions.
What is the DadPad?
It’s the essential guide for new dads, developed with the NHS.
Why do you need it?
As a new dad you will feel excited, but you may also feel left out, unsure or overwhelmed. The DadPad can help by giving you the knowledge and practical skills that you need. The resource will support you and your partner to give your baby the best possible start in life.
Benefits
- Reduce your own anxiety by getting involved and gaining in confidence
- Learn how to create a strong bond and healthy attachment with your baby
- Build stronger family relationships by sharing the load and learning how to parent together
- Recognise the signs of postnatal depression in both yourself and your partner, and learn how to get help early
Family Hubs in Northumberland have some free hard copies of the Dadpad, or visit the Dadpad website for more information and to download the app.
Safer sleep for babies
The Lullaby Trust is reminding parents and carers to remember the ABC of safer sleeping. Watch ‘all your baby needs for a safer night’s sleep.
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Maternity Services
Find all the information you need to know about having a baby at one of our local hospitals including choosing a place to give birth, appointments and scans, antenatal care and how to stay healthy during pregnancy.
Call: 0191 607 2815 for the Pregnancy Assessment Unit.
Northumbria NHS Foundation Healthcare Trust: Maternity Information
Mental health support for new parents
Your mental health is important, both for your wellbeing and your child’s. It’s important that you feel supported throughout your journey of becoming a parent and have a safe space to talk about how you are feeling.
Healthwatch England has shared some information to help you find out where you can go to get the support you and your family need.
Where can I go for support for my mental health as a new parent?
The Little Orange Book
The Little Orange Book contains advice and tips on how to manage common illnesses and problems that babies and young children often experience in the first five years of their lives.
It also has information on more serious conditions, what to look out for and how to help.
Is my child too ill for school?
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, nursery or playgroup when they’re unwell. This useful information from the NHS will help you decide what to do.
Mams On The Move
Active Northumberland offers a range of low cost antenatal and postnatal ‘Mams on the Move’ classes which are specially designed for new mams and mams-to-be. The sessions are supervised, fun and sociable.
Introducing Solid Foods
A new ‘Introducing Solid Foods’ campaign from The Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), offers support to parents and provides advice on introducing solid foods to a baby, during what can be a confusing time.
As part of the campaign, a ‘weaning hub‘ is available on the Better Health Start for Life website to help parents introduce solid foods to their baby. Packed with NHS-endorsed advice, videos and tips, plus simple, healthy recipes, it puts everything parents need to know in one place.
Useful Websites
Healthwatch Northumberland
We are your local health and social care champion. We’re here to make sure your views on NHS and social care services in Northumberland are heard.
