Isle Of Wight Health Visiting Service Receives National UNICEF Recognition

The Isle of Wight's 0-19 Health Visiting Service has been recognised for the high standard of care it provides to babies and families after achieving Stage 3 accreditation from the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative.

The nationally recognised award acknowledges the service's commitment to supporting infant feeding, helping parents build strong relationships with their babies and giving children the best possible start in life.

The accreditation recognises the work of health visitors, community nursery nurses and support staff who care for families across the Island from pregnancy through to the early years.

Alison Rollett, Infant Feeding Lead for the Isle of Wight 0-19 Service, said the achievement reflected the dedication of the entire team.

She 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 works with maternity, neonatal, health visiting and children's services to promote evidence-based care that supports infant feeding and parent-child bonding.

Kate Walters, Associate Director of Public Health at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, described the accreditation as a "fantastic achievement".

She said it demonstrated the team's commitment to delivering compassionate, high-quality care and thanked staff for their dedication in securing the national recognition.

Anne Woods, Deputy Programme Director for the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, added:

"We are delighted that the Isle of Wight Health Visiting Service has achieved full Baby Friendly status.

"Mothers on the Isle of Wight can be confident that their Health Visitors will provide high standards of care."