Jayne Bryant MS, Minister for Mental Health and Early Years Play Wales
Barnardo’s Cymru Mudiad Meithrin
Welcome!
Welcome from Hugh Russell, CEO
The Right to the Best Start in Life – The Rights of Babies and Young Children (Children in Wales)
Why we’re committed to the first 1,000 days of a child’s life and reinforcing children’s rights (Jayne Bryant MS, Minister for Mental Health and Early Years)
What are we doing to support parents to provide the best start for babies, children and young people in Wales (Wales PNMH Network)
Free Digital Help For Third Sector Organisations in Wales (DigiCymru)
A Safe Place to Play (Welsh Refugee Council)
Boliau Bach/Tiny Tums: Best practice award for food and drink provision in early childcare settings across North Wales (Public Health Dietetics, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board)
How a cwtch can be the answer for families in crisis (Barnado’s Cymru)
Give children the best start in life with a playful childhood (Play Wales)
The Right to the ‘Best Start in Life’ (CTM Nurturing Families Service)
Ensuring the life changing benefits of reading are realised by all children in Wales (BookTrust Cymru)
How can we give babies born in Wales with/or at high risk of cerebral palsy the best start in life? (Cerebral Palsy Cymru)
Connecting babies to nature for a healthy future (Natural Resources Wales)
Cylch i Bawb: Welcoming all families with our LGBTQ+ pack (Mudiad Meithrin)
How Cardiff Parents Plus helped my mum to provide me with the Best Start in Life (Cardiff Parents Plus)
Editor: Natasha Belding natasha.belding@childreninwales.org.uk
Cardiff University Social Science Research Park (SPARK), Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
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The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Children In Wales and we reserve the right to edit for publication.
Welcome from Hugh Russell, CEO
Croeso cynnes, a warm welcome to readers of Children in Wales’ Summer edition of our magazine, which takes as its subject matter the early years of children’s lives in Wales.
Since I wrote the editorial for our last edition, we have welcomed a new Welsh Government Minister, Jayne Bryant MS, with responsibility for Mental Health and Early Years, who has kindly contributed an article to this edition. With a portfolio of responsibilities which also covers Children’s Rights, we look forward to working closely with the Minister to push for the best outcomes for babies, children and young people in Wales. CiW members will have an early opportunity to engage with the Minister at our forthcoming Policy Council, similarly themed on Early Years. We’ll continue to work hard to facilitate engagement between Ministers and members over the coming months, to ensure that you get the opportunity to raise directly your views, as well as contributing to cross-sectoral approaches.
On the point of facilitating combined influencing approaches I must make mention of Putting Children First, our joint manifesto for Babies, Children and Young People in Wales, which our Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Policy, Sean O’Neill, coordinated with CiW members at admirable pace, given the surprise announcement of a July general election. The manifesto, which was published before the election and will now be sent to all new Welsh MPs, sets out our call that all political parties commit to ambitious policies which improve the lives of all children and families in Wales, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged; tackle climate change; end child poverty and protect the human rights of all children.
We have, of course, recently seen a significant shift in Westminster with the introduction of a new Labour government, which has promised to introduce “a cross-government strategy on child poverty”. Details are unclear at this stage and we await the King’s Speech in the forthcoming days in great anticipation as to the new UK Government’s first steps, which we hope will take us some way toward rebalancing our society in favour of those babies, children and young people who have suffered so much during recent years. It is simply intolerable to contemplate a continuation of the current levels of child poverty in Wales or the rest of the UK and, as set out in our manifesto, Children in Wales demands that this government make a commitment to the elimination of child poverty a central priority, with an immediate reversal of the disastrous, indefensible two-child policy and a lifting of the benefit cap, to ensure that babies, children and young people are able to grow up in dignity, with their basic needs met, and in the knowledge that they are part of a society committed to supporting its most vulnerable members.
As ever, I extend my sincere thanks to all of our members who have contributed articles to this edition of the Magazine. There is some truly exceptional work being undertaken to ensure that children’s early years in Wales are as healthy and solid a foundation for their later lives as possible.
Wishing you all a fantastic Summer,
Hugh
The Right to the Best Start in Life –The Rights of Babies and Young Children
Anna Westall, Senior Policy Officer Children in Wales
One of Welsh Governments ambitions is for all babies to have the best start in life, but what does ‘the best start’ mean for babies?
To understand what ‘the best start’ is, we need to understand what rights look like for babies and very young children.
Children in Wales’s vision is:
“Building a Wales where all children and young people have all their rights fulfilled”
Babies and young children are a group who can often be overlooked in terms of children’s rights. This may be due to their lack of verbal language, perceptions about their capabilities and their dependence on the adults around. All this makes it much harder for them to access their rights than older children and young people.
However, babies and very young children are experiencing their rights from the moment they are born:
• I’m finding out about my rights through how others treat and care for me.
• I’m finding out about my rights as I am supported to express, make and share my own ideas and thoughts.
• I’m finding out about my rights by learning and exploring how my body, things and people work.
The first 1000 days of life, from conception to age two, is a time of unique opportunity and vulnerability. It is a period of particularly rapid growth, when the foundations for later development are laid.
Children in Wales have been working hard to promote the rights of babies and very young children. We have produced a range of resources to help those working with babies, young children and families, to both understand and promote their rights. The resources are written from the child’s perspective and provide key links to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
‘I need everyone to think about what things are like for me and how I would feel before you make any decisions.’ (Article 3)
Everything is new for me; I need help to understand and make sense of the world around me. (Article 6 and 27)
I need to be close to a caregiver and be cared for as I learn to build trust and learn new things (Article 5 and 18)
Babies and young children’s rights are often strongly focused on protection and provision due to their age and vulnerability; but we mustn’t overlook the importance of the participation rights that they are entitled to.
Babies and young children use a wide range of ways to communicate with those around them, as they share their views and experiences of the world.
The UNCRC Article 12 states:
“Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously”
Babies are highly capable communicators and have a voice that we need to listen to. This voice is heard and seen in the noises and movements they make, their response to the environment and in their interactions with the people who are with them.
Babies have unique nonverbal ways of expressing themselves. This can be through sounds, but also physicality: body language such as reaching or nodding, or facial expressions such as smiling.
‘I might not be able to talk but I am already communicating with you, watch my expressions, movements and the sounds I make. This is my ‘voice’; you just need to learn what it all means’.
‘As you listen to me and respond to what I need, I’m watching your body language and facial expressions, and this can help me feel safe and help my brain grow and develop.’
The UNCRC also recognises the vital role parents, carers and family members have in supporting babies and young children’s rights. Parents are one of the strongest supporters of children’s rights, as they consider their best interests, speak up for them, care for them and tend to their needs.
It is therefore important that we support parents to understand the UNCRC and how they can best support their baby and young child.
To find out more about how to support parents go to Children in Wales | Parents Connect Wales Hub
To find out more and to access our wide array of Early Year’s resources go to:
Children in Wales | Early Years Resources
Children in Wales | Baby Voice
We all have a part to play, and a small change can make a big difference in ensuring that all babies have the ‘best start in life’ and grow up happy, healthy and safe.
Jayne Bryant MS Minister for Mental Health and Early Years
Why we’re committed to the first 1,000 days of a child’s life and reinforcing children’s rights
In my role as Minister for Early Years, I want every child born in Wales have the best possible start in life.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is at the heart of all our policies for children and young people.
It is central to our ambition to give every child the best start in life – particularly the first 1,000 days.
We are keen to do all we can to support children and create ‘A Wales for All Children – Cymru i Bob Plentyn’ and to make Wales a place where children’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.
We are incredibly proud of how Wales has led the way on children’s rights – we were the first country in the UK to enshrine them in law and Wales was the first UK nation to establish a Children’s commissioner.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has recognised the positive action we have taken to realise children’s rights in Wales, by extending voting rights to 16 and 17-year-olds and by giving children equal protection from assault as adults, when we removed the defence of reasonable punishment.
I’m also very proud that Wales was the first country in the world to legislate for children’s play, supporting children and young people’s right to play and relax under Article 31.
I want to ensure children are supported to thrive, through enriched opportunities and experiences which will enhance their wellbeing, happiness and enable them to develop and learn.
Our Early Childhood, Play Learning and Care plan has been developed around three themes: quality of provision; access to provision; and supporting and developing the workforce. By focusing on these, it supports the development and delivery of a consistent approach to nurturing, learning and development.
The Healthy Child Wales programme sets out the strategic direction for the NHS in Wales to deliver a universal health programme for children and their families from maternity service handover to the first years of schooling.
Initiatives like this reinforce our focus on the first 1,000 days of a child’s life and the importance of preventative and early intervention measures. They help realise our aspirations for the holistic development of babies and young children, including their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development to support wellbeing and lifelong learning.
Giving children the best start in life goes beyond health and wellbeing; we understand the importance of accessible childcare, not just in supporting parents, but in children’s ongoing development too.
Our flagship Flying Start programme is making a real difference to the lives of children in some of our most disadvantaged communities and aims to reach around 38,500 children every year.
We know childcare is a huge issue for families a nd we have pledged to make it more accessible for those who need it. We expect to support more than 9,500 additional two-year-olds across Wales to access quality Flying Start childcare by the end of 2024-25 and we are well on track to deliver that.
We work closely with our partners to support and strengthen the expansion of Welsh-language childcare and play work provision. I’m delighted that the latest phase of the Flying Start expansion programme has enabled more than 1,000 twoyear-olds to take up childcare provision in a Welsh medium setting.
Speech, language and communication skills are critical to a wide range of wellbeing, education and long-term outcomes. We know how important it can be in empowering families and ensuring children reach their potential.
From the high-quality universal parenting support, information and advice delivered by our local authority parenting teams and Family Information Services, to our dedicated positive parenting campaign Parenting. Give it time, support is available for all parents who need it, when they need it.
When families need a little extra help, Families First is also on hand to support families build resilience, giving them the skills to manage any future difficulties life may bring.
Our Children and Young People’s Plan sets out all our efforts to make Wales a wonderful place for children and young people to grow up, live and work, where everyone feels valued.
These steps, together with the appointment of the Future Generations Commissioner – and the Well-being of Future Generations Act – shows our long-standing commitment to putting children first.
I cannot achieve all of these ambitions alone. I need everyone working in the sectors to play a part and work together to enable children to be happy and healthy so they can reach their full potential.
What are we doing to support parents to provide the best start for babies, children and young people in Wales
Martha
Sercombe, Clinical Lead, Wales Perinatal Mental Health Implementation Network (Wales PNMH Network)
In 2016, Welsh Government provided £1.5million to develop Perinatal Mental Health (PNMH) services that were equitable across Wales.
In 2016, the Children, Young People and Education Committee (CYPE) undertook a review of PNMH services across Wales and in October 2017, made 27 recommendations.
The political spotlight was very much on the development of PNMH services across Wales.
In January 2019, the National Clinical Lead for PNMH took up post with the following aims:
• To lead the Perinatal Mental Health Clinical Network
• To develop quality standards, care pathways, professional competencies and training resources
• To promote positive infant mental health and prevention of perinatal mental health problems
• To develop an appropriately trained workforce
• To collect and analyse agreed data.
A series of workshops were then held with staff, service users and third sector colleagues, to help us understand:
• Where we were
• Where we wanted to be
• How we were going to get there
Since then we have developed the All Wales Perinatal Mental health programme and 10 All-Wales Perinatal Mental Health Pathways
Our pathways are based on five levels of need and shape the All-Wales Referral Criteria, driven by the Ask, Assess and Act Framework, based on asking every new parent in Wales ‘How are you feeling today?’
We’ve been able to strengthen the quality and safety of the services we deliver and provide the best possible experience for all.
All specialist perinatal mental health services are working towards meeting the RCPsych CCQI Standards (pqn-community-standards-6th-edition. pdf (rcpsych.ac.uk)
One of our aims was to strengthen our workforce, ensuring all have the right skills, knowledge, supervision and support.
We now have 100 Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Champions and 38 Emotional Wellbeing Champions across Wales. These champions are cascading the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) PIMH training across all health boards and wider.
Our new series of online training resources to help health and social care professionals to support women and families experiencing mental health difficulties are now live on the Tŷ Dysgu platform.
We have produced the e-learning modules with the mental health team at Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW).
They provide a highly detailed introduction for staff working from ‘informed’ through to ‘specialist’ levels as outlined within the Wales Perinatal and Infant mental health curricular framework, which help you decide what training and learning would benefit you.
Anyone can access the training, but the modules will be of particular benefit to practitioners in the following sectors and disciplines:
• Early years
• Emergency services
• Health visiting
• Maternity services
• Neonatal units
• Primary care
• Social work
• Specialist PNMH/PAIRS teams
• Voluntary sector
The modules are the latest addition to our suite of resources for professionals, women, dads, partners and families, including care pathways, guidance on mental health screening and medication, and a series of advice and support leaflets
We value the relationships we have built up across the whole of Wales and the UK.
We hold regular Community of Practice events and professional forums across Wales. If you are interested in joining the PNMH Network distribution list, and receiving our regular newsletter, please contact helen.ranson@wales.nhs.uk
Together for Mental Health: Our mental health strategy for Wales, was published in 2012.
In 2023 Wales PNMH Network colleagues, together with NSPCC, planned a series of events to collect views on priorities for perinatal and infant mental health for the next mental health strategy. We were able to reach more than 100 colleagues (online and face to face) across Wales to gather feedback and share thinking. These views have been shared with Welsh Government.
In April 2023, we moved into the NHS Wales Executive – a new NHS national support function. Our key purpose is to:
• Drive improvements in the quality and safety of care - resulting in better and more equitable outcomes, access and patient experience, reduced variation, and improvements in population health.
Our service improvement journey continues to support parents to provide the best start for babies, children and young people in Wales.
Mental health advice and support during pregnancy and after having a baby
Free Digital Help For Third Sector Organisations in Wales
Are you a third sector organisation in Wales looking for a digital solution to your problem?
ProMo Cymru offers free one-to-one digital support through their Third Sector Digital Support project, thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund.
If you’re a charity, non-profit organisation, social enterprise, or community or voluntary group, you’re eligible for free help through DigiCymru. DigiCymru will match you with one of ProMo’s experts to help find a solution to your digital challenge or issue, and if they can’t help, they’ll find someone who can.
ProMo helped over 60 third sector organisations in Wales in the project’s first year. Here are some examples:
• All Wales People’s First wanted help to create a TikTok account. They were inexperienced in creating video content and wanted to know more about the privacy settings and safety precautions they needed to consider. ProMo demonstrated how to create and edit content, using templates, best practice tips, pros and cons and mitigating risk.
• Connect (Adoption Cymru) struggled to keep adopted young people informed of meet-ups advertised on their website. They wanted to explore developing an app to send push notifications but were concerned about the increased workload of updating two systems. DigiCymru found an affordable solution where they could send push notifications through their website without developing something new.
• The Venture was keen to digitise their pen and paper system, which was causing issues for them regarding reporting, maintaining a user database and keeping track of their data. In their DigiCymru session, they discussed solutions and decided on Plinth, a Community Impact Platform. This allowed them to have a digital register where they could create a database of all their users, including custom details like allergies and emergency contact numbers. They can also create reports directly from the system.
Find out more about all these case studies (and more) here.
If you need help finding a digital solution for your organisation, book your free one-to-one session through the booking system here or visit the ProMo Cymru website for further details.
A Safe Place to Play
Meryl Hoffer, Play Development Worker Welsh Refugee Council
For over 14 years, the Welsh Refugee Council’s Play Project has welcomed and supported babies, children, and families navigating the refugee and sanctuary-seeking system in Cardiff. Our project provides a vital, safe space where these children can come together, play, and experience the joy of childhood, despite the traumatic events, loss, and fear they have often faced.
Many of these children live in cramped, shared housing for years, frequently moving through several temporary addresses before finding a permanent home in Cardiff or elsewhere in Wales. New arrivals, placed initially in hotels, often come with few possessions and no toys. To ease their journey to us, we reimburse travel costs.
Our dedicated team of seven play-workers, including volunteers and individuals with lived experience, create a nurturing environment at Trinity Centre three times a week. Here, children are encouraged to feel safe, explore, and have fun. We set up seven to eight different activities, stimulating their imagination through sights, sounds, and smells. From soft play and motor skills activities to roleplay and storytelling, there’s something for every child. We provide ample space to run, sing, dance, or simply relax.
Free play is central to our philosophy, empowering children to make their own choices and proceed at their own pace. It’s crucial they feel in control of their environment. Some children need several sessions to feel comfortable moving away from their parents, while others, more cautious or overwhelmed, benefit from arriving early to familiarise themselves with the room. For many babies and toddlers, our group offers their first opportunity to socialise and make friends.
Consistency is key for these families, who often face a transient and chaotic existence. We offer certain toys and routines every session to provide continuity and security. This stability is especially important for children not yet in school. We gently encourage them to take small risks, such as venturing out of a parent’s sight, balancing on stepping stones, riding tricycles, or trying new activities.
To further support their development, we give toys to all our children, provide BookStart packs
to babies and toddlers, and distribute bilingual books from BookTrust Cymru. These gifts bring immense joy to the children.
Throughout the year, we organise adventures to explore Cardiff’s cultural offerings. Collaboration is vital to our work, enriching the children’s experiences. Monthly sessions at the National Museum Cardiff, visits to Global Gardens, Bute Park’s Christmas Light trail, NoFitState Community circus workshops, and more, bring happiness and excitement. Regular visits from BBC NOW musicians, Ti-A-Fi, Cardiff Library’s Rhyme Time, and others create memorable moments that boost the children’s resilience and confidence.
We see between 250 and 350 children annually, with 60% being under four years old. Some join us for a few sessions before moving on, while others grow with us until they are ready for school, often returning during holidays. Referrals come from health visitors, caseworkers, and other organisations. We also refer families in urgent need to ensure they receive essential support and services.
Our sessions are filled with the best sounds of laughter, joy, and multitudes of languages. However, we also witness children acutely aware of their families’ struggles, overwhelmed by their circumstances
The current housing crisis and austerity measures significantly impact their lives. While published figures might suggest that families face these conditions for only a few weeks, the reality is much harsher. Most new refugee
families endure months in hotels, confined to a single room, followed by prolonged stays in temporary housing. This instability leads to developmental delays in potty training, selfsoothing, and weaning. Many children also struggle with unfamiliar food, adding to their distress.
Accessing vital services, including clothes, food, ESOL classes, and support, is challenging for families placed far from the city centre. Restoring free WiFi in sanctuary-seeking accommodations and providing free travel would greatly improve their quality of life.
Long-term homelessness and constant relocation isolate these children and increase their adverse childhood experiences.
All children deserve to feel safe and protected. Our Play Project is dedicated to ensuring that refugee and sanctuary-seeking children in Cardiff find joy, security, and a sense of belonging amidst their turbulent lives.
Boliau Bach/Tiny Tums: best practice award for food and drink provision in early childcare settings across North Wales
Andrea Basu Service Lead for Public Health Dietetics, Betsi Cadwaladr
University Health Board
Background
The early years are a crucial period for learning and development, helping to create that allimportant foundation for a child’s future health and wellbeing. Childcare providers are in an ideal position to help nurture and shape positive eating habits that encourage and enable young children to enjoy eating well.
The Boliau Bach/ Tiny Tums award first took shape in 2010, with the aim of recognising and rewarding early childcare settings for achieving best practice in their food and drink provision. Our work proceeded the Welsh Government’s 2018 published guidance and contributed towards the wider consultation at the time, which acknowledged the vital role childcare settings
make by providing quality driven, nutritious food and drink for children in their care. The Tiny Tums award has successfully evolved due to the dedication of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board public heath dietetic team, and collaborative working with the early childcare sector and local stakeholders to ensure effective engagement, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
The Tiny Tums award
Registered settings caring for infants aged 0-1 years and children aged 1-4 years can apply for the main award where both meals and snacks are provided, or for the snack and drink award, where only snacks and drinks are provided. Settings can express their interest by getting in touch
with the team who then offer access to accredited and standardised nutrition training opportunities, enabling childcare staff to develop their nutrition knowledge and skills prior to commencing work on the award. Settings wishing to apply for the award are guided through a self-assessment checklist containing a suite of standards that comprehensively support menu development, and the creation of a food and drink policy that embraces a whole setting approach to eating well.
As is the case for many families in the current climate, the rising cost of food poses significant challenges for childcare settings in continuing to provide nutritious and varied menus. Therefore, our support includes guidance around forward menu planning, food preparation and shopping tips, as well as use of seasonal ingredients, all of which can assist in maximising their available budget.
Benefits for settings that achieve the Tiny Tums award:
• aligns with the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) quality standards on nutrition
• meets nutrition and oral health standards of Healthy and Sustainable Pre-School Scheme (Welsh Government, 2023)
• fully complies with the Welsh Government Best Practice Guidance: Food & Nutrition for Childcare Settings (2018)
• ensures settings providing Flying Start funded places meet the high standards expected to optimise food and drink provision (Welsh Government, 2023)
• provides the right balance of nutritious food and drink to meet the dietary recommendations for infants and preschool children
• encourages children to eat well in a healthy environment and learn about food
• promotes consistency of nutrition messages and encourage opportunities to share supportive messages with families
• shows families that childcare settings are committed to the health of pre-school children by encouraging them to adopt good eating habits and develop positive attitudes toward a healthy balanced diet
• ensures at least one staff member is trained by the Public Health Dietitians in early years nutrition once approved settings can proudly display the Tiny Tums logo for parents and families to see
Feedback on the Tiny Tums award:
“I like how the children have a range of ‘adult meals’ to help them grow with a varied taste range.”
Parent of a child in a Tiny Tums setting
“I feel strongly about children’s diets, it’s important for their growth and development. The new menu is full of different colours and textures which the children enjoy eating and exploring.”
Assistant manager at a Tiny Tums setting
“With the help of the Dietitians we are confident that our menu meets the needs of our children whilst still being tasty.”
Parent of a child in a Tiny Tums setting
Since the pandemic, we have worked closely with the sector to ensure the Tiny Tums award remains fit for purpose, and that achievements in best practice are widely celebrated. In the last year, we have worked with almost 200 settings across North Wales, and have achieved an increase of 25% in the number of settings working towards the full award, and just over 50% that have achieved the snack and drink award. We have also provided training for Care Inspectorate Wales team leads to refresh their knowledge of the award, whilst also including brief information on nutrition hot topics.
As a team, we are excited for what we might achieve this year as we develop our partnership working with DEWIS Cymru and Family Information Services to give Tiny Tums a greater online public presence.
If you would like further information about the Tiny Tums award, visit our page via the Nutrition Skills for Life website Early Years – Nutrition Skills for Life®
References
Welsh Government (2019). Food and Nutrition for childcare settings. Best Practice Guidance. Available from: Food and nutrition guidance for childcare providers | GOV.WALES
Welsh Government (April 2023) Flying Start Childcare Guidance. Available from: Flying Start childcare: guidance | GOV.WALES
Welsh Government (September 2023). Healthy and Sustainable Preschool Scheme. National Awards Criteria. Available from: phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welshnetwork-of-healthy-school-schemes/welsh-networkof-healthy-school-schemes-documents/healthy-andsustainable-pre-school-scheme-national-awards-criteria/
How a cwtch can be the answer for families in crisis
The number of babies going into care in one part of Wales has been halved thanks to partnership working between Newport City Council and Barnardo’s Cymru. The charity’s Baby and Me service is proving how early intervention can be life changing for parents and their children.
Six mums sit on colourful rubber mats. They hold their babies and sing a song, welcoming each child by name at the start of their weekly Cwtch session in a Newport community hall.
It’s a relaxed, joyful hour when mums can enjoy their babies, and with this week’s theme being “disco” there’s chance to put on LED flashing
deely boppers, rattle percussion instruments and dance around the hall in time with the music.
It looks like any other mother and baby group, but at the end of the hour the babies go back to foster carers and their mothers continue to wait for the courts to decide if they will be allowed to take their children home with them for good.
The Cwtch sessions are supported by Barnardo’s Cymru project workers, and the parents’ social workers are also present, but anyone looking in would just see happy babies clutching at bubbles blown by mums enjoying the moment.
It is just one example of the support offered by Barnardo’s through its Baby and Me service, run in partnership with Newport City Council. Mums, and
sometimes dads, have chance to experience for a short time what many parents take for granted, the opportunity to meet others and have fun with their babies in a social setting.
Baby and Me parents also benefit from intense, bespoke one-to-one support, both in the lead up to the birth and after.
Practitioners recognise the pressures of parenting alongside child protection processes and help parents to access a wide range of services including appropriate housing, mental health services and substance misuse support.
They also attend a six-week group antenatal parenting programme and a family group conference, where appropriate. The aim is to create a safe space for families to explore their issues and empower them to reach their goals of keeping their families together.
The service brings together health, social services, and parenting support into one holistic model that has delivered excellent results.
Since its inception in 2019, there has been a 48% reduction in care proceedings issued at birth with around 40 fewer babies being taken into care in Newport.
Of the babies who have gone home, 100% have been deregistered from the Child Protection Register by their first birthdays.
Barnardo’s Cymru believes this level of support should be available to families across Wales and would urge commissioners and policymakers to support the expansion of Baby and Me and other models which are successfully supporting families to remain together safely.
Welsh Government’s recent care review highlighted Baby and Me and recommended that similar models of support be available in all areas of Wales.
Baby and Me is just one aspect of the Newport City Council and Barnardo’s Cymru strategic partnership which was established in 2011. It provides innovative responses to challenges facing families in Newport, particularly those on the edge of care.
Under the umbrella of the Family Support Service, interventions include a rapid response team that works with older children and teenagers on the edge of care, and Family Group Conferencing.
There is a key cultural difference in a strategic partnership which is built upon collaborative responsibility between the local authority and third sector partner, where both partners recognise the benefits of investing to save and working together towards a common goal.
The partnership is constantly evolving through the identification of existing or potential areas of development through a wide range of learning processes including co-production with young people and families.
At the heart remains the desire to provide innovative solutions in meeting the needs of children and families.
Give children the best start in life with a playful childhood
Playing is an important part of a healthy and happy childhood for children of all ages. By giving babies and children plenty of opportunities to play we can give them the best start in life.
When they play, children develop and learn in all sorts of ways. Playing makes a crucial contribution to every part of a child’s development – physical, mental, emotional and social. Babies and children are learning all the time when they are playing. Having a good experience of play throughout childhood helps babies and children develop skills they can use as they grow up and start to make their own way in the world.
Playing is also fun – and that’s important, too. Having fun, laughing and enjoying time with friends and family are all part of a happy childhood. Fun adds to children’s health and development.
In the first years of a child’s life, it is important for children and caregivers to play together. This helps create a strong bond (or attachment). It also helps to develop the child’s language and social skills.
Every child has the right to play. Giving babies and young children plenty of opportunities to play will make sure they have the best start in life.
Playing in the first six months
In the early days, play helps stimulate a baby’s senses of sight, hearing, touch and their movement, too. Playing games like peek-a-boo (a fun, gentle way to introduce uncertainty), singing, giving a baby things to hold and grab will help a baby and caregiver bond. It will also let the baby know that the caregiver is fun and playful.
Playing for babies
From six to twelve months, games will continue to be popular with babies. As they become more mobile, they will also want to crawl, roll and move around. They will use their whole bodies to learn about themselves, and the other adults they are
close to, and the world around them. This will involve their senses, such as sight, hearing and taste.
Playing for toddlers
Toddlers will be learning to talk and picking up new words all the time. They are also naturally curious, and their attention is grabbed by new and different things. Toddlers are continuing to find out more about their world using their senses – for example, tastes, smells and textures.
It is important for toddlers to play with natural materials like sticks, stones, leaves, earth, grass, mud and water. They will probably enjoy splashing, paddling and getting dirty too. A toddler’s movement will be improving and they will look for chances to balance, climb, and hide under things (like tables and chairs). It can be tempting to stop these things or to try and help – it is important not to interfere unless they are in danger. Allowing this kind of activity helps toddlers learn about their body and what it can (and can’t yet) do.
The Playful Childhoods website is full of ideas and tips to support parents and carers give children of all ages plenty of opportunities to play – from ideas for playing at home, to everyday adventures out and about, to information about how play prepares children for nursery and school.
The website is aimed at parents and carers but is also full of useful resources for practitioners working with children of all ages and their families.
Find out more at: www.playfulchildhoods.wales
Playful Childhoods is a Play Wales campaign.
The Right to the ‘Best Start in Life’
CTM Nurturing Families Service
Dr Bethan Phillips, Clinical Lead
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The Parent Infant Foundation were commissioned in 2021 by the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Early Years Transformation Board (EYTB) with funding from the Welsh Government Early Years Transformation Programme to undertake a piece of research in the arena of parent-infant relationships (PIR). They gathered views from parents and spoke to local practitioners about how they support families to develop a strong bond between babies and their parents.
Thought to be the largest UK survey of parents on this topic, the research showed that around one in five babies born in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) region are likely to experience a parentinfant relationship difficulty so significant that it risks their later mental and physical health, social relationships, progress at school and in work. The scale of need is high due to local communities experiencing high levels of hardship and adversity which contribute to increased pressure on the parent-infant relationship.
In addition, the data showed:
• Parents rated the quality of parent-infant relationships with their baby as the third most important influence on child development, just below the impact of violence in the home and parental drug use.
• Only 35% of parents felt there was enough relationship support available to them in the region
• 65% were not asked about their relationship with their baby
• Whilst only 3% of parents had received direct help for their parent-infant relationship, 93% of those parents found that support helpful.
The research’s conclusions suggested that the three local authorities, health, voluntary sector and parents work collectively to develop a regional specialised PIR team; and that the
specialised PIR team offer a range of consultation, supervision, practice embedding, joint working and workforce training to build capacity and connection across the system.
In response to this report, and with a lot of hard work and effort from staff on the CTM EYTB, a successful bid was granted from the CTM Regional Integration Fund (RIF) for 12 months funding to support the initial development of a specialised PIR team. In April 2024 the CTM Nurturing Families Service was established. Consisting of a part time Consultant Clinical Psychologist as Clinical Lead and Project Manager, the service is not currently public facing, its key objectives are currently to:
• To oversee the development and implementation of a sustainable system wide approach to training and development of the early years workforce on the parentinfant relationship
• To develop a CTM Regional Nurturing Families Pathway, utilising expertise from across health, local authorities, social care and third sector
• To develop a model where CTM staff working within the early years sector, can access support and guidance for a PIR concern. This will include group consultation and sharing of good practice.
• To develop a range of sustainable training resources that support staff throughout their parent-infant relationship learning journey
• Develop a Regional Model to attract ongoing funding with the hope in future deliver a direct clinical service across the CTM footprint
This is a very exciting opportunity for the CTM Nurturing Families Service to begin to make a difference to support parents to provide the best start for babies and young children within our region. Further funding opportunities are being explored, to ensure the growth and development of this service in order to fulfil more of the recommendations from the Securing Healthy Livers report.
Ensuring the life changing benefits of reading are realised by all children in Wales
From children’s earliest moments, reading can have a profound and wide-ranging impact. BookTrust’s research ‘The benefits of reading’ finds that reading supports children to overcome disadvantage caused by inequalities, develop better mental wellbeing, social skills, and strong relationships, meet speech and language milestones and do better at school and to develop imagination, empathy, and creativity.
Shared reading also brings immediate benefits to families too. It supports bonding between children and their parents, carers, or other family members, boosts parental positivity and improves children’s sleep. Children’s brains experience the most growth in their first five years. In these early years, stimulation from books, and using books, stories,
and rhymes as a focus for playing, talking, and singing enhances the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional growth and development of children that extends far beyond childhood.
If children experience early shared reading, they are more likely to continue to read as they grow up and that the impact of reading for pleasure is four times more powerful on progress in vocabulary, mathematics, and spelling at age 16, than that of parental education or parental socioeconomic status. As a bonding activity, shared reading in their early years supports the development of a child’s attachment (how safe, secure and trusting they feel around their parent or carer). Attachment is essential to a child’s future happiness, social competence, and ability to form meaningful connections.
Children from low-income backgrounds stand to benefit even more from the immediate and longer-term benefits of early shared reading. Evidence shows that children from disadvantaged backgrounds who achieve highly at the end of primary school are twice as likely to have been read to at home in their early years, compared to their peers. In the long-term, reading has the potential to transform children’s future life chances. A child growing up in poverty who is read to at age five has a significantly higher chance of economic success in their 30s than their peers who were not read to. It is essential that children from low income and vulnerable family backgrounds do not miss out on the transformative benefits of early shared reading.
At BookTrust we work with families, supporting them to start sharing stories and books together from the earliest possible age. We work to get children reading, especially those from low-income families or vulnerable backgrounds. Our carefully selected books and well-researched programmes are delivered by local partners, bringing the magic of reading to children.
Our Bookstart programme in Wales provides a free bi-lingual book pack and top tips to every baby within their first year of life and again when they are 2-3 years old. These packs, funded by the Welsh Government, help kickstart and maintain families’ reading habits. In 2023, over 60,000 packs were gifted via our partnerships with health visiting and libraries across every local authority in Wales.
We are committed to supporting vulnerable children and those from low-income backgrounds and have developed new initiatives including offering a Bookstart Toddler pack for children aged 1-2, which is funded by the Welsh Government, and gifted to 5,000 children through a range of partners such as local authority early years teams, Cymraeg i Blant groups, Flying Start health visiting teams and others along with a Storyteller pack, a set of books, resources, activities and props for early years practitioners to use to lead children and families on storytelling adventures.
Our research shows the interactions families have with early years professionals create an important impact on family reading. When early
years professionals encourage parents and carers to share stories and show them how to do it, they become more motivated and more confident. While 28% of parents and carers of children aged 0-12 months tell us they don’t find reading with their children easy, a majority among those who were given tips on using the book and contents in the Bookstart Baby pack by early years professionals report positive impacts of the pack on their shared reading confidence and behaviour.
It is very clear the importance of early shared reading on giving children the best start in life. It is therefore imperative there must be sustained support, books, and resources to help children and families, and especially those most vulnerable and from lower income families that can gain the most, to ensure that the benefits that reading can bring are realised by all children.
To read more on the Benefits of Reading go tobooktrusts-benefits-of-reading-welsh-june-2024.pdf or booktrusts-benefits-of-reading-june-2024.pdf
Jenny Carroll MA MCSP PGC(HE) Centre Director, Cerebral Palsy Cymru
How can we give babies born in Wales with/or at high risk of cerebral palsy the best start in life?
At Cerebral Palsy Cymru, giving babies the best possible start in life is at the heart of everything we do.
Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in children worldwide, and it is estimated that across Wales, every 5 days a baby will be born who will have the condition.
Cerebral Palsy Cymru is a national centre of excellence that provides specialist therapy and support to children and families across Wales living with cerebral palsy. We are internationally recognised for our clinical work and are recognised as the experts for cerebral palsy in Wales.
Our specialist service ‘Better Start, Better Future’ provides families across Wales with babies who have or are at high risk of cerebral palsy the opportunity to access early intervention. This is a unique service, combining therapy and family support and is the only one of its kind in the UK. It is a vital lifeline for many families.
Research shows that the brain is at its most plastic and adaptable during the first 2 years of life. Therefore, this is an important window of opportunity for families and their infants at high risk of cerebral palsy to access specialist intervention. We know that future outcomes for babies are maximised when intervention begins as early as possible and considers the whole family.
The main aim of our intervention is to promote a baby’s own wellbeing, activity and participation, supporting them to reach their full potential not just in terms of their mobility, but also early learning, play, and communication.
‘Better Start, Better Future’ allows our therapists the opportunity to work closely with each baby and their family, maximising the opportunity to establish neurological connections that are only possible up to 2 years post-term age and helping children achieve their full potential.
Better understanding and early detection have opened up possibilities for early intervention. The peak period for neuroplasticity is the first 3 months of life. Our brains are shaped by post-natal experiences, including feeling loved and nurtured, having positive relationships with caregivers and having opportunities to learn from novel, developmentally appropriate activities which facilitate development of cognitive and motor skills. This makes it critical for families to access specialist provision during this time.
Our therapists and family support officers work together to provide intervention and support for families. When families first contact us, they are often still recovering from birth trauma, trying to cope as a new parent and with the fact their child may have a disability. They often know little about cerebral palsy and feel hopeless. Families experience mental health and emotional issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and feelings of guilt and isolation. Having a child with cerebral palsy affects the whole family, and having access to intervention and advice right from the start supports and empowers the whole family, reducing the level of trauma and stress they experience. In our annual family support survey,
58% of families said they needed emotional support, and 42% said they needed support with their mental health. Across 2022/2023, 47% of families said they hadn’t received that support from anywhere other than Cerebral Palsy Cymru.
‘Better Start, Better Future’ is 100% funded by our fundraising activities such as public donations, events and income generated from our charity shops. We currently receive no financial support from the Welsh Government or the NHS to fund ‘Better Start, Better Future’. As demand for this vital service increases year on year, and the charity is faced with rising costs, babies and families are at risk of not being able to access this internationally acclaimed, expert service, which is changing babies lives and futures.
We are working with Welsh Government, aiming to make this service part of statutory provision for all babies and families, through annual investment to ensure that every baby in Wales born with cerebral palsy gets the best possible start in life. As one parent told us:
“Every child should have the opportunity to be able to live a life like my daughter - it shouldn’t be luck or a postcode lottery. ‘Better Start, Better Future’ is a vital therapy service that can change the future of children’s lives and their families. It should be available to every single child that is at risk of cerebral palsy and the intervention needs to start as early as possible. This service is a necessity not a luxury - every child should have the right to a better future”.
Connecting babies to nature for a healthy future
Natural Resources Wales
Wales is on a journey to adapt to the climate and nature emergencies. Climate change and the degradation of the natural resources that we rely on to live, has a profound effect on our children’s right to grow up and live in a healthy environment, with access to food, clean air and water, health and education. It is estimated by UNICEF, that globally one billion children are at extreme risk from the impacts of climate change.
It is now more imperative than ever that our youngest citizens, and the future generations to come, grow up to understand their place within the natural world, valuing and caring for the environment, so that they do not repeat our past mistakes.
Natural Resources Wales recognises that we are all born intrinsically connected to the natural environment. However, over time our culture slowly reduces the depth of that connectivity. If our babies and young children maintain and strengthen their relationship with nature, their future will look much brighter.
From the moment of conception, we belong to nature and are reliant on the natural environment for the entirety of our lives. Natural resources provide for our basic needs: the air we breathe, the water we drink and use to keep clean, and the food that nourishes our bodies. Natural resources enrich our lives, support us to be healthier, and provide us with places and spaces to play, learn and relax. If we look after nature, we look after ourselves and the planet.
Prior to birth, many external factors can already be having an effect on our lifelong health. These factors are known as the wider determinants of health, a diverse range of social, economic and environmental factors, which impact on people’s health. Nature could help to counteract some of the negative aspects of these. For example, mothers who are the most deprived are more likely to have low birthweight babies. A study in Israel, found that deprived mothers who wre exposed to greenness experienced a positive change in their baby’s birthweight.
The first 1000 days of life, from conception to age 2, is a critical phase during which the foundations of a child’s development are laid. The early years of a child’s life are periods of rapid physical growth and brain development. During this period, a child’s brain begins to grow, building the basis for their lifelong health and well-being, and a window of opportunity to foster a lifelong connection to nature opens.
The connection to nature process can begin before birth, with Mother Nature providing a healthy environment for mums-to-be to take part in gentle exercise outdoors such as walking and taking in the fresh air.
This allows for:
• Building an appetite for healthy foods.
• Vitamin D absorption through natural daylight.
• De-stressing through relaxing in natural spaces.
• Improved well-being by taking in the sights, sounds, textures and changes of nature.
Scientific research suggests that exposure to the natural environment during pregnancy promotes healthy foetal growth, higher birth weights and lower odds of baby being small for gestational age. There is also evidence to suggest less risk of pregnancy complications, mental disorders, and negative birth outcomes.
Research also shows that babies and young children enjoy developmental and holistic benefits to physical health and mental well-being by connecting to, and spending time in nature.
Key to effective connection to nature for all babies and young children is the interaction between adults, the outdoor environment, and engaging experiences. As care givers, our role is to provide suitable, positive nature-based experiences for babies and young children, so that they can develop their curiosity, awe and wonder of the natural world through exploration, learning to feel comfortable and secure outdoors, building up to value and care for nature as they grow up. Adults in a child’s life have a tremendous influence over a child’s experience of the world. Enabling adults can open doorways to nature that inspire and challenge, nurture and support, babies and young children and set them off on lifelong journey of being connected to nature.
Learning in, learning about, and learning for the natural environment.
Please contact: education@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk or go to https://naturalresources.wales/learning
Cylch i Bawb: Welcoming all families with our LGBTQ+ pack
Every child has the right to live in a world free from prejudice; a truly inclusive world that welcomes them, and Mudiad Meithrin and our settings welcome children from diverse families and backgrounds.
We have recently launched a new resource for early years settings, “Cylch i Bawb: Welcoming all families with our LGBTQ+ pack”.
It contains advice for staff on the following:
• talking to families,
• using the correct terms,
• understanding stereotypes,
• answering children’s questions,
• resources to use in the setting,
• ideas for helping children learn about what it means to belong and different families, love, and friendship,
• activities for celebrating Pride.
The pack raises awareness about the rights children have and about the important role early years settings have in promoting these rights. We want every child to be themselves, reach their full potential and enjoy fulfilling, healthy and safe relationships.
It includes ideas on how to embed children’s rights in the day-to-day activities in the setting, e.g., by discussing with children the importance of treating everyone fairly and kindly, or discussing different families, belonging , love, and friendship. The pack also includes advice on how to answer children’s questions, and ideas about resources like storybooks that portray rights
Mudiad Meithrin want all children attending our settings to understand that everyone has human rights throughout their lives, whatever their background, therefore the pack includes
activities for celebrating Pride. The pack also includes resources, activities, and lessons on rights developed by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales for the early years, to promote the individual rights of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, including:
• I have the right to be protected from harm or being treated badly
• I have the right to be listened to and taken seriously
• Adults must do what is best for me
We want all children attending our settings to develop empathy and compassion, and to build meaningful friendships now and in the future. We want them to learn to be kind to each other, to be fair and to respect and appreciate each other.
“Cylch i Bawb: Welcoming all families with our LGBTQ+ pack” is a step in the right direction towards making this vision a reality.
“Cylch I Bawb: Welcoming all families with our LGBTQ+ pack”, is available on request by following this link:
Learning and Development resources - Meithrin
The following link contains a short video introducing the pack:
https://vimeo.com/908222267?share=copy
How Cardiff Parents Plus* helped my mum to provide me with the Best Start in Life
Dr Rebecca Stewart and Dr Nicola Canale (with thanks to Lucy and her mum)
Hi!
My name is Lucy, I’m not born yet, but I wanted to tell you about how Parents Plus have been helping my mum to be the best parent she can be for me now and when I am born.
It was a big surprise for my mum to find out she was pregnant with me as she was told she couldn’t have any more children. It took her a while to believe that I was a real and to start talking to me. Once she did it was so great to hear her voice.
Parents Plus helped my mum to understand why talking to me, even before I am born, is so important. I love hearing my mum’s voice. It makes me feel safe and loved. When I don’t hear her voice for a while, I sometimes give her a nudge, and she starts talking to me again, or rubs her belly. This makes me feel heard and important. Mum also stops doing certain things when I show her that I don’t like them – like eating curries!
My mum is now able to think about what I want and need to stay healthy and safe whilst I am developing in the womb. She says these things
aloud to me. Even though I don’t understand the words yet, when I’m born, this will help me understand and learn to cope with different feelings.
My mum didn’t have a very safe start to her life. Her caregivers were unable to teach her how to cope with her own big feelings, so she had to find ways to do this by herself. Luckily, my mum’s aunty helped her by listening and making her feel accepted for who she is. Parents Plus have helped my mum to think about what her aunty did to make her feel safe and loved so that she is better able to do the same for me.
Parents Plus have helped my mum think about how her own big feelings make me feel. She is practicing ways to help herself feel calm, so that she has some good strategies both now and when I’m born (when things might become a bit overwhelming for her). Looking after a little person can be extremely hard at times!
Through conversations with Parents Plus, my mum now knows that I will need her help to make sense of, and cope with, my own big feelings. My mum has been able to think about what she will
be able do to repair our relationship during times when she isn’t able to ‘be with’ these big feelings of mine.
My mum wants to be a secure base from which I can explore the world and be a safe haven to which I can return when things get too much. Parents Plus have helped my mum to think about how she can do this. She now feels more confident in her ability to do this for me. She also knows who the difference between safe and unsafe people to keep me safe when I am born.
These are some of the things that my mum said about the work she did Parents Plus:
“It now comes naturally to interact with my bump. I think it will come naturally when she’s born, and I’ll know what she needs. Our attachment is amazing!
Without this work, I wouldn’t have been mentally prepared to be a mum again. Even though I knew what I wanted, I didn’t feel confident. You’ve given me a roadmap to help me to get there.
I’m less stressed. I am finding ways to calm myself before things get too much and practicing this now, so I know how to cope with my emotions when the baby is born.”
I am really looking forward to meeting my mum and snuggling into her, she sounds amazing!
Lucy.
*Parents Plus is a psychology-led service that forms part of Cardiff Parenting & Play in Cardiff Early Help. Parents Plus is a team, funded by WG, that works with caregivers and babies/young children from conception to reception. During the First 1000 days, the focus of the work is around supporting a secure relationship between caregivers and their babies/young children. The team is made up of psychologists and psychology-led practitioners, who have received specialised training in approaches that have been shown to support parent-infant relationships and the early development and wellbeing of babies and young children.
Nicola.Canale@Cardiff.gov.uk
Giving Every Baby the Best Start in Life: Insights from Born in Wales
One of the Welsh Government’s key ambitions is for all babies to have the best start in life. But what does that mean for families facing everyday challenges?
To understand these challenges, Born in Wales, a birth cohort study established in 2020 and funded by the National Centre for Population Health and Wellbeing Research, explores the current influences on health, wellbeing, and family life during pregnancy and the early years of life. This understanding is crucial for shaping future health, wellbeing, and educational outcomes for children in Wales.
Building a rich dataset
Born in Wales is a long-term study committed to comprehensive research and data collection.
Through three parental surveys running from pre-birth to age five, the project gathers extensive data on the health, development, and wellbeing of babies, children and parents in Wales. This rich dataset goes beyond surveys. It incorporates electronic health records, national education databases, social care data, and ultrasound scans, with around 30,000 new births added to the cohort each year.
By analysing this wealth of information and data, researchers gain valuable insights into how factors like a mother’s health or social environment can impact a child’s development. This research is essential for developing evidence-based policies to support family health and wellbeing, especially for vulnerable populations.
Following the Journey
By leveraging data from HAPPEN (a primary school health and education network), Born in Wales, researchers can track children’s health and wellbeing from pre-birth through toddler and nursery years to primary school. This comprehensive, longitudinal approach provides a deeper understanding of how childhood factors impact development.
Community Engagement
Community engagement is a key component of Born in Wales. The project’s Patient and Public Involvement Healthy Families Feedback Group, consisting of 39 engaged parents, plays a vital role in shaping the research. Quarterly meetings allow members to share their insights and experiences, ensuring the project addresses real needs and concerns.
Born in Wales collaborates with hospitals and libraries to further engage the community, conducting awareness sessions and distributing informational materials. This outreach extends to local hospitals where team members, supported by research midwives, recruit expectant mothers and fathers for the surveys. This face-to-face interaction is invaluable, allowing parents to address any questions or concerns and understand the importance of their participation.
Reaching Out to Fathers
Recognising the unique needs of fathers, Born in Wales has made a concerted effort to involve them through outreach to dad groups. These discussions on parenting, health, and wellbeing have broadened the project’s impact by gathering critical information on the experiences and challenges faced by fathers in Wales.
Understanding family dynamics
The study also examines life events, including working life and stress on pregnant women and their partners. By linking health, school, and other data, it aims to better understand the family situations that can impact early childhood. This comprehensive approach aims to provide evidence on what works to support children and families from the very beginning.
Hope Jones Lead researcher at Born in Wales emphasises the significance reaching out into the community: “At Born in Wales, we believe research should reflect the diversity of our communities. By actively engaging with groups in the community that do not normally participate in research, we ensure our findings are inclusive and represent the experiences of all families in Wales.”
Professor Sinead Brophy, Director at the National Centre for Population Health & Wellbeing Research, added: “Born in Wales is committed to inclusive, transparent, and community-driven research. By bridging gaps, empowering voices, and collaborating through in-depth research, we are paving the way for every child in Wales to have the best start in life. Our findings aim to empower families, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to make informed decisions on supporting families during this critical time.”
For more information on how Born in Wales is supporting families, visit www.ncphwr.org.uk/ portfolio/born-in-wales-overview
Cardiff University Social Science Research Park (SPARK), Cardiff, CF24 4HQ 029 2034 2434
@ChildreninWales info@childreninwales.org.uk childreninwales.org.uk