North Lanarkshire now has eight new family support workers dedicated to providing an extra layer of help and advice to new mums.
Working as part of Health Visiting Teams, family support workers engage with new parents and provide guidance to support infant feeding and care of their baby.
They work to Baby Friendly Standards with the aim of building and strengthening the confidence of new parents getting to know and, bond with, their baby.
Download the Lanarkshire Live app today
The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.
Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.
The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.
Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire – iOS – Android
Run by Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire, the dedicated team will make contact with all new mums in the area – apart from those already linked in with the Family Nurse Partnership or First Steps workers.
Carrie McCulloch, associate nurse director, children’s services, Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire, welcomed the new staff, saying: “It’s great to have our new family support workers join the service.
“We’re dedicated to giving children in North Lanarkshire the best possible start in life and I know our eight new team members will make a positive impact on the lives of new families.
“They will play a valuable role in supporting mums and their babies across North Lanarkshire’s communities.
“They are committed to supporting interaction between new babies and their families, which is known to positively influence maternal and infant mental health.
“Importantly, the team has the flexibility to devote additional time to families, sharing essential parenting skills like breast and bottle feeding techniques, preparing bottles, as well as basic baby care.”
Leanne Woodman, one of the new family support workers, is based in the Bellshill and Viewpark locality.
She added: “This is an exciting new role as we’ll be supporting midwives and health visitors with the care and support they provide.
“As a team, we’re committed to assisting new mums with any concerns they have.
“Our visits are designed to give them confidence and share advice that will help them and their baby flourish.
“We’ll be helping with feeding and areas of infant care ranging from bathing and changing nappies.
“We’re all here to give children the best start in life and are dedicated to getting it right for every child.”
Midwives or health visitors retain ultimate responsibility for care and task delegation at all times.
The family support workers complement their work, focusing on strengthening responsive and affectionate parent-child relationships, enhancing breastfeeding rates, promoting attentive bottle feeding, and reducing common feeding issues that typically necessitate GP intervention and prescribing.
*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
