Improving Maternal and Infant Nutrition: A Framework for Action

4.34 Three of the six local authorities were working with community or voluntaryorganisations, such as community food initiatives, healthy living centres or child andfamily centres, to improve the nutrition of children under the age of five.Community and Voluntary Sector Activities4.35 There were 12 respondents from the community and voluntary sector so,again, these results should be treated with caution and do not provide arepresentative description of the community and voluntary sector activity to improvematernal and infant nutrition.4.36 Half of the 12 respondents were involved in work to promote the nutrition ofpregnant women, through a number of initiatives including fresh fruit and vegetableschemes, shopping courses, healthy eating cooking courses and health educationcourses – including referrals of substance misusing pregnant women. The key focusof this work included provision of information and advice to mothers in deprivedcommunities about healthy weaning foods, cooking skills, and potential impacts ofsubstance misuse on the unborn baby. The work was carried out with a range ofpartners including integrated children’s services, health visitors, communitydietitians, oral health promoters, community midwives, health improvementmanagers and GP’s.4.37 Three of the community and voluntary organisations surveyed weresupporting breastfeeding initiatives. This work included supporting and encouraginguptake of breastfeeding new mothers and promoting breastfeeding in public areas.Funding came from a number of sources including NHS core budgets.4.38 There were more examples (10) of community and voluntary organisationsbeing involved in work with families with children to improve weaning practices.Examples included holding healthy weaning classes with mother and toddler groups,practical cookery classes for families and demonstrations at weaning fayres andbreastfeeding peer support. All respondents said that the work was targeted atspecific groups or areas.