Decision details

Proposed Decision:

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services, is asked to:

a) APPROVE the service and wider workforce development for the Infant Feeding Service to increase current infant feeding activity:

b) APPROVE the required expenditure to deliver this activity via the Family Hub Grant Funding; and

c) DELEGATE authority to the Director of Public Health to take necessary actions, including but not limited to allocating resources, expenditure, entering into contracts and other legal agreements, as required to implement the decision.

Background:

The proposal to use the Family Hub Grant to increase current infant feeding activity provides the opportunity to deliver an increased offer of infant feeding contacts as well as providing an opportunity to build confidence in women as they are assured, supported and encouraged in the first six to wight weeks whilst breastfeeding is established. There will be an antenatal infant feeding contact, an early contact postnatally and regular contacts for the first twelve weeks. Breastfeeding takes time to learn and can be challenging to persevere without support around a family. Research has shown that various forms of support may be required and offering additional contacts is an appropriate approach which the opportunity provided through the Family Hub Grant funding presents as this aligns with the Department for Education (DfE) expectations.

Options Considered and Discarded:

A targeted approach in a small geography was initially considered but discarded as this could create inequities in the provision of support.

How the proposed decision supports the Council’s Strategy 2022-26:

This service contributes to ‘Priority 1: Levelling up Kent’ of the Framing Kent’s Future Our Council Strategy 2022-2026’ as providing parents/mums the support in giving their babies the best start in life to improve the population’s health and narrowing health inequalities. 

Data Protection implications:

Data Protection and General Data Protection Regulations are part of KCC contract documentation. This includes a Schedule of Processing, Personal Data and Data Subjects and confirms the data relationship(s) between the Parties. Data Protection Impact Assessments are undertaken with providers as appropriate.

As Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services, I propose to:

a) APPROVE the service development to increase current infant feeding activity through amendments to the Co-Operation agreement relating to Public Health Services dated 22 March 2021 (as accepted under key decision 19/00064); approve the required expenditure, via the Family Hub Grant Funding, to deliver the activity; and

b) DELEGATE authority to the Director of Public Health to take necessary actions, including but not limited to, allocating resources, expenditure, entering into contracts and other legal agreements, as required to implement the decision.