Branding attracts clients
One element of The Baby Café model of care is the name, its visual
representation and the associated concepts and standards that underpin this. The
Baby Café is considered a brand; synonymous with breastfeeding, excellence,
quality, style and an informal, relaxed atmosphere.
Established model
The
detailed guidelines in the Baby Café Handbook provide facilitators with a clear and consistent model of care
to follow that has been proven to work successfully in a variety of
settings.
Flexibility
The Baby Café concept is flexible and can be adapted to accommodate
different community profiles. Baby Café drop-ins may be facilitated
by midwives, health visitors, lactation consultants or breastfeeding
counsellors from the voluntary breastfeeding organisations. Many
have peer supporters on hand and some operate their own peer supporter
training programmes. Funding can come from a variety of sources such
as Primary Care Trusts, Sure Start programmes, community funds or
grants. Locations vary from church halls and community centres to a
fire station! There is even a mobile Baby Café operating from a
bus.
Underlying all these different outer wraps is the Baby Café model,
ensuring every mother receives high quality care and every Baby Café
receives support from the charity in delivering this.
Standards of care
Users know what to expect when they visit
a Baby Café drop-in centre and they can be confident of a high standard
of care. The Charitable Trust monitors standards and has
established procedures to follow up complaints.
Audit tools
The Charitable Trust
make it easy for you to audit and monitor your work by providing
facilitators with suitable
administrative tools and support. As a funding body you can be confident
you are investing in a form of health care delivery that is proving effective
whatever the community profile.
Value
With a proven model to follow and resources and support in place, setting
up and running a Baby Café drop-in can be straightforward and
time-efficient for staff involved. What better way to improve local breastfeeding rates than to have a centre of excellence to which mums love
to come?
Baby Café Charitable Trust breastfeeding drop-ins are also
entitled to apply for further funding under The Baby Café Charitable
Trust name.
