Prepared By:
Debbie Silvester, Manager Healthy Families
Date:
June, 2018
Subject:
Baby Friendly Initiative – Journey to Designation
Background
The WECHU’s official road to Baby Friendly Designation started in 2012. However, the promotion and support of breastfeeding has been an integral part of the programs and services provided to pregnant and breastfeeding women and their families for decades.
In 2012, the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care added the Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) as an accountability indicator for the Family Health standard. The ministry provided guidelines for the process based on the Breastfeeding Council of Canada’s (BCC) Baby Friendly Designation process.
The purpose of the Baby Friendly Initiative is to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. It ensures pregnant families and families with infants have the information they need to make an informed decision on how to feed their infants. It supports not only families who choose to breastfeed but also those who cannot or choose not to breastfeed. It encourages community partners to work together to promote breastfeeding and ensure families have consistent evidence based breastfeeding information as well as local program and services to help families when they need additional breastfeeding supports.
Current Initiatives
Journey Milestones:
- May 2012 – Implementation of an external BFI multidisciplinary committee
- Windsor Essex Baby Friendly Initiative and Healthy Families Committee was formed, comprised of community partners who provide services to pregnant and breastfeeding families (e.g., WECHU Healthy Families Department, local birthing hospitals, LaLeche League, Building Blocks for Better Babies, local Doulas, Early On Centres etc.).
- August 2012 - BFI Self-Appraisal Assessment completed
- The Self-Appraisal was used to identify gaps and develop an overarching plan for the WECHU to achieve BFI designation.
- Throughout 2013 – Development of BFI policy and Review of all Healthy Families Resources
- An eLearning module was created to supplement the BFI Policy.
- All healthy families teaching tools and client resources were reviewed for BFI compliance.
- May 2014 – Annual corporate BFI Policy and eLearning modules launched
- All health unit staff and board members completed the eLearning module and signed off on the BFI Policy. In addition, BFI leads were identified within each department.
- April 2015 –Document Review forwarded to BCC Lead Assessor
- It included a copy of all current Healthy Families teaching and client resources.
- September 2015 - Process to gather local breastfeeding rates initiated
- Began obtaining consents from postpartum moms prior to hospital discharge to contact them in 6 months to complete an infant feeding survey.
- March 2016 - Documentation Review finalized and Pre-Assessment Visit booked for Nov. 22, 2016
- September through November 2016 – All Health Unit staff and board members were provided with education and resources in preparation for the Pre-Assessment Visit.
- October 2016 – Initial analysis of infant feeding surveys completed
- Local breastfeeding rate were required for the Pre-Assessment Visit.
- November 22, 2016 – Pre-Assessment Visit
- During the visit the Lead BCC BFI Assessor interviewed staff from every department along with several of our direct care staff from the Healthy Families department. The Lead Assessor also visited one of our community programs and contacted several of our clients.
- In December the BCC Lead Assessor provided a report with requirements and recommendation that needed to be addressed before the WECHU was ready for the External Assessment Visit.
- March 2017 – External Assessment Visit booked for November 21, 22, and 23, 2017
- BCC Lead Assessor approved the Health Unit’s plan to address the recommendations as outlined during the Pre-Assessment Visit and booked the External Assessment Visit.
- June 14 2017 – A community event held for community partners
- Information was provided on BFI and how community partners could support BFI messages with their prenatal families and families with young children.
- September 2017 - Second analysis of infant feeding surveys completed
- Update of local Breastfeeding rates were required for the External Assessment Visit.
- September through November 2017 – All staff and board members prepared for External Assessment Visit
- All staff, senior management and board members were provided with education and resources in the event they were interviewed by a BCC Assessor.
- November 21, 22, and 23, 2017 – External Assessment Visit
- Lead BCC assessors and two additional BCC assessors visited all three health unit sites and conducted staff interviews, reviewed resources, attended community programs and contacted clients. The BCC assessors where impressed with how knowledgeable and prepared the health unit staff were during the interviews.
- In December, as with the Pre-Assessment Visit the health unit was provided with a report that outlined additional requirements that needed to be addressed prior to receiving the BFI designation. Additional requirements included improving communication with our community partners about BFI and ensuring that spaces in the community WECHU utilizes for maternal and newborn programming are supportive of BFI and the WHO code.
- March 2018 - Health unit submitted plan to address concerns outlined in the External Assessment report.
- April 13, 2018 – Received BFI Designation
- The Lead Assessor reviewed the plan, requested clarification on resources to be distributed and education materials. Officially awarded the BFI designation after the Health Unit’s response.
While the Healthy Families Department lead the journey, it took all health unit board members, senior management, managers and staff working together to achieve Baby Friendly Designation. Community partners also played a significant role. Without their willingness to incorporate key BFI messages into their programming; distribute BFI compliant resources; or work directly with us to improve access to community breastfeeding resources we would never have been able to meet all the requirements for Baby Friendly Designation.
Next Steps:
Receiving Baby-Friendly designation ends one leg of our journey and begins another. Re-designation is required every 5 years. We will continue to:
- Support families to make an informed decision about feeding their babies.
- Support breastfeeding anytime, anywhere.
- Promote breastfeeding as the normal way of feeding a baby.
- Promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life, and continued breastfeeding for up to two years and beyond.
- Provide breastfeeding education and supports to pregnant and breastfeeding families.
- Provide individual education and supports to families who cannot or choose not to breastfeed their babies.
- Provide annual education to health unit staff, senior management and board member on key baby-friendly messages.
- Monitor local breastfeeding rates and collaborate with community partners to develop strategies to improve breastfeeding outcomes.
Consultation:
The following individuals contributed to this report:
- Debbie Silvester, Healthy Families Manager
- Cathy Bennett, Healthy Families Manager
- Amanda Ellard-Ryall, Healthy Families Manager
Reviewed by:
Nicole Dupuis, Director Health Promotion
Approved by:
Theresa Marentette, Acting CEO