New strategies aimed at enhancing infant feeding practices and bolstering parental mental health have been endorsed by the Croydon Health and Wellbeing Board. The board met on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, to review and approve these multi-agency initiatives.

A diverse family laughing together in a kitchen, representing the focus on child development and parental wellbeing discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.
A diverse family laughing together in a kitchen, representing the focus on child development and parental wellbeing discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.Source: Health & Wellbeing Board papers, 18 March 2026

The finalised Infant Feeding Strategy 2024-2029 and Parental Mental Health Strategy 2024-2029 were presented, having already received approval from the Executive Mayor and been launched in February 2026. These strategies are designed to underpin child development and contribute to the borough's overarching vision of providing children with the best start in life.

Data presented to the board highlighted local needs. While breastfeeding initiation rates in Croydon stand at 78% at birth, continuation rates drop to 69% by the six-to-eight-week check. This figure is higher than the England average of 47.6% but lower than the London region average of 72.5%. Previous years have seen Croydon's continuation rate fall as low as 33%, revealing a significant decline. Inequalities were also noted, with higher disparities in feeding practices observed in more deprived wards and among certain minority communities.

From a parental mental health perspective, Croydon faces a higher prevalence of poor mental health compared to national averages. The strategies aim to address identified gaps in local support for fathers, partners, and individuals experiencing mild to moderate mental health needs. The term parental mental health has been adopted to recognise the importance of all caregivers within the family unit.

Addressing Gaps in Parental Mental Health Support

The Parental Mental Health Strategy specifically targets several key areas: limited community support for fathers and partners, insufficient support for parents with mild to moderate mental health issues, the stigma surrounding seeking help, difficulties in navigating services, and inconsistent advice. To combat these issues, the strategy proposes peer-led support groups and antenatal classes for fathers and partners, enhanced clinical support through existing perinatal services, and increased capacity within the Parent and Infant Relationship Service (PAIRS) team. A public health campaign aims to normalise conversations about mental health and emotional wellbeing, while clear, parent-friendly referral pathways and a single point of access for information and support will be established. Furthermore, all staff and volunteers will receive mandatory basic training in parental mental health and parent-infant relationships.

Mild to moderate mental health difficulties are defined as those falling below the thresholds for specialist care. Services commissioned to address these needs include activity support groups for women with mild to moderate postnatal depression symptoms, enhanced clinical support, increased capacity in the PAIRS team, peer-led support for fathers and partners, and comprehensive workforce training.

A father holds his baby, symbolizing the focus on child development and parental support discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.
A father holds his baby, symbolizing the focus on child development and parental support discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.Source: Health & Wellbeing Board papers, 18 March 2026

Infant Feeding Strategy: A Multi-faceted Approach

The Infant Feeding Strategy is structured around four key themes: Parents, Prepared, Partnerships, and Places. Its goals include increasing breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates and reducing health inequalities.

  • Parents: This theme focuses on empowering parents to make and carry out their feeding decisions confidently. Actions include expanding peer support, working with community groups, reviewing referral pathways, and developing a digital offering to ensure equity and access for diverse communities, provide specialist support (including for tongue-tie), and enhance hospital and neonatal unit support.
  • Prepared: This theme aims to ensure staff and services deliver excellent support by consolidating and centralising infant feeding information, developing an inclusive digital offer, and achieving UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) Gold Award accreditation. Mandatory training for staff and volunteers, releasing time for clinical staff, and ensuring policies reflect best practices are also key components. Actions involve creating a single online repository for information, reviewing virtual offerings, extending BFI accreditation, and developing training plans.
  • Partnerships: This theme emphasizes working with all partners to create integrated, responsive services. Objectives include facilitating integration between agencies and within the Family Hubs programme, simplifying referral pathways, undertaking new needs assessments, and planning multi-disciplinary support for isolated communities. Actions include continuing integration with voluntary sector organisations and Family Hubs, creating a parent-held 'wellbeing passport', and developing referral pathways.
  • Places: This theme focuses on creating accessible services close to where parents live. Objectives include providing infant feeding support at further Family Hubs, prioritising drop-in services and home visits, and planning support for isolated communities. Actions include planning support for two new hubs, increasing drop-in services and home visits, identifying areas with potential isolation issues, and developing a communications plan to normalise breastfeeding.

A mother breastfeeding her baby, illustrating the focus on infant feeding strategies discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.
A mother breastfeeding her baby, illustrating the focus on infant feeding strategies discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.Source: Health & Wellbeing Board papers, 18 March 2026

The development of these strategies involved extensive consultation with parents, carers, health colleagues, early years providers, and community partners, informed by a review of national and international best practices.

Funding and Expected Outcomes

Both strategies are funded through the Department for Education's Start for Life grant, with development and initial implementation costs already approved and committed. Ongoing delivery will be managed within existing resources. The Family Hubs Start for Life Offer will consolidate information on accessing support, including targeted and specialist mental health services.

Expected outcomes include improved infant feeding and breastfeeding rates, reduced health inequalities, better access to parental mental health support, more responsive and culturally competent services, stronger parent-infant relationships, and improved child development outcomes. Ultimately, these initiatives aim to contribute to a long-term reduction in demand on specialist services.

A diverse family enjoys a healthy meal together, symbolizing the focus on child development and family wellbeing discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.
A diverse family enjoys a healthy meal together, symbolizing the focus on child development and family wellbeing discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.Source: Health & Wellbeing Board papers, 18 March 2026

Further details on the strategies can be found in the Croydon Infant Feeding Strategy Croydon Infant Feeding Strategy.pdf and the Croydon PMH Strategy Croydon PMH Strategy.pdf.

Public reports pack 18th-Mar-2026 14.00 Health Wellbeing Board.pdf