ICON Resources

ICON is a programme adopted by health and social care organisations in the UK to provide information about infant crying, including how to cope, support for parents/carers, how to reduce stress and prevent abusive head trauma in babies.

The evidence-based programme consists of a series of brief interventions that reinforce the simple message making up the ICON acronym:

I - Infant crying is normal and it will stop

C - Comfort methods can sometimes soothe the baby and the crying will stop

O - It's OK to walk away for a few minutes if you have checked the baby is safe and the crying is getting to you

N - Never ever shake or hurt a baby

It's normal for babies to cry but it can be stressful and sometimes it's hard to cope. Most babies start to cry more frequently from two weeks of age, with a peak usually being seen around 6-8 weeks.

Safer sleep for babies, Support for families

The Lullaby Trust raises awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), provides expert advice on safer sleep for babies and offers emotional support for bereaved families

These are film shorts where the words of fathers are spoken relating their experience of becoming a parent - produced by Badshoes Film.

In 2020 Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland agreed to implement ICON as an evidenced based intervention to reduce the incidence of abusive head trauma (AHT was formerly known as shaken baby syndrome) triggered by crying. Research evidence indicates that 70% of AHT is perpetrated by men and therefore it is of importance to ensure men are given the ICON message as well as the support and resources to help them manage a crying baby and reduce AHT.

Michael's Story -

https://youtu.be/Sh4T6RCwqdw

Nick's Story -

https://youtu.be/I14pvwJJrEA

Rich's Story -

https://youtu.be/z2wd2y5tspw

Mark's Story -

https://youtu.be/_EmaT3K10eY

Adam's Story -

https://youtu.be/fli62h4w_lk

Jitan's Story -

https://youtu.be/JmocVfZs_Ws

The purpose is to reduce the risk of abusive head trauma triggered by crying by increasing understanding crying is normal and will reduce. In addition to discuss methods to calm the baby and a range of sources of support to assist parents and open up discussions where parents are struggling.

Please click here to view the video https://youtu.be/b57Ov1vhRW4

ChatHealth is a confidential, secure text messaging service with a public
health nurse, open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm excluding bank holidays.

Leicester City: text 07520 615 381

Leicestershire & Rutland: text 07520 615 382

Cry-Sis Helpline 08451 228 669 7 days a week 9am - 10pm

Support from trusted NHS professionals

healthforunder5s.co.uk

Bumps to Babies antenatal sessions have developed four short videos to provide you with information and advice from birth through the early stages of parenthood

The Early Start Service in Leicester City provides support to first time parents who feel they would benefit from regular and consistent support from a public health nurse (health visitor).

Home-Start Horizons covers Leicester, Charnwood, Melton and Rutland, Blaby District Oadby and Wigston

Support families who have a least one child under five who may be dealing with issues such as:

• Social isolation
• Domestic abuse
• Lone parenting
• Poverty
• Illness and disability
• Post-natal illness
• Coping with several children under the age of 5

Home-Start South Leicestershire is a voluntary organisation committed to promoting the welfare of families with at least one child under five years of age. We're there for parents when they need us the most, because childhood can't wait.

Home Start North-West Leicestershire

Being a parent has never been easy. It can be lonely, frustrating, heart breaking and over-whelming.

Life-changing events can happen to anyone. That is why Home-Start is ready to support families through their toughest times.

Every Home-Start volunteer is trained to help them work alongside you to overcome the challenges you are facing. We work with you to build on your strengths and give you the support that you tell us that you need.

https://storkforparents.goodbarber.app/

This resource is available to fathers linked to perinatal mental health services in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland

www.thedadpad.co.uk

CFF has been supporting families in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland since 1990. We can help young people and their parents with challenging behaviour and conflict, low mood and depression, worry and anxiety, low self confidence and low self-esteem. We also help young parents (under 25) on their parenting journey from pregnancy through to their child turning 2 years old.

​Families are at the heart of everything we do and we aim to put the fun back into family life! ​

Early help

Children and young people can experience a range of difficulties at any time in their life. Early help services are for children and young people of any age and can be supported from all kinds of services and organisations who work together to support the family.

Early Help

Find out about Leicestershire County Council's Children and Family Wellbeing Service and how they can help you.

Leicestershire County Council's Children and Family Wellbeing Service was established in April 2019 following the integration of four services:

• Children's Centre Programme
• Information, Support and Assessment Service
• Supporting Leicestershire Families (Troubled Families programme)
• Youth Offending Service

Children and Family Wellbeing Service (CFWS) provides early help services – these are services which may be offered at any point in a child or young person's life, where the child is experiencing some difficulties which cannot be supported by universal services, such as schools or GP, alone.

Information for children and their families about Early Help

What is Early Help?

Early Help aims to offer families the extra support they need to help them overcome difficulties they may be facing before they become more serious; it is about getting families the right support at the right time. We want to ensure there are no lost opportunities to help children and their families so its essential that we work together to help support children and families at the earliest stage.

Leicester City Children's Centres

Leicestershire Children and Family Wellbeing Centres

Rutland Children's Centre (Visions Children's Centre)

Starting Well Leicester - Services for families in Leicester City during pregnancy and through the first two years.

A Department of Health and Social Care funded programme being co run by CFF (Centre for fun and families) and Leicester Mamma's.

This is a collection of groups / sessions aimed at reducing the health inequalities parents-to-be / parents of young children from BAME communities and those living in areas of deprivation. The programme is funded until March 2023.

Starting Well Leicester – Offer to families in Leicester city during pregnancy or with a child under the age of 2 years.

There is more detailed info about each set of sessions on the website

Mammas support pregnant and new mothers and their families

MAMMAS supporters are mums who have breastfed their own babies and completed training to help other mothers achieve their own goals for feeding their baby

We give one-to-one, caring and effective help to mothers across Leicester

We work alongside midwives and health visitors
We support mums on the phone, through home visits, and at our groups

You can come to our antenatal sessions if you are pregnant,
or our friendly local groups when you have had your baby

We speak Gujarati, Urdu, Arabic, Punjabi, Polish, French, Portuguese, Cantonese, and many more...

Antenatal group for young parents-to-be aged 25 and under who live in Leicester City

Over the four sessions we cover everything that pregnant parents want to know about to have a healthy pregnancy, both physically and emotionally. We will look at ideas for eating well and keeping active as well as ways to cope with worry, stress and anxiety during pregnancy and how to bond with your baby.

You are welcome to bring along someone who will be supporting you during your pregnancy or when your baby is born.

Young Parents Starting Well - group for parents aged 25 and under living in Leicester City

Mums and dads can bring their little ones (up to age 2) along to our Young Parents Starting Well group and enjoy interactive sessions for your baby along with top tips about getting family life off to the best start. If you are looking for strategies to help you cope better, you'll love our informal chats about:

• the good and difficult things about being a parent
• how to be the parent you want to be
• looking after ourselves
• dealing with any difficult feelings
• how to support babies' and children's learning behaviour

Infant feeding Support - Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

Support with complex infant feeding difficulties can be accessed via the infant feeding teams from within University Hospital Leicester and in the community for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland parent/carers by initially having a discussion and referral by your midwife or health visitor.

Baby-basics Leicester

Baby Basics is a volunteer-led charity aiming to support new mums & families who are struggling to meet the financial & practical burden of looking after a new baby. We provide much needed essentials and equipment for free to mums on a referral basis.

https://www.babybasicsleicester.co.uk/

Advice, support and guidance for parents and carers of babies in the Christmas holiday period