Developmental Programme- Midwifery led developmental baby boxes.

The developmental programme will target vulnerable unborn babies and their family's identified by their Continuity of Care Midwife and act as a gateway to bring families into the Family Hubs. The Children's Foundation have worked with Baby Box Scotland to develop the MaM box. The physical box is identical to the Scottish box, is fully accredited with relevant safety checks and certification, but the contents take a developmental approach to the baby based on the principles of love, laugh, talk, read, sing, play and count. Each box provides vulnerable families with the essentials to support and promote healthy baby development, attachment, supporting babies to have the best start in life and most importantly shows families they are valued. The developmental programme has taken learning from the Scottish scheme by adding a parental education session to the offer. This will increase awareness of the importance of bonding through playing, talking and reading, and show parents how to get the best from the contents. Once again reinforcing that vulnerable families in County Durham are valued.