1. Infant feeding in an emergency: An oversight in United Kingdom emergency planning.
- Author
-
Wise, Patricia A.
- Subjects
- *
EMERGENCY management , *INFANTS , *WELL-being , *INFORMATION-seeking behavior , *CHILDREN'S health - Abstract
Following the finding of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative 2016 assessment that infant feeding is not mentioned in United Kingdom emergency planning guidance, in 2017 information was sought about Local Resilience Forum (LRF) planning. This research covered both guidance for parents on LRF websites and local planning. Considerable variation between areas and a dependence on the existing knowledge and experience of frontline staff was found. In 2020−2022 LRF websites in England and Wales were revisited and information requested about rest centre facilities, procurement of items needed by evacuated parents, provision of skilled support and staff training. Twenty‐nine of the 42 LRFs replied, partially or fully, directly or through their local authorities. The variation between areas found in 2017 was confirmed. Areas endeavour to provide for the needs of families but specific training in infant feeding was lacking, although several requested relevant resources or responded that the lack of training would now be reviewed. A short leaflet was produced and circulated to LRFs that had responded to aid training. Using established international guidance to include infant feeding in United Kingdom emergency planning guidance, implemented by national coordinators, would improve consistency between LRFs and better protect infant, child and maternal health and well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF