Maternity and early years

Maternal health before, during and after pregnancy, and the first few years of a child’s life are a critical period for a child’s longer term health and wellbeing. Social, economic, psychological and environmental factors during the early years all contribute to the development, behaviour, health and wellbeing of the individual.

Ensuring access to high-quality services, good housing, affordable healthy food, health information and social support can improve life chances for parents and children.

Work we are doing locally to tackle this issue

Public health Tower Hamlets work to improve maternal health by working closely with partners to improve access to services and increase awareness of the importance of health during pregnancy.

Some of the work we support includes:

antenatal education classes, breastfeeding support services and expectant fathers' programmes
improving the uptake of Healthy Start vitamins and developing guidance on vitamin D intake
providing pregnancy stop smoking training for frontline staff
supporting vulnerable women during pregnancy and during the early years of the child’s life
improving access to home births or midwife-led birthing centres
screening for fetal anomalies, sickle cell and thalassaemia, and infectious diseases
helping pre-school and daycare settings achieve Early Years accreditation by meeting the agreed criteria for healthy food, physical activity and supporting children’s emotional wellbeing.

Services

Healthy Start

The Healthy Start scheme supports pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children to access healthy food, milk and vitamins.

Healthy Start Card

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you could get help to buy healthy food and milk. Items like fresh, tinned or frozen fruit, vegetables and pulses such as lentils and beans, cow’s milk and infant formula.

If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We’ll add your Healthy Start money onto this card every four weeks. You can also use your card to collect Healthy Start vitamins for pregnant and breastfeeding women and children from birth to 4 years old.

Apply

Healthy Start Vitamins

Tower Hamlets provides healthy start vitamins for all pregnant and breastfeeding women and children until their fourth birthday. You can collect these at your local children’s centre or during some midwife appointments.

Tel: 020 7364 6495 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm).

Email: fis@towerhamlets.gov.uk

The Family Nurse Partnership (FNP)

An early intervention programme for young, first-time parents under the age of 20, and provides support during pregnancy and the first two years of the child’s life. Visit Family Nurse Partnership Network or

Tel: 020 8223 8601

Doula project (Maternity Mates)

A project run by Women’s Health and Family Services that recruits and train women locally to provide emotional and practical support during pregnancy, childbirth and the early weeks of family life. Particular attention for women who are isolated and vulnerable. Email lepa.rahman@whfs.org.uk or visit Women's Health & Family Services.

Antenatal parenting education classes

A team of midwives, health visitors, bi-lingual breastfeeding support workers that provides pregnant women with consistent information. Call the Parent’s Education Team on 020 7377 7402.

Expectant Fathers Programme (EFP)

Provides new fathers with the confidence, practical skills and information to better support their partners and babies. Visit their website for more information.

Perinatal mental health service

Provided by East London Foundation Trust, this service offers pregnancy and post natal support to women who have pre-existing or newly onset mental illnesses. Call 020 8121 5425.

The Seacole Clinic

Antenatal care to pregnant women who are concerned about their substance use. Services are available to women and their partners up to six months after giving birth. Midwifery services only available to mothers up to six weeks after the birth. Self or GP referrals welcome. Call 020 7377 7000 ext 3910.

Advocacy Link

Language support in antenatal classes to expectant mothers who have difficulties reading or speaking English. Languages spoken include Bengali, Sylheti, Somali, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Swahili, Turkish and Vietnamese. Freephone 0800 0556 359.

Sure Start children’s centres

Provide a range of antenatal and under-5s services to all families. You can find more information on our Children's Centre page.

Toyhouse

Fun, active play and healthy eating courses and resource packs for children aged 0 to 4 years and their parents. Visit the Toyhouse website, call 020 7987 7399 or or email info@toyhouse.org.uk