Baby Steps
Supporting you every step of the way on your journey to parenthood
Welcoming a baby into the world can be very exciting but it also has its challenges, it can leave you feeling worried, anxious and alone. The Baby Steps programme aims to help parents prepare for all the changes coming their way.
Baby Steps is an online programme delivered by Action for Children. It is available across the Bradford district through Start for Life. You can apply here via their simple online form.
Programme aims
Baby Steps focuses on the move to parenthood, the relationship between parents and developing a healthy positive relationship between parents and their babies.
Programme length
The programme starts anywhere from week 26 to week 30 of pregnancy. There are 4 online sessions before birth and 2 after. Each session is 1.5 hours per week.
What the sessions cover
Before birth:
Session 1: How our babies develop, our health and well-being
Session 2: Transition to parenthood
Session 3: Labour and birth
Session 4: Caring for and meeting our babies
After giving birth:
Visit after giving birth which includes gifts for mum, baby and siblings
Session 5: Welcoming our babies
Session 6: Bonding with our babies and our family’s future
Our groups
Your group will be made up of other couples and single mums at a similar stage of pregnancy. It will be run by a children’s practitioner and a qualified midwife.
The group is friendly, comfortable and designed to give you and your baby the support you need to begin your life together.
Suitable for
Anyone living in the Bradford district can now apply if either mum or the family:
- have low-level mental health problems
- have learning difficulties
- lack strong social or support networks
- are a victim of domestic abuse, or have been in the past
- are suffering with substance misuse, or have done in the past
- are aged 20 or under
- are in the care system, or have been in the past
- experience poor living conditions or severe financial hardship
- are homeless
- chaotic lifestyle and/or moves around a lot
- are not in education, employment or training
- have difficulty reading, speaking or understanding English
- are from particularly disadvantaged or isolated minority ethnic communities
- are recent migrants, asylum seekers, refugees
- are gypsies or travellers
- are or have been offenders
- children have a social worker
- children have been taken in to care
Baby Steps is available across the Bradford district through Start for Life. You can apply here via their simple online form.
Thank you for your support throughout the difficult time I had during my pregnancy. You have really gone above and beyond to support me and get me the right help.
We were having our first baby, my wife was new in the country, we had no family or friends. Through the Baby Steps programme we had lots of emotional support. We have made a friend who lives locally and that helps my wife socialise in the community.
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