CYSCP
Babies and pregnancy
We can provide you with support and resources in relation to babies and pregnancy.
- ICON - Babies Cry, You Can Cope
- Sudden and Unexpected Death in Infancy
- SUDI - "Day or Night, Sleep Right" campaign
- Lullaby Trust Guidance
- CYSCP Resources
- Learning from practice
- Capturing the lived experience of pre-verbal children
ICON - Babies Cry, You Can Cope
ICON - Babies Cry, You Can Cope programme supports parents and carers manage normal infant crying and to prevent abusive head trauma injuries to babies caused by shaking, also referred to as ‘shaken baby syndrome’.
ICON is an evidenced-based programme designed to help parents and carers understand the normal crying pattern of young infants and to help them develop successful coping mechanisms to deal with this.
The ICON programme delivers four simple messages before the birth and in the first few months of a baby’s life:
- I - Infant crying is normal
- C - Comforting methods can help
- O - It’s OK to walk away
- N - Never, ever shake a baby
Within the advice for parents and carers section of our website you will find information in relation to ICON - Babies Cry, You Can Cope programme, which supports parents and carers to manage normal infant crying and to prevent abusive head trauma injuries to babies caused by shaking, also referred to as shaken baby syndrome.
The ICON Website has a wealth of information including:
- advice for professionals - which includes help and resources for disseminating the ICON message to parents
- advice for parents - which includes lots of useful videos and resources to support parents and to also use when engaging with fathers
Sudden and Unexpected Death in Infancy
The North Yorkshire and York Child Death Overview Panel has created a new Sudden and Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) Prevention - One Minute Guide for Professionals, please take a look and share with your colleagues.
The Lullaby Trust have produced further information regarding Reducing Sudden Deaths in Yorkshire and the Humber, and a Baby Summer Safety video on how to keep your baby cool when the temperature rises.
SUDI - Day or Night, Sleep Right campaign
The North Yorkshire and York Safeguarding Children Partnerships have been working with multi-agency partners to create a programme of work aimed at reducing the risks of Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (SUDI) with a particular focus on reducing the risks for families with increased vulnerabilities.
Day or Night, Sleep Right is a key message to those who care for infants across North Yorkshire and York. The Day or Night, Sleep Right campaign has been created to raise awareness of the importance of safe sleeping environments for infants to reduce the number who may be at risk of SUDI.
Alongside multi-agency and single agency training sessions which are currently being delivered, a Basic Awareness Video has been created for professionals:
Lullaby Trust Guidance
Summer Safety
The Lullaby Trust have produced a Baby Summer Safety video on how to keep your baby cool when the temperature rises.
Safer sleep in winter - How to keep your baby safe when the weather gets cold
We know that the colder months can be difficult for families. They may be worried about the costs of living and have to make difficult choices for their family, or they may be worried about paying their heating bills. Families may be concerned about trying to keep their home warm, keeping draughts out and keeping their baby warm.
The recommended room temperature is 16 to 20 degrees, this may be difficult to maintain in the colder months. It can be tempting to wrap babies up to keep them warm, however we know that overheating a baby increases the chances of SIDS (also known as cot death). Research shows babies are better to be cooler than too hot.
The Lullaby Trust website contains useful safer sleep in winter tips including things to consider for your baby and their sleep space during the colder months.
CYSCP Resources
We've produced a number of resources in relation to prebirth and babies:
- Safeguarding Unborn Babies - Pre-Birth Guidance
- North Yorkshire and City of York - Managing Injuries to Non-independently Mobile Children Practice Guidance
- Information for parents and carers about injuries, bruises, marks or bleeding in immobile children
- Multi-agency Practice Guidance: Concealed, Denied or Late Presentation of Pregnancy
- Capturing the Lived Experience of Pre-Verbal Children - PRESENT Tool
- Capturing the Lived Experience of Pre-Verbal Children - PRESENT Practice Guidance
- Engaging with Fathers One Minute Guide
Learning from practice
We've published some 7 point briefings in relation to babies.
These can be found on our learning and development page.
Capturing the lived experience of pre-verbal children
Every child can communicate, it's our responsibility as adults to interpretate it and to understand their lived experience.
Practice guidance and accompanying tool and a PRESENT leaflet has been developed by the City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership in response to multi-agency audits and reports identifying an absence of the voice of the pre-verbal child.
Acknowledgment of, and insight into, the lived experience of children provides essential understanding that is required to safeguard, promote positive infant mental health, and realises the human rights of infants and very young children. It's suggested that this tool and guidance can be used to support direct observation of children, record keeping, report writing, personal reflection, reflective discussions, and professional supervision.