Infant Feeding Peer Support

The London Borough of Lewisham and Royal Borough of Greenwich are intending to jointly commission a single provider to deliver an Infant Feeding Peer Support Programme across the two boroughs. The Provider will establish a network of trained peer supporters to provide timely, high-quality peer-to-peer infant feeding support, both during pregnancy and in the critical post-birth period. The aim of this project is to provide additional capacity, flexibility and responsiveness to the existing infant feeding support provided by midwifery and health visiting services within the two boroughs. The Programme will help to ensure that all parents and carers are provided with the information, practical advice and support they need to support breastfeeding initiation and continuation, expressing breastmilk, and/or formula feeding where that is more appropriate, whilst connecting them with other local parents. Support will be provided flexibly via a range of settings and formats, including at home, in various community locations, and on the postnatal ward, and will be provided face-to-face and virtually, with a mixture of one-to-one and group support. The service will integrated into the emerging Lewisham and Greenwich Family Hubs, ensuring that Family Hubs are welcoming and supportive places for parents requiring support with infant feeding, and that support is highly visible and easily accessible. Contract period: Initial term of two years from 1st May 2023 to 30th April 2025, with the option to extend for a further two years to 31st March 2027. Value: The maximum estimated contract value is £160,000 per annum. Procurement process: The contract will be procured by an open one-stage process, due to be advertised in February 2023.