Halton Family Hubs Baby Showers

Halton Family Hubs introduced monthly Baby Showers towards the end of 2023 as an innovative approach to supporting families during pregnancy and early parenthood. The initiative aims to simplify how families access information, advice, and support at a time that can often feel overwhelming.

Families preparing for a baby are required to engage with multiple services, each delivering different messages and support offers. This fragmentation can make it difficult to navigate available help, particularly during a busy and sometimes stressful period. Similarly, professionals can find it challenging to stay informed about the full range of services available to families.

To address these challenges, Halton Family Hubs developed a coordinated, partnership-based model. The Baby Showers bring together key services, support offers, and messages into one accessible, informal setting.

Held monthly, each Baby Shower provides:

• A single, centralised space for families to access multiple services
• Opportunities to revisit sessions at different stages of pregnancy or early parenthood
• Consistent, aligned messaging from professionals across services

This approach supports both families and practitioners by improving awareness, accessibility, and collaboration.

Government ministers have praised the initiative, describing it as a “wedding fayre for babies,” reflecting the breadth of support available in one place.

Families learn about Baby Showers through a range of channels, including:

• Recommendations from professionals
• Direct telephone invitations
• Letters of invitation
• Home visits

A key success factor has been the information-sharing agreement between maternity services and Family Hubs, enabling targeted and personalised invitations. Feedback indicates that direct contact (phone calls, letters, or visits) is one of the most effective engagement methods.

The primary motivation for attendance is the opportunity to access a wide range of services in one place, simplifying what might otherwise feel like a complex system.

What the Baby Showers Offer

The Baby Showers provide a welcoming, informal environment where families can:

• Meet professionals from a range of services
• Connect with other parents and build peer support networks
• Access tailored advice and practical demonstrations

A strong emphasis is placed on hands-on learning, helping parents feel more confident and prepared.

Key practical demonstrations include:

• Safe holding and bathing of a baby
• Correct use of car seats
• Safe sleeping practices to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Nappy changing and newborn care

An additional feature is the use of a weighted vest, which allows expectant fathers and partners to experience the physical impact of pregnancy. This has proved particularly popular and supports greater engagement from dads.

Supporting Fathers and Partners

The Baby Showers are designed to be inclusive, with a strong focus on engaging fathers and partners. Feedback highlights that:

• Dads value receiving direct advice and guidance
• The sessions help them understand how to support during pregnancy and after birth
• The environment feels accessible and welcoming, encouraging participation

The Baby Showers have received consistently positive feedback from families:

• 97% of attendees rated the sessions 4 or 5 stars
• Families describe staff as knowledgeable, friendly, and trustworthy
• Attendees appreciate the joined-up communication across services

Common themes from feedback include:

• Feeling reassured that support is available if needed
• Valuing the opportunity to speak to multiple services in one place
• Increased confidence due to practical demonstrations
• Appreciation for inclusive support, particularly for dads

Families are often surprised by the range and availability of services in Halton, indicating that the initiative is successfully improving awareness.

Attendance at Baby Showers has led to increased uptake of additional support services, including:

• Art therapy
• Family first aid classes
• Other targeted interventions

This demonstrates the effectiveness of the model in:

• Encouraging early help and prevention
• Improving access to wider services
• Strengthening pathways between universal and targeted support

The Halton Family Hubs Baby Showers provide a simple yet effective solution to a complex system. By bringing services together in one place, the initiative:

• Reduces barriers to access
• Improves family experience
• Strengthens partnership working
• Enhances early support and intervention

The model has proven highly effective and well-received, offering a scalable example of best practice in delivering integrated early years support.