Children's services
Over 40 Walsall venues signed up to welcome breastfeeding
Published on
Over 40 venues across the Walsall borough have signed up to a scheme to welcome breastfeeding.
The Walsall Welcomes Breastfeeding Scheme, set up by Walsall Family Hubs in 2024, aims to ensure public places welcome anyone who wishes to breastfeed and help them feel comfortable and supported.
Venues display a blue ‘Walsall Welcomes Breastfeeding’ sticker to show that all their public areas are breastfeeding friendly, as well as designated spaces should anyone wish to breastfeed or express milk in private.
Venues include all four Family Hubs, leisure centres, community groups and associations, cafes and restaurants, nurseries, libraries and many more.
Guidance has also been provided to the venues to promote a breastfeeding friendly environment. This includes offering support, displaying clear signage and providing information to staff to help them understand the needs and rights of breastfeeding mothers.
“ It is really encouraging to hear that we now have over 40 venues across Walsall signed up to be breastfeeding friendly.
Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways of giving every child the best start in life. Let’s continue to work together as a community, so women feel comfortable and able to breastfeed wherever they choose. “
Walsall Leisure is one of the many partner organisations whose leisure centres are proud to support the scheme and breastfeeding mothers by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment:
“ We have implemented the 'Breastfeeding Welcoming Venue Guidance' to ensure that all public areas are breastfeeding-friendly, not just designated spaces. Our staff are trained to offer support and assistance to breastfeeding mothers, helping them find comfortable places to sit and providing necessary amenities. We believe that normalising breastfeeding and supporting mothers in public spaces is crucial for the wellbeing of both mothers and their babies. “
Any group, organisation or venue can become breastfeeding friendly. To sign up complete the online form or email family.hubs@walsall.gov.uk for further information.
Families are also invited to share any feedback about their experiences of breastfeeding by emailing the above Family Hubs email address.
For details of the breastfeeding friendly locations and further support on feeding your baby, visit the Walsall Family Hubs website.
What are Family Hubs?
Family Hubs offer a welcoming space where families can access advice and support from a range of services. The Hubs have been set up to support families with children aged 0-19, or 0-24 for those children with special educational needs and disabilities. With teams located in four locality hubs across the borough, a variety of services can be found all under one roof, to provide the families they work with easier access to these services, to provide the right help at the right time. Practitioners include family support practitioners, health visitors, school nurses, early help police officers, domestic abuse support practitioners, mental health support and substance misuse support.
The four hubs are located at:
• North Family Hub - 275 Blakenall Lane, Blakenall, Walsall WS3 1HJ
• West Family Hub - Ilmington House, Crescent Road, Darlaston, WS10 8AE
• South & Central Family Hub - Birchills Street, Walsall, WS2 8NF
• East Family Hub - Silver Court, Walsall, WS8 6HA
There are also an additional 10 ‘community spokes’ based in voluntary and community buildings across the borough.
