Breastfeeding Peer Support Service

The Breastfeeding Network Service provide a community-based service, adopting multi-faceted approaches in order to improve breastfeeding initiation and prevalence rates in Portsmouth, therefore supporting a reduction in health inequalities. The service contributes to promoting a social and cultural shift where breastfeeding is recognised as the conventional way to feed an infant.

Their team of peer supporters and volunteers are in place to support mothers and expectant mothers throughout their breastfeeding journey and support with the many different factors and techniques involved, inclusive of Combination feeding, expressing, exclusively breastfeeding, chest-feeding, newborn stage, toddler stage, ending the breastfeeding journey and debriefing feelings about a previous journey. Type of services provide by BfN Community Groups - These are all drop-in groups, running throughout the week at various locations across the city.

Online support - This involves 1:1 support via Zoom from a trained Breastfeeding Network peer support volunteer. This notice is confirmation of an award being made due to an urgent circumstance.

Currently the Breastfeeding Network (BfN) is subcontracted under Home-Start Portsmouth through a consortium arrangement, with Home-Start being the consortium lead. This arrangement was put in place via an open tender in 2023 and aligned with Portsmouth plans in relation to the Government funded Family Hub and Best Start for Life offer.

The initial term of these Contracts was for 33 months, and are due to terminate 31st March 2025, however, the services were to be extended year on year dependent on the government's intention to continue to fund the Council for this programme. The DfE have only recently confirmed that the Council will continue to be funded for this service for the 25/26 financial year, and there has been a severely limited timeframe to allocate funds to the appropriate service streams that all fall under this programme.

This consortium arrangement is unable to continue, therefore the decision has been taken to award a short term contract directly with the BfN to ensure minimum disruption to quality of service. The Public Health Directorate are due to take over and manage these services later in the year, with the aim of awarding their own contract via PSR process by 1st September 2025.