Infant Feeding Support Worker

NHS; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity at NHS for an Infant Feeding Support Worker to provide integral support to mothers and families in Plymouth. This role involves community engagement, high standards in infant feeding support, and the opportunity to contribute to public health initiatives. Candidates will require relevant qualifications and must be committed to delivering compassionate care in line with established guidelines.

Benefits

Protected CPD time for registered staff

Various development pathways and training

Access to funding for training programs

Robust Preceptorship

Bespoke induction programme

Qualifications

• GCSEs in English and Maths required.
• NVQ/QCF level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent.
• UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative training preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide infant feeding support to mothers and families.
• Assist in the implementation of new guidelines.
• Support parents in group settings during antenatal and postnatal periods.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Empathy

Problem-solving

Education

GCSE Maths (A-C) or equivalent

GCSE English (A-C) or equivalent

NVQ/QCF level 3 Health and Social Care or equivalent experience

UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative 2-day training

Job description

Children,Young People and Families Service

LOCATION: Plymouthbase/Hybrid working

HOURS: Up to 37.5hours per week - depending on preferred working hours by the successful candidates, there are up to two posts available.

The successful candidates will be based in the the West Port Public Health Nursing Team.

An exciting opportunity has become available tojoin the Plymouth Public Health Nursing Service as an Infant Feeding SupportWorker.

The post holder will provide, effective,compassionate, and family-centred infant feeding support for mothers, theirbabies, and families. Theywill have a visible presence in the community and provide support individuallyand in group settings, in the antenatal and postnatal period.

This is a fixed term contract until March 2026 with the possibility of an extension and could be a secondment opportunity.

All Livewell Southwest staff are expected to able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will: be a role model for high standards in infant feeding support in line with the Baby Friendly standards, ensuring that infant feeding advice and care is based on current evidence, guidelines, and policies.

They will be a competent, self-motivated individual, working as a member of the team, supporting colleagues within Public Health Nursing and across community services.

"Please note that this role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility"

Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise providing integrated health & social care services for people across Plymouth, South Hams & West Devon, as well as some specialist services for people living in parts of Devon & Cornwall. With teams in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, health & wellbeing hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience, we always value being kind, respectful, inclusive, ambitious, responsible and collaborative. Transforming services to make them sustainable, ensuring that we value, support & empower each other.

We are committed to involving the people we care for, families & carers in everything that we do, working towards co-production where we can. Helping us to deliver the right care for people, in the right place & at the right time. By putting people at the centre of what we do, we ensure to support people to lead, healthy independent lives & be the very best at helping people to live well.

Valuing our employees making an investment in their development a priority. We offer:

Protected CPD time for registered staff

Various development pathways and ongoing regular training packages for all staff

Access & funding for training including Care Certificate, Assistant Practitioners Course & Scholarship Into Nurse Training

A Robust Preceptorship

A bespoke induction programme

Existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme can continue their membership when they join the organisation.

Job responsibilities

The post holder will provide, effective, compassionate, and family-centred infant feeding support to provide optimal care for mothers, their babies, and families. The post holder will:

• Assist the Infant Feeding Lead to provide support and education to the multi-disciplinary team and be a role model for high standards in infant feeding support in line with the Baby Friendly standards, ensuring that infant feeding advice and care is based on current evidence, guidelines, and policies.

Support parents and families individually and in groupsettings, in respect of infant feeding in the antenatal and postnatal period.

Provide a high standard of information about infant feedingand support to parents and families before and after the birth in a range ofsettings.

Assist in the implementation of new guidelines and initiatives, both national and local, across all areas of early help.

• Have a visible presence in the community and provide one to one support and education for colleagues.
• Be a competent, self-motivated individual, working as a member of the PHN team.
• Please see full job description in the supporting documents file.

Please see the attached document entitled Job description for the full details about this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths(A-C) or equivalent
• GCSE English (A-C) or equivalent
• NVQ/QCF level 3 Health and Social care or equivalent experience.
• UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative 2-day breastfeeding and relationship
• building training or equivalent.

Experience

• Evidence of providing breast-feeding support
• Evidence of providing feeding support to families
• Knowledge of good parenting skills.
• Experience of working under minimal supervision, and as part of a
• team.
• Experience of prioritising workload, recognizing own limitations
• and when to seek assistance.
• Knowledge of the UNICEF BFI accreditation standards

Aptitude and Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal and communicational skills using observation, listening and empathy, both face to face, virtually and by telephone
• Excellent written skills which include record keeping and data collation.
• Organisational and prioritisation skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Confident to escalate concerns or seek guidance from colleagues and managers.
• Able to reflect and learn from different situations.
• Reliable and trustworthy.
• Self-motivated but able to work within policies and guidelines.
• Use of initiative to problem solve.
• Ability to respond positively to minor change.
• Experience of teaching in one to one and group settings.
• Experience of undertaking audit.
• Experience working with families with language and communication difficulties.

Other Factors

• Committed to personal development and able to participate in continued training and development.
• The post holder will need to travel to see families and attend meetings across Plymouth and other geographical areas. Full and valid driving licence and access to a car for work purposes is required. Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act will be considered for the successful applicant.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Public Health Nursing, Mount Gould Hospital

Public Health Nursing Infant Feeding Lead

Full-time,Part-time,Job share,Flexible working

Reference number

B9832-2025-NM-9905

Job locations

Public Health Nursing, Mount Gould Hospital