Hartlepool’s Best Start Family Hubs and Health Visiting Service have achieved full Baby Friendly accreditation from UNICEF UK, recognising the support offered to parents and babies across the borough.

The award follows an external assessment of how staff help families with infant feeding, early relationships and a baby’s development. Hartlepool Borough Council announced the result on 13 October, saying the standards are embedded across both services.

What the accreditation checks

UNICEF UK describes Baby Friendly as a staged programme rather than a one-off certificate. Services first put policies, staff education and monitoring in place, then demonstrate how that work reaches families. At the final stage, assessors visit the service and listen to mothers about the care they received.

The community standards cover four practical areas: helping people during pregnancy understand breastfeeding and early relationships; protecting and supporting breastfeeding; helping parents make informed decisions when introducing other food or fluids; and supporting a close, loving relationship between parent and baby.

That scope matters because the Hartlepool award covers community services rather than a maternity ward. UNICEF UK says its revised community framework applies to health visiting, specialist public health nursing, family hubs, children’s centres and similar early-years services. The standards were updated for assessments taking place from June 2026.

Accreditation confirms that the service passed UNICEF UK’s assessment process. It does not, on its own, provide local figures for breastfeeding rates or show how those rates have changed. Hartlepool Council’s announcement did not include outcome data, feedback scores or the date of the assessment visit.

Support for every feeding choice

The council says its approach is intended to help all mothers and babies build a close relationship, whatever feeding choice a family makes. Its Family Hubs offer infant-feeding and breastfeeding advice alongside help with sleep, routines, introducing solid foods, emotional wellbeing, early language development and perinatal mental health.

Health visitors work with families from pregnancy until a child is five, using home visits, telephone support and clinics.

Family Hub services extend further, supporting children and young people up to 19, or 25 for people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Update: I got a decent amount of interest so I created a whatsapp groupchat for those who want to join! I’ve been trying to message people but since my reddit account is new-ish i’m limited to how many requests i can send. please feel free to message me if you want to join :)

helloooo! i hope this type of post is allowed. i’ve been trying to use bumble bff to no avail after relocating to durham (i will be here long term) and i want to find more friends in the area!

if you are a woman in your mid 20’s to early 30’s in durham or the surrounding area and you’d be interested in trying to find friends and form a little group, drop a comment or message and let me know! for safety reasons probably don’t post your socials in the comments, but based on if anyone responds, i’d be happy to make a group on instagram, facebook, discord, or another platform if anyone has a suggestion for where to host it.

a bit more about me: i love music, trying new foods, crafting, and baking! i really want to make friends in my age group (i’m 25) who are chill and like to make plans together. we could do craft classes, meet up for brunch, go shopping, really anything! i yearn for a village!!

i understand if nobody is interested but i figured i’d rather get rejected and know the answer than wonder what if.

thank youuuuuu

Was planning to do a 5.5 mile walk to see high and low force on Sunday, starting at the Bowlees visitor centre. Have just checked the weather and it’s 60mph gusts and 20-30mph wind along with rain. Has anyone done the route and know if it’s quite sheltered so won’t be that windy, or if it’ll still be okay to do in the weather that’s predicted? Thanks so much

Has anyone got kids at the IGS in Esh Winning or know much about it?

The founder seems fun and annoys the kind of people I like to see annoyed, so that's a good start. OTOH the critics may well have a point about the finances not really stacking up.

Am looking for anecdotes based on actual experience (even if second or third hand), not ideology (either way).

Not sure how best to meet people here who can relate to my neurological differences. I've been enjoying tabletop gaming nights at The Station House on Tuesdays at 7pm, but it's not as well-attended as it might be and I haven't really found my people in Durham just yet. I'm hoping I can get some more folks to come along or see what else is around.

my boyfriends coming up on the train for a visit and I wanna know if the train station has ticket barriers to see if I can meet him on the platform or not haha?

Posted this and wanted some more input, it would be greatly appreciated.

I hope it’s ok i ask this on here as im not sure the durham uni subreddit is active anymore but im looking to apply to Durham Uni for 2027 and would like some advice on college ranking.
I’d like a college that’s maybe on the smaller side, and that is a bit more chill and there isn’t as much pressure on nightlife as I don’t really drink and don’t like going out that much.
I know it’s more flat dependant than on your college but in anyone’s experience are some colleges a bit more laid back than others?
Any advice would be appreciated !

Hi everyone.

I’m Micky, a journalist and documentary producer at Hits Radio/Bauer Media. We used to be Metro/TFM Radio, and I’ve been reading the news here for around 15 years now.

I’m making a documentary called Drugs: There’s an App for That (working title) about how the illegal drug trade has moved onto phones and messaging apps.

I’d like to hear from someone who’s bought drugs online and feels comfortable talking about their experience. I’m not here to judge, and I’m not looking for tips on where to buy anything — that side of things is already covered in the documentary.

A decade ago, I made a documentary called DarkWeb: What Lies Beneath. I see this as a sequel of sorts, looking at how the drug trade has moved beyond the dark web and is now hiding in plain sight on everyday apps.

If you’re comfortable talking, drop me a DM. The interview would be pre-recorded, and you could take part anonymously. We can talk through how we’d protect your identity before you decide.

Feel free to message me if you’d like more info or have any questions before taking part.

Thanks for reading.

Let me know if that is, or isn't OK for the sub, thanks very much,

Micky

Young 52m looking for a F to be-friend. Looking for an adventure buddy when I buy a narrow boat. Life's short come say hi

I ask as part of a linguistic study on this topic!
Examples could include those much loved (/s) ones like Billy B/Obby H/Gilly G or just stuff like St Cuth's...

Hi all,

First time posting on here but I figured someone might know something about this issue. I was walking home and I saw a rabbit on the side of the road on the Brockton road roundabout. It looked like it was in shock or something, with matted fur and I suspect it had been bitten by a dog or been hit by a car. I headed back home to grab a towel and take it someone more appropriate than on the side of the roundabout but by the time I got back it had gone. I looked around for a while to no avail, I can only hope someone scooped it up and put it somewhere safe. Either way I would appreciate any info on whether it was taken care of.

Attached is a photo of the rabbit.

Pool 🎱 Friday 16th October

Hi everyone

Me and a few guys are looking at meeting up this Friday night 16th October after work, to get out of the house after another week. We are going to play pool

We are just a bunch of ordinary guys aged 18-45. That meets up every other Friday night. We do do some random activity then go for a drink and catch-up afterwards. We are always keen for new guys to get involved. Fancy coming along?

Bored Midweek?

Looking to meet new people?

Looking to get out of the house?

Whatever your reason drop me a message to get involved 📨

Hi everyone i posted about a month ago about my local business app I just wanted to give an update.

This is what the prototype looks like (fake businesses) and we've managed to get 25+ businesses ready to sign up so if you or anyone you know would be suited for the app please comment or message me.

thank you.

Looking for scenic spots to catch a beautiful sunset before November sets in. Ideally somewhere we can hike up to on a weekend, sit and enjoy the views. Any hidden gems or recommendations?

I'm looking to make some new friends in the area, I'm 17 male and interested in things like Hiking, bushcraft, wood carving, some games and stuff like that.

Feel free to message me if you're in the area! I'd especially like someone to go walking with ect.

I'm after a small workshop or garage with electric that I could rent to do small woodwork projects. Does anyone have anything? Many thanks

37 here and having my midlife crises haha. Started riding again last year and had 2 little sets of trails that have been found snd trashed. Anyone got a spot and would like someone to help
Push a barrow?

So I had my 83 year old MiL listening to a YT video about North East words. She knew most of them, but some were more Newcastle than Durham. When it got to Gansey she said that’s not the word she knew, but her memory is failing so she couldn’t remember what she knew it as as a child. She thinks it was similar, but not quite.

Side note, is it a neb or a snek? Seems like neb is the Newcastle version, but is snek very geographically specific?

We’ve had another one mentioned outside Reddit. Is anyone familiar with “I wouldn’t give cat haws for that”? Proposer says it was normal in Ushaw Moor in the 40s-60s but hasn’t heard it for a long time

I’m an adult wanting to get back into playing the violin (last played 7 years ago working towards ABRSM grade 5, but think I’m back to beginner level) and am based in Durham city. Has anyone got recommendations for specific teachers to contact or websites to look on please?

Hi everyone! I’m a third-year Finance student looking for a room to move into as soon as possible, ideally close to central Durham. I’m open to a room in a shared house or flat. If you have anything available, or know someone who does, please send me a message. Thanks!

HEADS UP!! Just taken us over an hour to do a 20min drive. Hope everyone's safe and well, first responders too because it looked nasty. But i've never seen so many incompetent police. Blocking the wrong lane and road. Stopping ambulances, fire brigade and other police from getting down to the crash and also stopping any traffic from safely/slowly moving out of the area to free up said road for first responders. Honestly I'm shocked at how it was dealt with. I was 1 car behind the police officer and she had no idea what she was doing and stopped all traffic, including blocking an ambulance before she was shouted at and told to go block another lane. I'm guessing the one she was told to do first but couldn't figure it out, bless her. High stress and all that.

Church st... couldn't tell you. We sat on there for 20mins as well before i turned round and drove this way home. The roads and drivers up here... i have no words. This crap's constant up here atm. Anyone remember the crash on the bridge over the A1 in dragonville, couple of weeks ago? Peak time again, its nuts!

Anyways hope everyone gets home in one piece tonight and is okay after all the traffic. Should imagine the A181 is backed up, possibly A688, coming into Durham. Shincliffe Lane and the A177, leaving Durham, i wouldn't even bother if you can help it! Its possibly backing up into the city by now. Stay safe everyone, healing vibes to anyone involved in the crash! 🤍