Hospital-based children's services standards

Baby Friendly standards are now available for hospital-based children’s services

Update (April 2025): Planning meetings and Stage 1 assessments now available to book 

Following a successful piloting process for the Baby Friendly standards for hospital-based children’s services, we are pleased to announce that planning meetings and Stage 1 assessments are now available to undertake for any hospital-based children’s service who wishes to implement the standards. Please get in touch with the Baby Friendly office at [email protected] to arrange this for your service.

About the standards for hospital-based children’s services

The Baby Friendly standards for hospital-based children’s services build upon those for maternity, neonatal and community services and universities and have been developed in response to calls from health professionals, voluntary sector workers and parents to improve care around infant feeding and relationship building.

The standards are applicable to all hospital settings providing care for babies under one year of age and/or any baby or child who is breastfeeding beyond one year of age who requires hospital care outside of maternity and neonatal services. They have been produced alongside an associated audit and assessment tool following review by an expert consensus group and an external consultation.

Download the guidance document on this page to learn more about the new UNICEF UK Baby Friendly standards for hospital-based children’s services.