Be & Feel Loved Case Study - Baby Week 2024
Coventry's Baby Week 2024 demonstrated the city's commitment to creating a nurturing, inclusive, and supportive environment for families, aligning with the "Be & Feel Loved" pledge of the Child Friendly Cov initiative.
By focussing its efforts around connection, inclusivity, and access to resources, Baby Week brought families, partners, and communities together to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life.
Purpose and Intended Outcomes
The Baby Week campaign aimed to:
Enable families to access the Start for Life offer by engaging with Coventry's Family Hubs, health services, and voluntary partners.
Build relationships across the statutory and voluntary sectors to provide a cohesive and connected support system for families.
Promote the importance of the first 1,001 days of a child’s life by hosting diverse events for all families, fostering a sense of belonging and community.
By connecting families with resources, activities, and expert guidance, Baby Week directly supported the Child Friendly Cov vision of ensuring every child feels cherished and valued within their community.
Baby Week Activity
Baby Week in Coventry showcased a rich array of events and activities designed to support families and celebrate early childhood.
The week launched with vibrant celebrations at Coventry Cathedral, featuring Baby Opera, and at the Herbert Art Gallery, where families enjoyed interactive activities alongside Dippy the Dinosaur.
Thematic initiatives included the launch of "Play, Chat, and Read" sessions at local libraries to promote early literacy, multi-language storytelling and music to celebrate diversity, and a World Prematurity Day event at UHCW, which honoured neonatal families and raised awareness about premature births.
Practical support was a cornerstone of Baby Week, with 800 Start for Life bags distributed, containing vital parenting resources, books, and practical freebies.
Fathers benefitted from a dedicated First Aid course, equipping them with essential safety skills, while baby massage taster sessions helped parents bond with their infants.
Together, these events created an inclusive, nurturing environment, perfectly aligned with Coventry's "Be & Feel Loved" pledge to support every child and family in the city.
Alignment with the "Be & Feel Loved" Pledge
The "Be & Feel Loved" pledge emphasises fostering a sense of belonging, inclusivity, and support for all children and families in Coventry. Baby Week 2024 exemplified these principles through:
Inclusivity: Events celebrated Coventry’s diversity, including multi-language storytelling sessions, welcoming families of all nationalities and faiths. By partnering with 20 organisations and businesses, Baby Week ensured a wide reach and representation of the city’s vibrant community.
Cultural Appreciation: Hosting activities at Coventry’s landmarks, such as the Cathedral and Herbert Art Gallery, encouraged families to engage with the city’s rich cultural heritage, deepening their connection to Coventry.
Community Connection: By uniting statutory and voluntary partners, Baby Week showcased the strength of collaborative work, creating a connected and supportive network that benefits all families. The shared experience of wearing Baby Week t-shirts reinforced this collective spirit.
Practical and Emotional Support: Activities like Dads First Aid and Baby Massage not only equipped families with practical tools but also provided safe, welcoming spaces for them to learn and grow together, ensuring that every parent felt included and valued.
Lessons Learned
Collaboration is Key: Partnering with statutory and voluntary services strengthens relationships and improves the connected offer for families.
Inclusivity through Variety: Hosting diverse events ensures that all families, regardless of background or interests, feel included and catered for.
Engaging Local Businesses: Businesses with social responsibility goals are valuable allies in enhancing the reach and resources of community initiatives.
Unified Branding: Wearing the same t-shirts created a sense of unity and helped families recognise the connected services available to them.
Conclusion
Coventry’s Baby Week 2024 embodies the principles of the Child Friendly Cov "Be & Feel Loved" pledge.
By prioritising inclusivity, collaboration, and cultural connection, the initiative fostered a profound sense of belonging and support for families across the city.
Through events and services that celebrate Coventry’s diversity and champion the importance of the early years, Baby Week has strengthened the city’s commitment to its youngest residents, ensuring that every child feels loved, valued, and connected to their community.
