Digital information service, free parenting classes and relationship support all announced by Government
Today has seen the launch of a new service from the Government to help support parents and parents-to-be.
Parents can now access the NHS Information Service for Parents, which aims to provide advice and info on pregnancy, birth and caring for a baby. It will also give parents the opportunity to sign up for free email alerts and text messages, which promise to provide tailored information at different stages of pregnancy and early child development.
Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health, commented: “We all want to give our children the best start in life. But sometimes, particularly for first-time parents, bringing a new baby home can be a daunting as well as a happy experience.”
Andrew said, “That is why we are determined to help people become more confident in becoming a parent – from pregnancy to the start of their children’s lives. From now on, this new information service will be at parents’ sides to support them in the first stage of their child’s journey, guiding them with relevant information and first-hand experience from other parents.”
The Government initiative also includes two pilot schemes. One plans to offer free parenting classes to parents of children aged 5 years and under in three trial areas across the UK. The other is to help provide relationship support and counselling for first time parents in four trial areas from the summer.
