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Birmingham, Solihull

Part-time

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BSOL Infant Feeding Lead

Position: BSOL Infant Feeding Lead
Location: Birmingham & Solihull (BSol) – community-based; Trust and public health meetings across the area
Hours: 15 hours per month
Contract: Self-employed (role reviewed March 2027)
Pay: £20 per hour
Eligibility: Lived experience of infant feeding and of accessing maternity or neonatal care
Closing Date: Sunday 23rd November 2025 at 11pm

Birmingham and Solihull Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) is a group of parents (and parents-to-be), service user representatives, healthcare providers, community organisations and representatives, commissioners and professionals from local maternity services who work together to review and develop local maternity care. Our aim is to ensure parents’ voices are heard and placed at the centre when reviewing and designing local maternity care.

The Infant Feeding Lead is the lead contact for their area of engagement, promoting the work of the MNVP and amplifying the voices and views of women and families’ infant feeding journeys. The Lead may chair and attend a range of meetings and events, liaising with service users, communities and service providers to ensure families’ views are represented and play a key part in the design and delivery of infant feeding through maternity and neonatal services.

The Role

•Act as an independent Lead responsible for a pre-agreed geographical area/subject.

•Gather service user feedback, identify themes and represent these views as required by the MNVP.

•Liaise with fellow Leads within BSol and surrounding areas.

•Represent MNVP at Trust infant feeding meetings and wider public health meetings related to infant feeding.

•Maintain oversight of MNVP activities related to infant feeding.

•Network and maintain relationships with community partners connected to infant feeding.

Responsibilities
Contact Point

  • Serve as the contact for your locality: service users and families, existing MNVP members.

  • Link with local professionals – midwives, Health Visitors, Children’s Centres, Early Years provision, Consultants.

  • Engage the third sector – parents’ groups, community groups.

  • Monitor social media and respond to incoming queries.

Representation

  • Promote the MNVP to the public and to those who have used maternity or neonatal services in the last 3 years.

  • Encourage involvement and input to the MNVP.

  • Ensure meetings are accessible; promote engagement and participation.

  • Identify and implement strategies to target specific communities/organisations so MNVP membership reflects the diversity of Birmingham and Solihull.

  • Promote the MNVP to service providers (midwives, obstetrics, neonatal staff, etc.).

  • Promote buy-in to the MNVP from individuals and Trusts.

  • Support co-production and involvement of the MNVP and service users in service design and improvement.

  • Keep reporting forms up to date as required by the MNVP.

Meetings

  • Submit quarterly updates on your work for the MNVP report.

  • Chair and attend MNVP meetings, ensuring stakeholders can and do contribute.

  • Contribute to agenda setting with input from MNVP members.

  • Feed back information and agreements into Trusts via relationships with relevant Trust or Provider links.

  • Feed back system-wide through regular contact with the LMNS Lead.

  • Ensure accurate notes of meetings are taken and distributed/shared.

  • Invite and liaise with guest speakers.

  • Lead on oversight of the Infant Feeding Strategy for BSol.

Volunteer Management

  • Manage and support MNVP volunteers in your area as required.

  • Ensure a through-flow/succession of Leads.

  • Where there are Lead vacancies, lead on the selection process of potential Leads.

  • Support induction and training of new Leads.

  • Provide peer support to newer Leads and Service User Reps.

  • Succession planning – support development of MNVP members and Service User Reps to nurture the next generation of Leads.

Governance

  • Ensure compliance with Equal Opportunities, GDPR, DBS, Safeguarding.

Work Plan

  • Ensure progress is made on any work plan; keep it realistic and regularly reviewed.

  • Actively work towards hearing the voices of a wide range of service users across Birmingham and Solihull.

  • Collaborate and link with Leads as required.

  • Attend LMNS/Trust meetings as required.

Health and Safety
  • Take reasonable care for your own Health & Safety and that of others affected by your acts/omissions.
  • Co-operate with the Company to comply with safety rules and legal duties/Codes of Practice
  • Maintain safe and clean conditions in your working area according to housekeeping standards.
  • Work in accordance with information and training provided.
Required Skills/Experience
To Apply

Please complete the Expression of Interest Form and return to k.raineyhemus@gatewayfs.org.