Baby Friendly Gold 

As a department we are very proud to be accredited by unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) as Baby Friendly Gold, by meeting the Achieving Sustainability University standards. We were first accredited as  Baby Friendly Gold in September 2022 and were successfully revalidated in September 2025. This departmental achievement builds on our sustained progress since 2011, when our pre-registration midwifery education was first accredited as Baby Friendly, by meeting the evidence based unicef UK BFI midwifery education standards.  

As a Baby Friendly Gold for the Department of Health Department, we support public health and human rights for babies, mothers, parents, primary caregivers and families aligned to the unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative, with its focus on infant feeding and the development of close and loving relationships to enable all babies to get the best possible start in life. 

Implementing the unicef UK BFI Achieving Sustainability University in our department goes beyond providing high quality evidence-base education for our midwifery students. Being accredited as Baby Friendly Gold as a Department supports our university's strategic vision as  university for public good, our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and our sustainability agenda.

As part of our progression activities we are proud to support local, not for profit York organisation Treasure Chest Breastfeeding Group (York), hosting their monthly antenatal breastfeeding workshops in our university library. You can find out more and sign up here.

Our Baby Friendly Gold is led and implemented by our BFI Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the midwifery education team, departmental colleagues and students. To find out more please email our BFI Lead: Prof Helen Bedford.