A Staffordshire mum is praising a county council initiative that provides timely email advice for new parents.
Steph and husband Matt, from Stafford, are first-time parents to 9-month-old Isla. The couple signed up to the Hungry Little Minds Staffordshire campaign, which encourages parents to read to, chat to and play with their baby from the moment they’re born. They are the 8,000th family to have signed up to the scheme.
Launched in 2020, the scheme provides personalised emails to parents twice a month, with advice on key actions they can take with their child at each age and stage.
Even after only a few emails, Steph says that the support has made a huge difference and boosted her confidence as a first‑time parent.
Steph said:
“We’re really pleased that we signed up for the campaign and it’s nice to know we’re doing the things we should be doing and at the right time.
“As a parent, you always want to be doing the best for your child and making sure they develop in the best way, and the Hungry Little Minds emails are such a life saver for that. They provide great advice and reassurance and remove so much anxiety, giving you a lot of confidence.
“Matt and I are really looking forward to receiving more advice for when Isla gets older and more great suggestions for different things to do with her. We now know about Baby Bounce and Rhyme at our local library and definitely will be taking Isla when she’s the right age.”
Nicholas Lakin, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“We’re incredibly proud of our Hungry Little Minds Staffordshire scheme, which is proving to be such a valuable tool for parents in guiding them on the best ways to help their child grow up and develop.
“Making sure children get the best possible start in life is our priority and reaching 8,000 sign‑ups is a fantastic milestone for us. If you’re a new parent and you’ve not joined yet, you can sign up on the website and start taking advantage of the advice, tips and ideas.”
Further details are available on the Hungry Little Minds campaign webpage.
