For health visitors, midwives, social workers, family hubs, schools, refuges and anyone else working with a family who needs baby or toddler essentials.
Before you refer
- The child is under two, or the mother is pregnant
- The family lives in [DEFINE THE AREA WE COVER]
- The family knows you are referring them and has agreed to it
We need the family’s consent because we will hold their details, and because a bag of baby clothes arriving unannounced is not always welcome. You know the family; we do not.
What we need from you
- Your name, role, organisation and a contact number or email
- The children’s ages, and clothing sizes if you know them
- What the family actually needs — be specific, it saves a round trip
- Whether they need nappies, and which size
- Whether the family can collect, or whether we need to deliver
- Anything we should know about timing
Please do not send us case notes, medical history or safeguarding detail. We do not need it and we would rather not hold it.
What happens next
We confirm to you within [X WORKING DAYS] and tell you what we can supply. We then arrange collection from [COLLECTION POINT] or delivery, whichever suits the family. We deal with you, not directly with the family, unless you tell us otherwise.
What we can supply
Clothing and footwear, nappies and toiletries, feeding equipment, bedding, prams and carriers, books and toys, bathing and changing kit, and maternity essentials. Subject to what has come in — we are a baby bank, not a warehouse.
What we cannot supply
- Second-hand car seats, cot mattresses, bottles or teats — where used is not safe, we buy new or we do not supply it
- Formula milk [CONFIRM TRUSTEE POSITION — most baby banks do not supply formula, for good reasons]
- Prescribed equipment, medicines or anything requiring a clinical assessment
- Cash
Make a referral
[REFERRAL FORM TO BE ADDED — pending a trustee decision on how referral information is stored and who can see it.]
Until the form is live, email chair@avonvalleybabybank.org.uk with the information listed above. Please do not include the family’s full address in the first email — we will ask for it once we have confirmed we can help.
Information you send us
We keep referral details only for as long as we need them to pack and deliver the bundle, and for [RETENTION PERIOD] afterwards. Our privacy notice sets out the detail. If your organisation needs a data sharing agreement before referring, ask and we will sort one out.