NCT in Wales

About 32,000 babies are born in Wales each year. All parents with a young child and those expecting a baby are welcome to use NCT services, whether or not they are members. Over the next few years, we are hoping that we’ll be able to support even more parents in Wales.

NCT members and branches

Wales is governed by the Welsh Assembly and has its own health and social care policies. The population is spread between urban areas and more remote rural areas, including lots of valleys. Correspondingly, the 10 NCT branches in Wales are varied. The largest is Cardiff with 254 members and the smallest is Cangen Ceredigion with 8 members. There are also branches in Monmouth, Gwent West, Vale and Valleys, South West Wales, Denbingshire, Aberconwy and Colwyn, Flintshire and Wrexham. In total, there are 751 NCT members in Wales.

Branches support families with antenatal classes, infant feeding support, and opportunities for new parents to meet socially. NCT Nearly New Sales, where branches sell used baby equipment, are our most popular events. There are 31 breastfeeding counsellors, antenatal teachers, and students supporting parents in Wales.

Campaigning

NCT volunteers, user representatives, and specialist workers are working hard to support parents in Wales, including contributing to policies such as the Welsh National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services and the All Wales Clinical Pathway for Normal Birth. The Welsh Government appointed an All Wales Breastfeeding Coordinator and NCT volunteers are involved in developing the Breastfeeding Strategy for Wales.

Wales also has three Maternity Services Liaison Committees (MSLCs), to help ensure parents are involved in planning and developing pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood services. In England and Scotland, each hospital trust usually has a Maternity Services Liaison Committee, but in Wales these committees serve whole regions, which gives them a much wider scope. The NCT has representatives on all three regional committees. Other user groups are also being set up for local maternity units and at an all Wales level.

Achievements

One of the things that we are most proud of in Wales is our focus on providing families with a choice of where to give birth. An All Wales home birth group has been set up to help achieve the target of a 10% home birth rate by 2007. Wales has also set up a number of birth centres to help more women give birth in homely, midwife-led environments. In fact, Caerphilly Birth Centre received an NCT Better Birth Environment Award in 2005. All maternity units across Wales are now using the NCT’s Audit Tool to help improve the birth environment. A survey of local women throughout Wales is taking place in 2006, based on a survey designed by the NCT.

NCT branches in Wales offer every expectant family or new parent social activities, support, information, and a chance to volunteer, train and develop. We’re also campaigning for better birth services and more homely birth environments. We hope you will join us.