You have 0 items in your cart
Please download a pdf to view or click on the tabs below.
ABM CIO Constitution
Complaints Policy
Complaints Information Collection Form
Equal opportunities, discrimination and diversity policy
Social Media policy
The Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (ABM) makes every effort to provide a high standard of service and to treat all service users equally and fairly. Through the nature of our work, we often support new families at vulnerable times and it is important to us that we do so sensitively and appropriately. We continuously try to improve our services and we value any feedback that will help us to do this. Let us know how we’re doing: comments, compliments, and complaints.
The ABM will review all comments, feedback and complaints, and our feedback procedures on a regular basis. This helps us to develop the best services that we can, so please let us know what you think.
Compliments and Comments:
If you are happy with a service you have received from the ABM, or have any comments, we would love to hear from you. There are several ways you can do this: you can speak to one of our volunteers, or email or write to us.
Complaints:
We also want to know if there is any part of our service that you are unhappy with. We take all feedback seriously and we will take action when appropriate to do so. All complaints will be dealt with in a timely and professional manner. We may share details of a complaint with relevant parties e.g. our National Breastfeeding Helpline partners if it will inform future learning and procedure, but will respect the confidentiality of all parties involved.
How to make a complaint: The first thing to do if you are unhappy about any aspect of our work, or the conduct of any of our volunteers, is to bring this to our attention. Ways of doing this include phoning the administrator, emailing, or sending us a private message through our Facebook page.
What you can do to help us deal effectively and quickly with your complaint: Contact us as soon as possible giving clear details so we can endeavour to resolve the issue. Specify clearly what it is that you wish to make the complaint about.
Including the following details will help us to effectively and quickly investigate your complaint:
What we promise to do to help resolve your complaint:
Your complaint will be dealt with in a professional and confidential manner.
Your complaint will be assigned quickly to the most appropriate person to deal with the complaint, who will investigate the matter fully and communicate regularly with you until the issue has been resolved. In the first instance, the complaint may be assigned to the relevant Regional Co-ordinator, or our Training Co-ordinator. In the case of complaints of a serious nature, or where this first-line resolution has not been successful, a complaint will be passed to a ‘complaints team’, typically consisting of the ABM Chair, Training Co-ordinator and another Central Committee member. Whenever possible, at least one member of the complaints team will be someone who does not personally know the person about whom the complaint has been made.
How and when we will respond:
We will acknowledge any complaints within 5 working days of receipt. You will receive a full response to your written complaint within 15 working days.
Contact details:
E-mail: admin@abm.me.uk
Website: abm.me.uk
Telephone: 08444 122 948
The Association of Breastfeeding Mothers is committed in its aims which are laid down in the Constitution, namely – ‘to promote the physical and psychological health of mothers and children through education in the techniques of breastfeeding, irrespective of whether they are members of the ABM or not, and to advance the education of the public, especially those persons concerned with the care of children, on the health benefits, both immediate and long-term of breastfeeding’.
We aim to achieve this, with due respect of all social groups and the following characteristics that are protected by the Equality Act 2010
Reasonable adjustments will be made in terms of disclosed disability.
We will not discriminate against individuals on the grounds of protected characteristics or social groups.
Membership to the ABM is open to all individuals regardless of their protected characteristics. As an organisation that is responsible to its trustees and with respect to its charitable status, the ABM will act within the constitution of the organisation, and may disallow membership to an individual or take other disciplinary action against someone who cannot follow its aims, should the Central Committee decide that this is the appropriate action.
We are a UK charity and our insurance and governance will affect the geographical scope of our work.
Training as a peer supporter or breastfeeding counsellor is open to mothers who have breastfed for 6 months because we are a peer support charity. However we have alternative training available to those who are not mothers and/or who have not breastfed.
Our training and development fund also offers opportunities for ABM volunteers to further their training when they may have financial barriers for doing so.
The ABM has a complaints procedure. Should any discriminatory practices arise within the ABM and be brought to our attention, it will be the subject of our complaints procedure.
Beyond that, as an organisation, we are mindful of the fact that discrimination can be unconscious as well as present obviously and consciously.
It is also appropriate that we reflect on our publications, social media activity and wider messages to encourage a diverse membership wherever possible.
Our central committee collects data on the make-up of our volunteers to have a better understanding of the groups we represent – something that can be hidden because of the nature of our training and support.
Revised Feb 2017 EP and LM
The purpose of this policy is to support ABM breastfeeding counsellors and peer supporters in navigating the world of social media and to better understand how they can combine their role within the ABM with a social media presence. The ABM Central Committee are conscious that many of our members are experienced in social media and we are confident many of the statements will be practice that comes as second-nature to them as a result of their ABM training.
An ABM peer supporter or breastfeeding counsellor should be aware of both the limitations and opportunities presented by social media. It is a place where many mothers feel comfortable sharing their breastfeeding experiences and difficulties. It is a place where ABM breastfeeding counsellors and mother supporters may be able to offer support in a range of different ways. When online, ABM breastfeeding counsellors and peer supporters should continue to be conscious of the need for:
Some scenarios:
Kathy is an ABM breastfeeding counsellor. She administrates a local Facebook group page that is affiliated with her breastfeeding support group. On the group, she encourages mothers to talk about their problems and share their experiences. Her role is more that of a facilitator on a daily basis. She occasionally directs a mother to information and offers direct support and encourages them to come to her group for a follow-up wherever appropriate. Mothers are aware of who she is personally. The group is closed so Kathy feels more comfortable with using her normal Facebook profile.
Naya is an ABM breastfeeding counsellor. She is an admin for a large national (and partly international) Facebook page that is related to breastfeeding. She posts on the page using an admin identity which is not connected to her personal Facebook profile. She works with a team of colleagues to carefully ensure she does not become overwhelmed by the 24-hour nature of the site and she has opportunities for rests in her admin rota.
Susie is an ABM breastfeeding counsellor. She is an active member of a parenting forum. She has posted on it for many years and considers many of the members to be her friends. She has benefited from support during some difficult personal crises. She does not make public on the forum that she is an ABM breastfeeding counsellor as she prefers to continue to use the forum to speak personally and informally, sharing her personal experiences and speaking on a range of political issues. She some-times offers breastfeeding support on the board. Some of her closer friends are aware of her role within the ABM but she prefers not to add it to her signature or make it a focus of her membership on the site.
Tiana is a Peer Supporter and is training to be an ABM breastfeeding counsellor. She is a member of a parenting forum. In her signature on the forum, she states that she is an ABM mother supporter. She posts on the breastfeeding board offering information and support and signposting carefully. She switches on her ‘mother supporter’ head whenever she is on the board and finds posting is a worthwhile and rewarding experience.
Sally is an ABM breastfeeding counsellor. She uses her Twitter account to talk about her daily life and hobbies. Her bio does mention that she is an ABM BFC. When she does support other breastfeeding mothers, she ensures she fulfils her role as an ABM breastfeeding counsellor. Sometimes this means supporting mothers via email or private messaging to allow for a fuller conversation or greater privacy for the mother.
Sam is a Peer Supporter. She was an admin of a national parenting forum. Unfortunately the directors of the forum decided to accept sponsor-ship from a non-WHO code compliant company. They went ahead with this despite strong protests from Sam and some other members. Sam has now left this forum and supports elsewhere online.
Updating
Safeguarding Policy – Oct 24