Mum and baby group helps migrants feel at home

Idowu Alli and her two-year-old grandson are part of the mother and baby group

A new mums and tots group in Londonderry is helping migrant parents feel less lonely in the place they now call home.

Since January, the group has been operating out of North West Migrants Forum every Friday.

It aims to create support networks in Northern Ireland for parents from migrant, refugee and asylum seeker communities.

"It can be lonely when you're home, all alone," Idowu Alli told BBC News NI.

She takes her two-year-old grandchild to the group.

"It's interactive, and it brings us all together," she said.

"You can have challenges, you don't know what to do but when you come to a group like this, you meet people.

"My grandson knows on Friday he gets to come out and play with other children."

Orpina is originally from Indonesia and attends the group with her daughter, Hazel

Orpina, who is from Indonesia, moved to Derry four months ago from Pakistan.

She brings her 18-month-old daughter Hazel to the group every week.

"We are new to the city so this is such a great programme for us," she said.

"I feel so safe with the health visitors and so helped.

"Sometimes I have a lot of questions and it's great meeting other mums, we can share what do we with our children."

'It takes a village'

Two health visitors from the Western Trust, Donna McNally and Cheryl McElhinney, helped set up the initiative.

"We often say in health visiting, it takes a village to raise a child," Ms McNally told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.

"Often these mummies are coming to Northern Ireland and their family and friends are back home.

"This group is about helping them build that network here."

Ms McElhinney added: "It is about building those social networks and feeling part of the community.

"We can signpost to other parent and toddler groups places to go - it's great for the mums and great for the babies too."

Cheryl McElhinney (left) and Donna McNally (right) are health visitors in the Western Trust

Ms McNally and Ms McElhinney said the initiative had been a real team effort within the Western Trust, with the entire health visiting team pooling resources together, with talks from child health assistants, baby massage demonstrations and advice on weaning and introducing solid foods.

Toys for the group have been funded by the Derry GP Federation.

'Empty jug'

For the health visitors, the group has also become part of their weekly routine.

"A Friday morning is a highlight of our week," Ms McNally said.

"We understand you can't pour from an empty jug.

"It's about looking after the children and looking after the mums as well."

Ms McElhinney said she hopes their group is a model that could be replicated by health visitors across Northern Ireland.

"Baby groups is a health visiting initiative we are developing," she said.

"The focus on the migrant, refugee and asylum seeker community would be really important to develop in other areas across Northern Ireland."