Baby boxes for Surrey families seeking sanctuary

Every newborn baby needs a safe place to sleep. We’re proud to partner with Surrey Heartlands Local Maternity & Neonatal System to provide families who are seeking sanctuary or refuge across Surrey with a secure and cozy space for their little ones to sleep.

At Stripey Stork, we have long supported families experiencing poverty in Surrey but in recent years, Surrey has seen an increasing number of families seeking sanctuary. To best support these families we are making baby boxes available at the four maternity and neonatal units at Surrey hospitals. Baby boxes have been used for over 80 years in Scandinavia as a way of offering a safe place for babies to sleep and these boxes adhere to the first British Safety Standard for baby boxes, so families and professionals can be assured of the safety and quality.

Surrey Heartlands has provided funding for us to provide 250 baby boxes, which we are filling packed with donated preloved and new items for babies such as clothes, towels, toiletries and nappies. The baby boxes themselves provide a sturdy place to sleep and we include bedding and a brand new mattress. Every month around 1,000 babies are born in Surrey hospitals and when a cot or Moses basket is not an option, due to the lack of a permanent place to stay, these boxes provide a simple, safe sleeping space, and they are easy for families to transport and pack.

“These baby boxes will provide a brilliant boost to our families who have the highest needs as we help them to navigate the early days of settling their new baby. We want those who have very little to know that the NHS and our local partners are here for them.

“The baby boxes bring an important safety element to families too. They help parents to provide an area for safe sleep for their newborn baby which is one of the key factors in reducing sudden infant deaths. We are so grateful for this resource.”

– Surrey Heartland’s Inclusion Midwife, Mary Clare Chapman –

Our team of volunteers will lovingly pack each box, adding in little extras such as a toy or comforter as well as essential post birth items for parents. They will then be delivered to key locations including the four Surrey Maternity Units and Neonatal Units, so that they are always available when needed. They will also be offered to referral partners across Surrey who are working with families who are transient or seeking refuge who may not yet have been into hospital.

To make a referral for a baby box please complete the referral form on our website. If you are a family needing support then please visit our website for how you can access our services and get the help you need.