Campaign for CONI

The Care of Next Infant (CONI) programme supports hundreds of bereaved families before and after the birth of their new baby every year. We won’t rest until CONI is in every corner of the country, supporting every baby and every family.

A baby is sleeping and their parent is holding their hand. The baby is gripping their parent's thumb,
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What is CONI?

When a family has experienced the sudden and unexpected death of a baby, the thought of having another child can bring deep anxiety, fear and uncertainty. Many parents find themselves caught between wanting to celebrate their new baby, but feeling the weight and trauma of past experiences. 

No family should have to experience this alone. Families on CONI receive:

  • Regular contact from a trained health visitor to provide listening support and reassurance about their baby’s health.
  • Movement monitors to alert parents if their baby stops breathing.
  • Training in basic life support, giving parents confidence to act in an emergency.
  • Symptom diaries and weight charts to track their baby’s health and growth.
  • Room thermometers and safer sleep guidance for a safer home environment.
  • A ‘healthcare passport’ to make sure their baby is seen by the right professional when unwell.
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From worry to hope - the power of CONI

For many families, CONI offers peace of mind when they need it most. It can transform the early months with a new baby from a time of worry into a time of hope.

Is CONI available in my county?


Use our CONI county checker tool to see if CONI is available in your area.

Please select your county

A mum is looking down at her baby in her knee. A health visitor is next to them, talking to the mother. A cot is in the background.

Why isn’t CONI available everywhere?

CONI is coordinated by The Lullaby Trust and delivered by health visitors. 

We coordinate CONI nationally, but the programme is delivered by local health visiting teams. This means that each local authority or health trust must choose to offer CONI in their area. 

  • We believe every bereaved family deserves access to this specialist support, wherever they live. That’s why we need your help. 
An illustration of four people holding a sign that reads 'Every baby and every family deserves access to CONI'

How you can take action

If CONI isn’t available where you live, or where you work, your voice can change that. 

If you’re a parent or member of the public 

Email your MP in less than 60 seconds using our template below to let them know that families in your area deserve CONI too. If you have your own experience, as a bereaved family member or as a health professional, add that into the letter too – your experiences are powerful. 

If you’re a health professional 

Contact your local health visiting team to make the case for delivering CONI for families in your area. Your professional insight can influence decision-makers, and ensure no bereaved family faces this alone. 

Download our email or letter template copy. 

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Frequently asked questions

Christine with her daughter, Nerice, sitting up in bed.

Christine's story

The CONI programme supported me 25 years ago before and after the birth of my son. I don’t remember my health visitor’s name (our local CONI coordinator) but I do remember her kindness, compassion and understanding. Having the space to talk about my worries and concerns about protecting and monitoring my next child was invaluable.

For my CONI coordinator, it wasn’t her first time hearing concerns like mine. She didn’t try to make it better, but she listened, and knew some of the things that can help. Knowing she was on the end of the phone if I needed her was a mental lifesaver. Having someone who ‘got it’ helped me feel less alone, because grief is a very lonely place even if you’re experiencing it alongside family.

CONI helped me emotionally, but also by providing practical support. I was loaned a breathing monitor and then an under sheet monitor once Owen’s breathing changed a bit, which gave me peace of mind and allowed me to be in the mental space where I could enjoy my new child. It was so needed. I wouldn’t have slept otherwise. I would’ve been emotional wreck.

I am forever grateful for CONI programme.

Christine’s story