Can we remind donators that we are a self referal baby bank and baby and child foodbank. There are many other baby banks but Mothers need a referal from a health practitioner to access and run the risk of being reported to social service. Many of our Mothers have reported to us that after they ask for a referal from a health practioner social services come knocking at their doors asking to check their cupboards for food ect. This puts our Mothers off asking for help. I AM A QUALIFIED HEALTH PRACTIONER, I can make the decision if Mothers need help. I trust my Volunteer Managers to help Mothers. We work on a self referal good will basis. When I was training to be a nurse at Cardiff University I went out on placement with the health visitors. My mentor was an older, wiser health visitor with life experience. She told me she doesn't report every little thing back to social services because she needed her Mothers to trust her and come to her with every little or big problem. That's the best advice I took away from my nursing training. And that's why we are a self referal baby bank and child and baby foodbank, because we don't need a 'middle man' and we can focus on the most important aspect. Helping other Mothers provide security for their children without the finacial implications or social services rocking up at the door. Mothers want and need help from other mothers not referals. Please choose wisely who you donate too.