CLAPA (Cleft Lip and Palate Association) is a UK-based charity supporting over 20,000 individuals, including parents and healthcare professionals, affected by cleft lip and palate. They provide essential resources such as specialist feeding equipment through Welcome Packs to newborns with cleft conditions. 

These packs address a significant challenge faced by many babies with cleft conditions, who often cannot create a vacuum to suck, making feeding difficult. Without proper feeding equipment, babies may struggle to receive adequate nourishment, causing distress and anxiety for parents.  CLAPA is the only organisation manufacturing and distributing this specialist equipment in the county and without it babies would need to be fed with a spoon or cup.

ALMT funding will supply 213 Welcome Packs (supporting around 639 parents and babies) and offer ongoing support to families living in the most deprived areas of the UK. The packs alleviate feeding challenges, reduce parental stress, and connect families to long-term support networks. Success will be measured by the number of packs distributed and the positive impact reported by recipients.

The Welcome Packs are tailored to the unique needs of babies born with cleft conditions, and also contain guidance on how to access ongoing support services provided by CLAPA (Cleft Lip and Palate Association). This service is essential because babies with cleft conditions often face significant feeding challenges before any corrective surgeries can be performed. Without the right bottles and teats, feeding can become a source of anxiety for parents who are already managing a newborn with medical needs. 

In addition to providing these initial packs, the project also addresses the ongoing needs of families. CLAPA has identified that families from the most deprived communities are particularly vulnerable to challenges in affording specialist feeding equipment required as their babies grow.