ICON Week 2026: Supporting Parents, Protecting Babies

When a baby’s crying becomes overwhelming, a 
few moments can make all the difference. That’s 
the message at the heart of ICON Week 2026, a 
national campaign helping parents and carers 
cope with infant crying and keep babies safe.
The ICON programme is built around a simple 
message: Babies cry, you can cope. While crying 
is a normal part of a baby’s development, it can 
sometimes feel stressful and exhausting. ICON 
provides practical advice and reassurance for 
families during these challenging moments.
This year’s ICON Week focuses on improving 
engagement with fathers and men and promoting 
consistency and quality in the delivery of the 
ICON programme. The campaign recognises 
the important role of fathers, partners and 
male carers, while encouraging health and care 
professionals to share best practice and deliver 
clear, consistent messages.
 
Dr Suzanne Smith, nurse, health visitor and 
founder of ICON, said: “Persistent infant crying 
can be stressful and exhausting for any parent 
or carer. ICON Week is about reassuring families 
that they are not alone and reminding them that 
support is available.”
The ICON message is simple:
 I – Infant crying is normal and will stop
 C – Comforting methods can help
 O – It’s OK to walk away if  the baby is safe and 
the crying feels overwhelming
 N – Never, ever shake or hurt a baby
Find out more and access resources 
at www.iconcope.org.
To support ICON’s work helping families 
and protecting babies, please donate 
at www.iconcope.org/donate

Published on 27 August 2026