Today marks the start of ICON Week 2026 (21-25 September), a national campaign which encourages professionals and organisations to work together to support families and prevent abusive head trauma in babies. The campaign recognises that crying is a normal part of infant development, but that prolonged crying can be stressful and overwhelming for parents and carers. The campaign promotes a simple but powerful message: Babies cry. You can cope. Never, ever shake a baby.

Over the course of the week we will be exploring:

• Infant Crying is Normal
• Comforting Methods Can Help
• It's OK to Walk Away
• Never, Ever Shake a Baby

This briefing series is designed for professionals working across health, education, children's social care, early help, family hubs, police, and voluntary and community sector organisations. Throughout the week, we will explore the four key ICON messages and consider how we can use every contact with families to promote understanding, support and safeguarding. We will also share videos, resources and practical tools that can be used with parents, carers and wider support networks, helping to ensure consistent messaging across services, reduce parental stress, increase understanding of infant crying and ultimately contribute to keeping babies safe.