Vision, Mission and Strategic plan

The strategic plan is built around four connected pillars that describe how we will create change.

Reaching more parents focuses on ensuring that all mothers and parents can access trusted, compassionate breastfeeding support when and how they need it. ABA will continue our core in‑person and Helpline counselling, grow antenatal education, and help parents connect with their local ‘village’. We will strengthen our partnerships with health professionals and services so more women are supported from pregnancy, and we will embed accessibility, translation, and inclusion across all platforms—particularly for priority communities.

Championing change recognises that breastfeeding outcomes are shaped not only by individual effort, but by workplaces, health systems, policies, and social attitudes. ABA will continue to educate health professionals, resource organisations and businesses, and advocate with governments to improve breastfeeding information, services, and support. We will build cross-sector alliances to create lasting, system-level change for mothers, parents, and babies.

Empowering our people places volunteers, trainees, and staff at the heart of our impact. ABA’s peer-support model is a celebrated strength, and this plan commits to valuing, developing, and supporting all our people. We will continue to invest in volunteer recruitment, training, leadership development, flexible volunteering pathways, and succession planning, while broadening cultural diversity so our workforce better reflects the communities we serve. A strong, supported, and connected team enables better outcomes for families.

Enabling impact is about building the foundations that allow ABA to thrive. We will strengthen our evidence base, listen closely to the lived experiences of mothers and parents, and build a vibrant, inclusive membership community. To remain sustainable, we will diversify funding, modernise our systems, and invest in seamless digital infrastructure. We will also respond thoughtfully to the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, taking a values-led approach that keeps human connection at the centre of our support.

The Australian Breastfeeding Association is Australia's peak body for breastfeeding information, education and support.

Through the provision of practical mother-to-mother peer support, up-to-date and evidence-based information and continuing education for health care workers, ABA helps hundreds of thousands of families each year on their breastfeeding journey. 

Internationally recognised, ABA also works to affect policy and societal change to make it easier for mothers to successfully breastfeed for as long as they choose to. 

Our services include membership for mums and their families, and membership for health professionals, a state-of-the-art online information hub, a 24-hour Breastfeeding Helpline, LiveChat, mum2mum app, an informative website, local support groups, antenatal classes and numerous print and digital resources. ABA also provides resources to support breastfeeding friendly communities, including Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace accreditation, Baby Care Room recognition and the Breastfeeding Welcome Everywhere recognition program.

Around 800 volunteers are involved in the delivery of our services. ABA's qualified breastfeeding counsellors and educators have completed a Certificate IV in Breastfeeding Education and the majority are mothers themselves who have breastfed their own children. 

ABA is a Registered Training Organisation offering nationally-recognised courses to those who wish to become qualified counsellors and educators and to health professionals caring for breastfeeding women and babies.