Health Visitors are nurses or midwives, who have had specialist training in child development and health promotion. We support families to prevent illness and promote good health.
We provide a family focused service to support you and your family to have a positive start in live until your child turns 5 years old. Working with the community to ensure our service is accessible to all.
The team are supported by Community Staff Nurses and Community Nursery Nurses, who are highly trained practitioners in child development.
Together with Health Visitors, we deliver the universal elements of the 0-5 Healthy Child Programme for families with children aged 0-19 years and up to 25 years for those children and young people with special needs.
The Healthy Child Programme (HCP) is a public health programme for children, young people, and families, focusing on early intervention and prevention including:
Your first interaction with a member of the team is likely to be an Antenatal visit. Congratulations, your midwife will have let us know you about your pregnancy and we will reach out to let you know about our services when you are between 28-32 weeks pregnant.
New Birth Visit: After you have given birth and have settled back at home, a Health Visitor will come to visit. This usually take place between day 10 -14 post-delivery but may take place up to 21 days after your baby was born. During this appointment the health visitor will ask how you, your partner, family, and baby are feeling. We will provide any information, advice and support you may require about caring for your new baby.
6-8 Week Review:Between 6-8 weeks, a Health Visitor will visit again to see how you are getting on. This appointment will also give you chance to talk about some of the things you spoke about at the new birth visit again. The health visitor will also talk to you about activities you can do with your baby and changes you will see as they develop.
12-month Review:Around the time your child turns 1, we will contact you with an appointment to review your child’s development. Ahead of the appointment, we will ask you to complete a questionnaire about your child’s development to date.
But please remember, all children progress at their own pace and your child does not need to be able to do everything in the questionnaire.
Integrated 2 1/2-year Review (All About Me @ 2):When your child is between 2 - 2.5 year’s, we will arrange for another appointment to check your child’s development. In Worcestershire, this review done in partnership with your child’s early year’s setting (childminder, nursery, preschool or playgroup). The ‘All About Me @ 2’ integrated review, is carried out by, both a member of the health visiting team and your child’s early year’s setting. The checks from both settings help to ensure that your child’s developmental needs are met, and any support is put in place if any issues are identified.
Usually, the only times you will meet with a member of the team is at one of the visits listed above. However, the Health Visiting team is a totally parent led service and support is still available to help you and your family until your child reaches 5 years old.
If your child is under 5 years old and you can always call our Telephone Advisory Service (TAS) on: 01905 520 032, which is available Monday – Friday from 9am-1pm to discuss any concerns you may have and you can always call our 1 simple number on: 01905 520 032, to discuss any health and development concerns you may have regarding your child.
Our Health Visitors work closely with the Safeguarding Children's Board and Integrated Safeguarding Team to ensure that all Children and Young People within our area are safe and cared for.