Health Visiting
Health visitors work with all parents to assess the support they need and develop appropriate programs to help give the child the best possible start in life.
They support and educate families from pregnancy through to when your child starts reception class.
Health visitors can offer:
- Support from your family from antenatal through to when your child attends school.
- Support and advice on family health and minor illnesses.
- Home visit’s which may include advice on feeding, introduction to solids, healthy eating and dental health.
- A physical, emotional and developmental check to ensure your child is reaching their full potential.
- Providing families with specific support on subjects such as postnatal depression.
They also work closely with other professionals including nursery nurses, family support workers and nursery’s to provide the best service for your child.
The type of support can include:
- Referring families to specialists, such as speech and language therapists.
- Arranging access to support groups.
- Organising practical support, for example- working with a nursery nurse on the importance of play.
- Offering advice and further information on housing issues, benefits, training and education.
Health visitors are also trained in recognising risk factors, triggers of concern, and signs of abuse and neglect in children.
Contact Information
Useful links
HealthForUnder5s
For healthy happy early years.
www.healthforunder5s.co.uk
Healthy Start
With Healthy Start, you get free vouchers every week to spend on milk, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins.
healthystart.nhs.uk
Solihull Approach to Parenting
The Solihull Approach is based on the original work of Hazel Douglas who has led teams of practitioners and parents to develop the ‘Solihull Approach’. The sound and well-researched ideas that underpin the ‘Approach’ are embedded in every aspect of our ‘Understanding your child’s behaviour’ groups and courses.
solihullapproachparenting.com
Institute for Health Visiting
On our ‘For Families’ page, you will find links to what health visitors do and important online Sources of Support. You will also find iHV Parents Tips which you can download. These are helpful factsheets covering key areas of caring for your child, such as breastfeeding and weaning, health and immunisation, development and behaviour.
ihv.org.uk
‘Birth to Five’ book
This book provides information on caring for children up to five years old and contact details for useful organisations. It is available to new parents resident in Northern Ireland through primary care services (antenatal clinics, GPs or health visitors).
publichealth.hscni.net
Ages & Stages Questionnaires
The Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ) Third Edition is a questionnaire designed to help parents check their child’s development.
osp.uoregon.edu
NHS
Services and support for parents.
nhs.uk
My Walsall
Walsall children’s and young people’s service directory.
mywalsall.org
Emotional Health and Wellbeing
Provides information and support to the people of Walsall on promoting emotional resilience and ways to protect our wellbeing.
healthywalsall.co.uk
Ready Steady School
infantandtoddlerforum.org
nhs.uk/livewell/5aday
nhs.uk/livewell/goodfood/
eric.org.uk