Who are health visitors?

Health Visitors are specialist public health practitioners who have expertise in child development and family health. All children until 5 years of age have a Health Visitor. They are qualified nurses who have a specialist qualification in community health and have knowledge about adult and child health promotion and education.

What to expect

You can expect a flexible service to meet your family's needs, from a service that is delivered from a variety of settings, including your home, clinics and other community venues.

We deliver a service in collaboration with partners to ensure that you can access the best and most suitable advice and support including:

  • Children's growth and development
  • Infant feeding, including breast feeding and introducing solid foods
  • Health promotion
  • Emotional health and wellbeing
  • Behavioural challenges, e.g., Sleeping, eating, toilet training
  • Immunisations
  • Accident prevention
  • Relationships
  • Contraception
  • Parenting skills and family support

You will receive a series of core visits from your Health Visitor, however, if together you identify that you have additional needs that require our support, your Health Visitor will offer further appointments outside of the list of core contacts.

Some families require more input that others, and so the Service offered is tailored to each family's needs.

Core contact times

Antenatal contact to all pregnant woman

Birth visits:

  • 10-14 days following the birth of your baby
  • 6–8 week visit
  • 1 year development assessment
  • 2 year development assessment