Health Visiting
Health Visitors, What We do.
Health visitors are registered nurses or midwives who have additional training in community public health nursing. They provide a public health service based on best evidence of what works for individuals, families, groups and communities; enhancing health and reducing health inequalities through a proactive service for all children between the ages of 0-5 years and for vulnerable populations targeted according to need. Health visiting is a proactive, universal service that provides a platform from which to reach out to individuals and vulnerable groups, taking into account their different dynamics and needs, and reducing inequalities in health.
How does it work?
Sandwell's Health Visiting team work with families, parents and children offering support and informed advice from the antenatal period until your child starts school at 5 years. They work in teams based throughout the Sandwell area.
The team includes:
- Health Visitors Nurses
- Nursery Nurses
- Administration
- Specialised Staff Team Leaders
The wider team includes Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust. They visit our families, parents and children at home, in group settings or see them in clinics.
Families from all walks of life may need support for specific issues that affect their children’s health wellbeing and development, so the actual service provided to each family will vary according to a personalised assessment of their own needs and evidence of what will work for them.
- We believe that the key to your child’s health and wellbeing starts with you and the Health Visiting team will offer practical and individual advice on your health and wellbeing. They will also share health and wellbeing advice depending on the latest global, national and local evidence.
- They promote health by providing information vaccinations and the right vitamins. We encourage breastfeeding but the team will also help with formula feeding. They also promote safe sleep for babies to avoid Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and talk about keeping homes and cars safe.
- We want parents to be sensitive and responsive in their caregiving, creating a loving environment for their child's wellbeing. Child development is important especially speech, language, and communication skills and good early childhood experiences provide the building blocks for the rest of your child’s life. At this contact the Health Visitor will take a full set of measurements and complete some milestone checks for your baby to ensure they are growing and developing well.
- Mental health for parents is very important and we will focus on your mental health a little more on this contact, so they will check in on how everyone is feeling and provide the correct support if something isn’t right.
- If there are concerns about domestic abuse, safety or wellbeing concerns, we will provide information, guidance and help.
- They support and empower parents to build strong relationships with their children and offer advice and guidance depending on the latest evidence.
- They will also encourage and empower you to attend local classes and activities based on your individual needs.
New Birth Visit
- We believe that the key to your child’s health and wellbeing starts with you and the Health Visiting team will offer practical and individual advice on your health and wellbeing. They will also share health and wellbeing advice depending on the latest global, national and local evidence. For babies, they promote health by providing information about vaccinations and vitamins. We encourage breastfeeding but also help with formula feeding. We also promote safe sleep for babies to avoid Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and talk about keeping homes and cars safe.
- We want parents to be sensitive and responsive in their caregiving, creating a loving environment for their child's wellbeing. Child development is important especially speech, language, and communication skills and good early childhood experiences provide the building blocks for the rest of your child’s life.
- Mental health for parents is very important, the Health Visiting team will check in on how everyone is feeling and provide the correct support if something isn’t right. • If there are concerns about domestic abuse, safety or wellbeing concerns, they will provide information, guidance and help. • They support and empower parents to build strong relationships with their children and offer advice and guidance depending on the latest evidence. Dads and other family members are important too, and we encourage them to share their experiences in discussions about pregnancy and birth.
6 – 8 Week Contact
- We believe that the key to your child’s health and wellbeing starts with you and the Health Visiting team will offer practical and individual advice on your health and wellbeing. They will also share health and wellbeing advice depending on the latest global, national and local evidence.
- They promote health by providing information vaccinations and the right vitamins. We encourage breastfeeding but the team will also help with formula feeding. They also promote safe sleep for babies to avoid Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and talk about keeping homes and cars safe.
- We want parents to be sensitive and responsive in their caregiving, creating a loving environment for their child's wellbeing. Child development is important especially speech, language, and communication skills and good early childhood experiences provide the building blocks for the rest of your child’s life. At this contact the Health Visitor will take a full set of measurements and complete some milestone checks for your baby to ensure they are growing and developing well.
- Mental health for parents is very important and we will focus on your mental health a little more on this contact, so they will check in on how everyone is feeling and provide the correct support if something isn’t right.
- If there are concerns about domestic abuse, safety or wellbeing concerns, we will provide information, guidance and help.
- They support and empower parents to build strong relationships with their children and offer advice and guidance depending on the latest evidence.
- They will also encourage and empower you to attend local classes and activities based on your individual needs.
