All families with a child under five have access to a Health Visiting Team in North Yorkshire. These consist of health visitors and assistant practitioners/nursery nurses, who are responsible for delivering a series of routine appointments to all families. They also offer additional support to families when needed and can offer practical advice and support on a range of topics related to parenting.
Health visitors
Health visitors are registered nurses who have trained for an extra year to become specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN), working to support families with young children.
We often visit families at home, which helps to build relationships. We aim to help build parents’ confidence in their ability to give their child the best start in life and listen carefully when parents have concerns. We identify and build on what is going well, and provide information to help parents find their own solutions to problems where possible.
Some common areas of discussion are:
- Infant feeding
- Growth and nutrition
- Postnatal depression
- Safe sleeping
- Accident prevention
- Immunisations
- Parenting approaches
- Child protection
- Signposting to other community services
- Managing fever
We work closely with children’s centres and outreach staff to deliver a range of supportive activities for young families in the local area. These may be group activities or one-on-one sessions. In addition, we work with a range of other agencies, specifically health education, social care and voluntary organisations, to support the wellbeing of children and families.
Our services are delivered in a variety of locations including the family home, children’s centres, health centres and GP practices. We also offer telephone support.
Healthy Child Programme
Health visitors lead the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme, which provides five points of contact for all families:
Antenatal visit
From 28 weeks in pregnancy, this visit provides an opportunity for building a relationship with you and your family before the baby arrives.
New birth visit
This visit usually takes place when the baby is between 10 and 14 days old. The aim is to support and develop skills and confidence in new parents by sharing information on family and child health issues.
We will continue to work with you to build a trusting relationship and continue the assessment of your family’s health and wellbeing. We will share relevant information and assess your baby’s progress, responding to any concerns you may have.
Six to eight week health visitor appointment
This appointment continues to develop the parent/health visitor relationship, allowing for an open and honest exchange of information. A good relationship enables parents’ new skills and confidence to be acknowledged and appreciated by the health visitor. We will ask questions aimed at developing parental awareness of postnatal depression and anxiety.
Eight to 12 months, physical and developmental review
This review assessment will be offered by the Health Visiting Team and is often undertaken by a community nursery nurse. The review may be held at home or in a clinic.
Two to two and a half years, physical and developmental review
This review assessment is often undertaken by a community nursery nurse between the ages of two and two and a half. At this review, parents are invited to complete an assessment form with their child. This review may be held at home, in a clinic or in a nursery setting.
Child health clinics
Child health clinics are held in most areas in central points in the community (usually children’s centres, health centres and GP surgeries). These clinics are open to all families. Your health visitor will provide details of days, times and venues.
Additional support
For most of us, bringing up children is the most important job we will ever do. It is very rewarding and often challenging.
Health visitors are here to help when families need additional support. This is not something that all parents will need.
We work individually with families, using a plan of care that we develop together to give all children the best possible start in life. As part of the plan, families and health visitors may work closely with other professionals, including midwives, GPs, hospital staff, children’s centres services and social care.
Working hours
The Growing Healthy North Yorkshire Health Visiting Team can be contacted Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, excluding bank holidays.
Referral
If you are having a baby, your midwife will inform the Health Visiting Service that you are pregnant. A health visitor will then contact you to arrange an antenatal visit.
If you are new to the area, your GP will normally notify the Health Visiting Team. We will then get in touch to arrange a meeting.
If you have a child under five, please contact your Health Visiting Team directly. You can usually find the number in your child’s red book.
If you are over 34 weeks pregnant or have a child under five and you do not know how to contact your health visitor, please get in touch with one of the managers named on this page or ask at your local GP surgery or children’s centre for contact details.
Contact
Single Point of Contact telephone number for Growing Healthy North Yorkshire
A Single Point of Contact telephone number is in place for the Growing Healthy North Yorkshire team.
This telephone number is: 01609 780780
This number is available between the hours of 8am-5.30pm, Monday-Friday. Outside of these hours it will be answered by the Duty Social Care Team.
More information about this service is available at:
https://www.hdft.nhs.uk/services/childrens-services/0-5-childrens-service-ny/