Health Visitors

Here is information from our colleagues in the HV Team about what is available for our families.

Our mandated contacts: We offer all families with children under 5 the following Healthy Child Programme contacts to assess health and development and provide advice and support: Antenatally, 10-14 days after birth, 6-8 weeks postnatally, 9-12 months of age, 24-30 months of age. We discharge children at their 5th birthday, and we do a notes review at that time.
Our groups: We run “Early Days” postnatal groups for first time parents. Parents are personally invited to these at their new birth visit, or 6-8 week contact. They are either virtually or face to face. “Marvellous Me!” groups at 6 months, nearly 2 years and 3-4 years are run virtually to allow as many parents to attend as possible. Parents are given information about them at HV contacts and there is also information via our HV webpage. Our specialists HVs for perinatal mental health run virtual groups for mothers with low mood and/or anxiety and this is complemented by a monthly evening group for dads and partners. We also run enhanced feeding clinics across the county by our health visitors with additional specialist knowledge of breastfeeding, these are by appointment only and mothers are referred by their HV team. We run appointment only and drop-in well child clinics across the county. If parents don’t have the info in their red book, they can contact our ChatHealth ParentLine on 07312 263081. See group info here:
Our groups - Health Visiting ServiceHealth Visiting Service (oxfordhealth.nhs.uk)
Developmental Reviews:  All children are offered a health and developmental review at 9-12 months and 2 – 2 ½ years. The focus of this is different from the review you complete in settings. For children where there are no know vulnerabilities the family will be offered a group developmental review. For children with vulnerabilities a 121 review at clinic or in the home if offered. For the group review: These last about an hour and comprise a group health promotion session led by our team as well as 121 time with one of the team. The 121 time is for reviewing the ASQ the parent has completed and answering any individual concerns about themselves or their child.
How the group works: For example, at the start of the session a few parents would come in and be seen 121 by one of the HV team for between 15-30 minutes, then another group of parents will arrive and there will be a half hour group health promotion and Q&A session with all those parent together, led by the HV staff. The first set of parents then leave and the parents who arrived for the group health promotion talk then have their individual 15-30 minutes 121 time with one of the HV team. The group is run by two members of staff, usually a nursery nurse and a staff nurse. All children with vulnerabilities are seen individually by the health visitor, either at home or in the clinic setting. The developmental review is much more than only the parent led ASQ, we also cover a variety of health promotion advice, age related health or development subjects, parental well-being, as well as assessing vulnerability and parent/child dynamics. Speech, language, communication and school readiness are an important aspect of these groups. To join a group, please email: CNNgroups@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk