Health Visiting
Your Health Visiting Service is accredited under the Unicef baby-friendly initiative, which means we have achieved rigorously assessed, quality standards for providing support to all parents for responsive parenting.
Health Visitors are qualified nurses or midwives with a specialist qualification in public health for children, young people and families. They work alongside families offering support and information around parenthood and early parenting, from pregnancy right through to when your child starts school. The service offers support for all parents of all children (0-5), whatever their circumstances.
Out latest Baby & Toddler Hub schedule:
BANES HV Baby & Toddler Hubs – April 2023
Latest News
Baby and Toddler Hub News
Please be aware of the following changes to our Baby & Toddler Hubs:
Tuesdays at Southdown Methodist Church – the Hub will now run from 1.30 – 3.00pm on a weekly basis. This is effective from Tuesday 28th March 2023.
Tuesdays at Paulton Methodist Church – the Hub will now run from 10.30 – 12.30pm on the 1st and 3rd week of the month. This is effective from Tuesday 4th April 2023.
Wednesdays at Orchard Vale Community Hall – the current weekly hub stops on 5th April 2023. It will return on a monthly basis on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11.30 – 1.30pm. This is effective from Tuesday 11th April 2023.
Baby and Toddler drop-in Hubs
The Hubs provide an opportunity for you to meet with a member of the Health Visiting team for advice and support.
Please do not attend a drop-in hub if you or your child are unwell.
Please remember to bring your child’s red book with you.
Please also find a list of low cost BANES Baby and Toddler groups, on the Maternity Voices Partnership Padlet by clicking here
MMR
Uptake of most routine childhood vaccinations has been declining over the past 5 to 10 years. It is extremely important that all babies and children receive their routine vaccinations at the right time in order to give them the best start in life.
Diseases like smallpox and polio have been eradicated in the UK thanks to vaccines.
The MMR vaccine protects against three infections: measles, mumps and rubella. One in 10 children under the age of 5 in England haven’t had one or both of their MMR vaccines which means that measles importations could lead to outbreaks.
Measles can infect around 9 out of 10 non-immune (those who are unvaccinated or have not previously been infected with the measles virus) people exposed to it and can lead to serious complications. The MMR vaccine is the safest and most effective way for parents and guardians to protect their children against measles, mumps and rubella.
Find out more here
Healthy Start Vouchers
🍏🍌🥕Have you received your letter from NHS Healthy Start? If you’ve been invited to apply for your new Healthy Start prepaid card, visit https://bit.ly/3dm0BIg to apply today 😊
Please click here to download our ‘Essential guide to feeding and caring for your baby’.
More useful links here.
More about us
We see all children (0-5 years) and their families who are residents in the Bath and North East Somerset area.
You can expect to receive support from your Health Visitor from birth through to when your child is 5 years old or enters school which includes:
- We will contact you when you are approximately 28-32 weeks pregnant to arrange an appointment for you to meet your Health Visitor, discuss becoming a parent and the local support available for you. These appointments are currently being offered by video, but parents are welcome to request an appointment at home if they prefer.
- A new birth visit. Your Health Visitor will arrange to visit you at home before your baby is 14 days old to support you with feeding and caring for your baby and adjusting to having a new family member.
- A 6-8 week visit. At 6-8 weeks your Health Visitor will arrange to see you face to face to find out how you are feeling as new parents and support you with any questions.
- Next Steps Group – when your baby is 3-4 months old you will be invited to a virtual group. This is a live presentation covering topics such as home safety, oral health and introduction to solids.
- Weekly baby & toddler hubs. Baby & toddler hubs are drop-in sessions which have replaced baby clinics. They offer relaxed settings for families to meet and chat with Health Visitors and other parents and Carers.
- Developmental reviews. These are an opportunity to focus on the health and development of your child with a member of the Health Visiting Team, by video, at home or in one of our community venues. Routine 1 and 2 year developmental reviews take place at 9-12 months and 2 – 2.5 years of age.
If you want to look to see how your baby is developing we have some useful websites for you to look at here.
What can I talk to my Health Visitor about?
With your Health Visitor, you are able to share thoughts, feelings and experiences about being a parent health Visitors have the professional experience to support you through any worries you may have. At the hubs, you can also chat with other parents in a relaxed play environment for your baby. The Health Visiting Team may be able to support you:
- Infant feeding and introducing family foods
- Understanding your baby’s behaviour and how they are developing
- Adjusting to becoming a parent
- Family life and difficulties such as postnatal depression
- Healthy choices such as lifestyle, eating or immunisations
- Home safety, discussing housing concerns, domestic abuse or child abuse
We work with other professionals and practitioners to support you getting additional expert help if you need it. We can also signpost you to take full advantage of the range of resources that are available to you locally so you can gain support within your own community. We also work closely with local Children’s Centres to promote family activities which help build a strong bond with your child. Children’s Centres offer a range of services, advice and support for Parents and Carers.
How do I access this service?
By phone: You can call your Health Visiting team at any time during office hours (9am – 5pm). All teams have an answering machine where you can leave a message during times when nobody is available to take your call.
In-person: You can drop into any of the baby & toddler hubs across Bath & North East Somerset – See above.
Contact Us
If you would like any support or advice about the health and wellbeing for your child or yourself from your Health Visitor please contact your local Health Visiting Team whose details are below and also in your child’s red book
Parkside Team: 01225 831829
Bath South Team : 01225 831694
Keynsham Team: 0117 9461076
Chew Valley Team: 01225 613887
Somer Valley Team: 01761 408358
Learn more about the HANDi app here – a local app providing expert advice on common childhood illnesses.
“There's lots of different toys for the children to play with very friendly and helpful staff and other mothers to talk to.”
