Health Visiting Support

Tuffley Thursdays 9.15am – 11am, The Oaks Children’s Centre, GL4 0RN.

Kingsway Mondays, 10am-12pm, Drop-in, The Beacon Children’s Centre, Quedgeley, GL2 2BS.

Longlevens Tuesdays, 2pm – 4pm, Drop-in, Longlevens Holy Trinity Church, GL2 0AJ.

Saint Pauls Wednesdays, 9:30am – 11am, The Lighthouse Children’s Centre, Linden Road, GL1 5HE

Bartongate Wednesdays, 1.30pm – 3pm, Drop-in, Bartongate Children’s Centre, Sinope Street, GL1 4AW.

Abbeydale Thursdays, 1.30pm – 3pm, Drop-in, The Link Hub, Matson Avenue, GL4 6BE.

Kingsholm Friday 1.30pm – 3pm, Drop-in, Kaleidoscope Children’s Centre, Kingsholm, Sherborne Street, GL1 3DN.

Brockworth Tuesdays, 10.30am – 12pm, Drop-in, Coopers Edge Community Centre, GL3 4DY.

Brockworth Wednesdays, 9am – 11am, Drop-in, Brockworth Children’s and Family Centre, GL3 4JL.

Up Hatherley Mondays, 2pm – 3.30pm, Drop-in, Up Hatherley Library, GL51 3BW.

Shurdington Last Monday of the Month, 2pm – 3pm, Drop-in, Shurdington Community Centre, GL51 4TB.

Gardners Lane Tuesdays, 1pm – 2.30pm, Drop-in, Gardners Lane Children Centre, GL51 9JW.

Hester’s Way Wednesdays, 1pm – 2.30pm, Drop-in. Hester’s Way Children’s Centre, GL51 0ES.

Charlton Kings Wednesdays, 10am – 11.30am, Drop-in, Charlton Kings Library, GL53 8AR.

Oakwood Fridays, 10am – 11.30am, Drop-in, Oakwood Children’s Centre, GL52 5QH.

Cinderford Mondays, 2pm – 4pm, Drop-in, Hilltop Children and Family Centre, GL14 2QA.

Lydney Tuesdays, 2pm – 4pm, Drop-in, Health Visiting office (Building next to Lydney Hospital) Stonebury, Grove Road, GL15 5JE.

Sedbury 2nd and 4th Friday of every month, 9am – 1pm, Town Gate Surgery, Chepstow NP16 7AA. To book please call: 0300 421 8693

Coleford Wednesdays, 9.30am – 11.30am, Drop-in, Coleford Health Centre, GL16 8RH.

Newent Thursdays, 9.30am – 11am, Drop-in, Holts Health Centre, GL18 1BA.

Minchinhampton 2nd Tuesday of every month during term-time, 9.15am – 10.15am. Minchkins Toddler Group, GL6 9JJ. To book call: 0300 421 8278

Nailsworth Last Friday of every month during term-time, 10am – 11am, drop-in. Arkell Centre, GL6 0BG.

Sharpness Hub 3rd Wednesday of every month, 10am – 11am, drop-in. Sharpness Village Hall, Oldminster Road, Berkeley, GL13 9NA.

Stonehouse Every Tuesday, 1pm – 3pm drop in. Stonehouse Clinic Baby Hub, Off High Street, GL10 2NG.

Stroud Every Wednesday, 9.30am – 11am, drop-in. Stroud Community Clinic, Field Road, GL5 2JB.

Stroud 1st Thursday of every month, 10am – 11am, drop-in. Cashes Green Community Centre, GL5 4NR.

Stroud 2nd Friday of every month, 10am – 11am, drop-in. GL11 Community Hub. GL11 5JS.

Stroud Last Friday of every month, 12am – 1pm, drop-in. Chalford Sports and Social Club, Highfield Road, GL6 8LZ.

Tetbury 1st Tuesday of every month, 1.30 – 3pm, drop-in. Tetbury Library, Close Garden, GL8 8DU.

The Vale Hospital Every Thursday, 9.30am – 11.30am, drop-in. Lister Road, Dursley, GL11 4BA.

Wotton-Under-Edge 1st Wednesday of every month, 10am – 12pm, drop-in. Keepers Community Hub, Symn Lane, GL12 7BD.

Winchcombe 2nd Tuesday of the month, 10am – 11.30am, Drop-in, Winchcombe Library, GL54 5PZ.

Churchdown Wednesdays (term-time only), 1pm – 2.30pm, Drop-in, Parton Manor Children’s Centre, GL3 2DR.

Brockworth Tuesdays, 10.30am – 12pm, drop-in, Coopers Edge Community Centre, GL3 4DY.

Brockworth Wednesdays, 9am – 11am, Drop-in, Brockworth Children’s Centre, GL3 4JL.

Tewkesbury Wednesdays, 10am – 11.30am, Drop-in, Noah’s Ark Children’s Centre, next to Queen Margaret’s School, GL20 5HU.

Bishop’s Cleeve Thursdays, 12.30pm – 2pm, Drop-in, Bishop’s Cleeve Library, GL52 8NN.

Blockley First Thursday of every month 9.30am -11.30am, Drop In, (Term Time Only), Blockley Toddlers, Jubilee Hall, GL56 9BY.

Bourton-on-the-Water Every Thursday, 1.30pm – 3pm, Drop-in, Bourton Library, GL54 2AZ.

Cirencester Every Tuesday, 1pm – 3pm (term-time only), Drop-in, Opportunity Group, Beeches Road, GL7 1BW.

Fairford Every Tuesday, 1pm – 3pm, drop-in, Fairford Hospital, GL7 4BB.

South Cerney First Thursday of every month, 9.30am – 11.30am, Drop-in, Fenton’s Community Centre, GL7 5WL.

South Cerney Third Thursday of every month, 9.30am – 11.30am, Drop In, Duke of Gloucester Barracks, GL7 5RD.

Mickleton Second Tuesday of every month 9.30am – 11am, Drop In (Term Time Only), Mickleton Baby & Toddler Group, Chapel Lane, GL55 6SD.

Moreton-in-Marsh Every Wednesday 2pm – 3.30pm Drop In, Moreton Library, GL56 0DR.

Upper Rissington Third Thursday of every month, 9.30am – 11.30am, drop-in, Little Hurricanes, GL54 2QW.

BadgerNet

BadgerNet replaces handheld paper notes and provides an online portal and an app where you can access your maternity records via the internet through your PC, tablet device or mobile phone. The information that you view is generated in real-time from the hospital-based maternity system, using details entered by your midwife or other health professionals involved in your care. This allows you to have more convenient and timely access to key information and also ensures that your choices on what you want to happen at each stage of your pregnancy are clearly captured so all those caring for you can see them. Please speak to your midwife about accessing BadgerNet.

The Real Birth Company Digital Programme

The Real Birth Digital Programme is a birth preparation course like no other.  You will be guided through explanation and videos that show the amazing changes that take place for you and your baby as you give birth.  You will learn about the different options and choices you can make in many birth situations, too.  There are also massage and breathing techniques for you to practice.

Postnatal information

Gloucestershire Hospital’s midwives have developed a postnatal information film designed to let you know what to expect in the first weeks of your baby’s life including feeding, sleeping, mental health and other important safety messages.

They are working hard to reduce the increased risks that affect people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds during pregnancy. Watch this film to find out more>

Our health visiting service has been awarded UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Accreditation Stage 3 and your Health Visiting team can help with your infant feeding journey.

The Breastfeeding Network (BFN) and Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Supporters Network (GBSN) offer local breastfeeding peer support and counsellors at group settings and by telephone / text.

Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Supporters Network also runs specific sessions for expectant parents to find out more about breastfeeding.

Breast Feeding Support Groups

Forest of Dean and Gloucester areas:

• Gloucester CRIBS – Wednesdays 10am – 12 noon, GL3 Community Hub, Cheltenham Road East, Churchdown, Gloucester, GL3 1HX

Cheltenham:

• Hester’s Way BAPS – Tuesdays, 10am-12noon, Hester’s Way Children’s Centre, Dill Avenue, Hester’s Way, Cheltenham, GL51 0ES
• Gardiner’s Lane GLOBES – Fridays, 10am-12noon, Gardner’s Lane Children’s Centre, Gardner’s Lane, Cheltenham, GL51 9JW

Stroud area:

• Dursley MOBS – Monday 10am – 12 noon, St James Parish Hall, St James The Great Church, Broadwell, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 4JE
• Stroud MOBS – Thursday 10am – 12 noon, Rodborough Community Hall, Butterow West, Stroud, GL5 3TZ

Tewkesbury area:

• Tewkesbury BABES – Wednesdays 10am – 12 noon, Wheatpieces Community Centre, Columbine Road, Walton Cardiff, GL20 7SP

Cotswolds area:

• CirencesterBEST – Thursday 10am – 11.30am,Coffee@Oddsocks, 2 Elliot Road, Love Lane Industrial Estate, Cirencester, GL7 1YS

Useful information

• The National Breastfeeding Helpline is open 9.30am to 9.30pm. Call: 0300 100 0212.
• Lots of information on breastfeeding can be found on the NHS website.
• Here are some short films from four mums who decided to breastfeed their babies. These films will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about breastfeeding and how to do it successfully.
• UNICEF– Breastfeeding resources and information
• NHS Start4Life– Brestfeeding resources and information
• This Mum Can Glos– A series of webinars featuring local professionals, Health Visitors, and Breastfeeding Groups, presenting topics related to Infant Feeding which can be viewed on YouTube here.
• Gloucestershire Maternity Voices Partnership is made up of volunteers who represent the voice of women and families from all communities and cultures to inform improvements in local maternity care. Watch a live Q&A focusing on infants over four weeks old here
• La Leche League Cotswolds is comprised of leaders Geraldine and Georgia (Accredited Breastfeeding Counsellors) who provide online support, video calls and house visits. Their group runs every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at Nailsworth Library from 10.15am to 12 noon, and in-between they run a Facebook group (LLL Cotswolds) where mothers can access support either through posting on the wall or sending a private message. Mothers are encouraged to check meeting updates or ask for one-to-one support on the LLL Cotswolds Facebook page, or to email: lllgbgeraldine@gmail.com or to call 07481 944280.
• The Barnardo’s Virtual Family Hub Digital Infant Feeding Support Service – also known as GIFT (Gloucestershire Infant Feeding Support Service) is bookable via this link
• UK Drugs in Breastmilk Advisory Service free helpline: 0116 258 6491 Email: enquiries@nhs.net
• CRIBS – Churchdown Breastfeeding Support Group Wednesdays, 10am-2pm, GL3 Community Hub

Pregnant or recently had a baby and in need of emotional support? 

Having a baby is a big life event, and it’s natural to experience a range of emotions and reactions during and after your pregnancy. But if they start to have a big impact on how you live your life, you might be experiencing a mental health problem.

Your Health Visitors are skilled listeners – talk to us. We can support and signpost you to other relevant resources. Find out more about the mental health support and services for pregnant women and new mothers in Gloucestershire.

Positive touch When you visit a hub, ask your community nursery nurse or Health Visitor about the benefits of positive touch on emotional health, for both you and your child.

Introducing your baby to solid food should start from 6 months of age. It’s a really important step in your baby’s development.

Other useful links include:

• Public Health England (PHE)’s NHS Start4Life campaign about weaning babies which aims to help parents adopt healthy behaviours during pregnancy, birth and their children’s early years.
• Find out more about healthy eating, vegetarian and vegan diets and vitamins for children on uk
• uk also provides information on formula feeding
• CharityBliss has information on weaning a premature baby
• The Change4Life Sugar Smart app is designed to show quickly and easily how much total sugar is in the things you’re buying, eating and drinking to help you make healthier choices
• Born to Move is a free NHS app to help guide parents or carers on physical activity with their new-born babies, right up to pre-school
• First Steps Nutrition Trustis an independent public health nutrition charity that provides information and resources to support eating well from pre-conception to five years.

Vitamins
There is a new process in Gloucestershire for eligible families to access free Healthy Start Vitamins.

Read NHS guidance on vitamins for children.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. A lack of Vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Read NHS guidance on Vitamin D

Our Health Visiting team is advising people at high risk of not getting enough vitamin D, all children aged 1 to 4, and all babies (unless they’re having more than 500ml of infant formula a day) to take a daily supplement throughout the year as Jaz Choula explains in this short clip.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, help is available. Please talk to your health visitor who will be able to support you and get you the help you need.

Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service (GDASS) offers support to anyone over the age of 16 who has or is experiencing domestic abuse. This includes those going through, or have experienced ‘honour’ based violence, forced marriage, female genital mutilation and dowry crime. This is a free and confidential service and can be contacted on 0845 602 9035

Gov.uk provides guidance on accessing help here>

Our Hope House service provides confidential sexual health services that support healthy relationships and sexual wellbeing across Gloucestershire. Find out more here>

Home safety is an important part of child health. Our Home Safety team works closely with our health visitors as well as children’s centres and other child health professionals to make sure that Gloucestershire’s under-fives are well protected from avoidable accidents.

It can be difficult to tell when a baby or toddler is seriously ill, but the main thing is to trust your instincts. You know better than anyone else what your child is usually like, so you’ll know when something is seriously wrong.

Parents of children with medical conditions are often concerned that their child’s health will deteriorate when they attend an educational setting. This is because pupils with long-term and complex medical conditions may require ongoing support, medicines or care while in a setting to help them manage their condition and keep them well. It is therefore important that parents feel confident that settings will provide effective support for their child’s medical condition and that pupils feel safe.

The Health Visiting Team will offer support and advice upon request to Early Years settings on medical conditions such as Asthma, Epilepsy and Anaphylaxes. Please follow this link which will take you to Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Trust School Nursing page where you will find our policies and guidelines on medical conditions. Along with presentations on Asthma, Allergy, Anaphylaxis & Epilepsy in educational settings. Teaching staff scan also book onto medical awareness remote sessions that are run throughout the year by the School Nursing Service.

NHS.UK provides useful guidance on some of the signs and symptoms of illness in babies and young children and what to do about it here>

Taking children to A&E If your child (age 16 or under) is unwell and needs urgent care, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s specialist children’s services are based at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Find out more here>

All ambulances will take your child to A&E at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Please be aware that there are no specialist children’s services at Cheltenham General Hospital, except between 8am – 8pm when children with minor illness and injury only can be seen.

Alternatives to A&E There are 7 minor injury and illness units (MIIUs) across the county. Find out more here>

Other useful sites and services:

• Find out more about the NHS 111service and when to use it.
• The Red Cross baby and child first aidapp is a great resource and free to download.
• Here is a visual guide to Rashes in babies and children – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
• Want to know more about Meningitis? Click on this link to view a symptom checker for babies Meningitis Symptoms in Babies | Meningitis Research Foundation
• Keeping your baby safe in the sun Keeping your baby safe in the sun – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Starting school is an exciting time for parents/carers and children, and there are things you can do to help make sure your child gets the most out of the experience. Your health visiting team is here to help you feel confident in supporting your preschool child to be ready for school.

In this recording, Community Nursery Nurse Rose Davies presents the Handy Guide to Children’s Communication>

In this recording, Health Visitor Jenny Astridge presents the Handy Guide to Understanding Your Child’s Behaviour>

Is your child school ready? Helping your child get ready for school is very important and how you support them really matters.

National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)

When your child starts school they will be measured as part of the National Child Measurement Programme. This short video explains more about why this is done and why it is important for your child to be a healthy weight. If you have any questions please contact your school nurse team.

Best Start in Life
Is your child starting school soon? Our community nursery nurses and Health and Wellbeing team runs sessions looking at communicating with your child ahead of the move, how your child is feeling, healthy eating and continence top tips as part of the Best Start in Life Project with Gloucestershire County Council.

Contact your nearest Health Visiting team on the details in the map below for more information, or visit Best Start for Life 0-5 years for bitesize videos and leaflets.

Immunisation helps protect against serious diseases including influenza, measles, mumps, meningitis, polio and whooping cough. Once we have been immunised, our bodies are better able to fight these diseases if we come into contact with them.

Ask us about childhood immunisations or visit Immunisation – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) to find information on UK and international immunisation schedules. Alternatively download their visual guide to vaccinations>  

For information about vaccinations for older children, visit our School-aged vaccination page>

Find information and support on how to cope with a crying baby on the ICON website>

All parents and guardians are advised to ensure that young children in their care are taken to see a dentist as soon as their first teeth come through, and before their first birthday. Find out more about Dental Check by One here>

Our dental service provides NHS dental care for people in Gloucestershire who are unable to access treatment from a general dental practitioner. You can contact our dental service on 0300 421 6440.

The BSPD has a leaflet with basic advice and information you might need about oral health: A Practical Guide to Children’s Teeth.

We can help provide advice and support with toilet training and bed wetting.

In this recording, Health Visitor Liz Wells presents the first Handy Guide to Toilet Training>

In this recording, Community Nursery Nurse Sam Witek presents the second Handy Guide to Toilet Training>

Replacement guidelines and charts The following charts are required by the School Nurse team to be completed prior to being offered an initial continence assessment:

• Children frequency volume chart
• Bedwetting record chart
• 14 Day Stool Chart
• Bristol Stool Chart
• What can I do to help my wetting? This information sheet is sent out with the charts for completion

Toilet Training / Continence ERIC is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people with continence problems. It also has information on toilet training. Find ERIC’s website here.

Sleeping is a very big part of your baby and young child’s life, especially during their first year and it is important that they sleep as safely as possible.

We can help provide advice and support to help with sleep, from routines to night terrors.

For further information regarding safer sleeping visit The Lullaby Trust website or Lift the Baby resource. 

Dads in Gloucestershire can prepare for parenthood with a new free app called DadPad

DadPad is an information pack in digital form developed by dads, for dads to help fathers of all ages in Gloucestershire prepare for family life.

This is particularly relevant in a time when access to parental education classes and midwife appointments have been changed or curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The app covers a range of issues, such as how dads can support mums who are breastfeeding, the anxiety and frustrations that come with parenthood, as well as hands-on advice on issues like nappy changing. Its aim is to provide new fathers across Gloucestershire with guidance on how to develop the mind-set, confidence and practical skills needed to meet their baby’s physical and emotional needs.

In addition to general advice, the app is designed to help partners cope with theirs and their partner’s mental health problems during pregnancy and in the period following the birth of a baby. These perinatal mental health issues affect 1 in 5 women and can include anxiety, depression or more severe illness like post-partum psychosis, which can have a devastating effect on families if left untreated. It is also common for new parents to feel a sense of anxiety, which can lead to fathers becoming depressed, particularly if their partner suffers from perinatal mental health problems or where they feel unable to cope.

The app has been funded by two charities, Gateway and the Peter Lang Trust, along with Better Births Gloucestershire and will be rolled out immediately. DadPad can be downloaded for free by going to the App Store or Google Play Store, and entering a Gloucestershire postcode when prompted. A limited number of hard copy versions will be shared with people who are unable to access online resources.

In this short film our Health Visiting Service talks about the Newborn Behavioural Observational (NBO) tool, which can be used on babies up to 12 weeks of age.

Video Interactive Guidance

Ask your health visitor about VIG (Video Interactive Guidance)

Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) can bring positive changes in behaviour by helping you notice the special moments you have with your child.

It is a service that is being offered by VIG-accredited health visitors and VIG trainee health visitors in Gloucestershire. If you choose to take part, they will film you and your child for a few minutes as you undertake an activity that you enjoy doing together.

People are often unsure about seeing themselves on film but nearly everyone is surprised by how good VIG makes them feel. They will then take two or three short clips that shows positive moments between you and your child which you will watch together in your next appointment.

By looking at these clips in detail, you will be able to explore the positive relationship you have with your child and help you discover your strengths and new skills.

The aim is to provide a new understanding of the part you play in building your relationship with your child and to help you do more of what you are doing well. Your clips will only be watched by yourself and the Health Visiting team. The clips will be kept securely until the end of the intervention when they will be deleted. You can request a copy of the clips and share them with others should you like to.

Occasionally we may ask you if we can use your clip for training or presentation purposes.

If you have been involved with our video interactive guide programme which supports maternal mental health and promotes bonding between parents and their babies. Let us know your thoughts by completing the following online VIG questionnaire.

If you have got concerns regarding a child’s safety please go to the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board

If your child goes to an Emergency Department or is admitted to hospital we are notified. We may give you a call to follow this up with further advice and information.