Health Visiting

• Before your home visit you may find it helpful to make a list of any questions or concerns about yourself or your baby. Please have your child’s red book available and if possible inform your midwife when your Health Visitor is visiting.
• Please put any dogs in another room before you open the door. They are sometimes confused and may react unpredictably when visitors wear masks.

• Video appointments may be offered, using a secure NHS site, alongside face to face New Birth and Six Week Contacts, and if requested by parents and carers as an alternative to face to face 9-12 months and 2 year developmental reviews. You can also request a video contact for advice and support relating to yourself or your child. To book a video contact with a member of the Health Visiting Team, please phone your local team on the numbers provided.
• Antenatal groups are being held by Health Visiting. Those that are 26 weeks pregnant will be sent an SMS inviting you to book into these sessions.

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. Find out more in this .pdf leaflet>

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.

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 here>

Whilst we encourage users to undertake treatment with the support of a health professional there are external websites that may be of interest. The National Institute for Health Care & Excellence (NICE) is a one-stop resource, with access to most of the international freely/openly available, evidence-based or informed perinatally adapted interventions. Click here>

Positive touch When you visit a hub, ask your community nursery nurse or Health Visitor about the benefits of positive touch (also known as baby massage) on emotional health, for both you and your child. Click here for a Handy Guide on positive touch>

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 and have developed a Handy Guide to Sleep .pdf leaflet which provides extensive advice and resources on the management of infant sleep, from routines to night terrors.

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

We have been awarded UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Accreditation Stage 3 for our Health Visiting Service.

Local support The Breastfeeding Network (BFN) and Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Supporters Network (GBSN) offer local breastfeeding peer support and counsellors at group settings and by telephone or text. If you live in Gloucestershire and would like help with breastfeeding, give a call or text 07936 391 085 with your name and postcode to find out if there’s a BfN Supporter working in your area. Where there is no BfN support available, they will let you know about other local breastfeeding support groups

• Find out more about Breastfeeding Network groups here
• Find out about Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Supporters Network – the website includes information on groups and one-to-one video call support
• Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Supporters Network also runs specific sessions for expectant parents to find out more about breastfeeding. Find out more here
• 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
• Watch these short films from Best Beginnings featuring four mums who decided to breastfeed their babies here These films will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about breastfeeding and how to do it successfully.
• UNICEF has a wide range of breastfeeding resources and information here
• NHS Start4Life has breastfeeding resources and information on their website here
• This Mum Can Glos is 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
• UK Drugs in Breastmilk Advisory Service has a free helpline: 0116 258 6491 or email: enquiries@nhs.net
• La Leche League Cotswolds is comprised of leaders Geraldine and Georgia (Accredited Breastfeeding Counsellors) who provide online and in-person support. Georgia also takes some local calls and house visits.
  Their group runs every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at Nailsworth Library from 10.15-12pm, 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. You can also email lllgbgeraldine@gmail.com or call 07481 944280, to request support.
• 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

GHC Handy Guides

• The Handy Guide to Infant Feeding PowerPoint has been developed by the Gloucestershire Health Visiting team to help support breastfeeding – it looks behind the science of breastfeeding along with positioning and links to resources.
• A Handy Guide to Infant Feeding Problems has been developed by the Gloucestershire Health Visiting team to help take you through common feeding issues such as thrush, colic and reflux, milk allergies and mastitis.

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.

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.

Our Gloucestershire Home Safety Check Scheme visits homes throughout Gloucestershire and offers free, friendly advice on any issues that they identify to minimise the risk of accidents for families with under 5’s.

They can identify what safety equipment may be required, which they can also supply and fit. A wide range of items including fire guards, stair gates and window locks are provided at low cost, and there is no charge for the fitting. They also work with medical and social care professionals, charities and voluntary agencies to provide equipment free of charge to families in need.

• Information about child car seats is available from Think!
• First aid information is available from the Red Cross here>

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 to our 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 can 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 111 service and when to use it.
• The Red Cross baby and child first aid app 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)

The Health Visiting Service is now providing drop-in and appointment-only community baby hubs across the county. Please choose a locality in the ‘Services in your Area’ map at the bottom of the page for a list of drop-in and appointment-only hubs in your area. Please note that last entry to hubs will be 10 minutes before the closing time.

• All 9-12 month and 2 year developmental ASQ reviews are being offered as face-to-face appointments in Covid-Secure clinics. If you have not yet received an invitation, please contact your local team.

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

Important update regarding Steps Ahead:

Steps Ahead sessions will be coming to an end from 31 March 2023. 

Steps Ahead was set up to provide support, advice, and activities for families with children born during the height of the pandemic, aiming to reduce the impact of lockdown on babies and toddlers. The project was intended to be active for a short period of time, and we have achieved so much since the launch in April 2022.

The county council, our providers and the staff at your local groups are pleased to have been able to support you and your family. We understand this project has had a positive impact for you and other families, and this news may be disappointing. There are lots of other options available around the county for children and families, and we have produced an information booklet to help you. 

If you would like to join another group or activity, we hope our information booklet will help you to find out what’s going on near you. Printed copies will be available for you to look at, and there is also a version available online on the Steps Ahead webpage.

We would like to hear your feedback to help shape future services for Gloucestershire’s children and families. If you would like to send us feedback, or share your Steps Ahead experiences, please email stepsahead@gloucestershire.gov.uk  

Thank you for being involved in the Steps Ahead project. 

More information for Steps Ahead Partners
Aspire Foundation
Targeted Family Support Services
Gloucestershire County Council Steps Ahead webpage

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, 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>

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. Take a look at this school ready guide for families, produced by Gloucestershire County Council.

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: Gloucestershire County Council’s website for bitesize videos and leaflets.

• Handy Guide to Communication – PowerPoint Presentation
• Handy Guide NCMP – School-ready PowerPoint Presentation
• Handy Guide to Understanding Behaviour – PowerPoint Presentation

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.

Health visitors are supported by a specialist team of public health nurses (PHNs) and community nursery nurses (CNNs), who are skilled in working with families and children who may present with specialist educational needs (SEND).

They are trained to identify developmental delays and the early detection of health problems which may impact on your child’s development.

The overall aim is not only to provide key health messages to improve health outcomes, but to provide early intervention and support for your child and family.

If your child’s needs are more complex, your health visitor and PHN can play a key role in bringing together local services that can support your child and family.

Our designated clinical officers (DCOs) provide a point of contact for local authorities, schools and colleges, who need advice or support about health for children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Find out more about this role, about Gloucestershire’s Graduated Pathway of Early Help and Support, about SEND and the Graduated Pathway here>

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 a member of your Health Visiting team about childhood immunisations.

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>

The Social Communication and Autism Assessment Service (SCAAS) is made up of clinical psychologists, paediatricians, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists. It offers assessment of social communication to understand if a child is on the Autism Spectrum. More details are on our website here.

Gloucestershire Maternity Voices is an independent organisation, working with the NHS to help improve maternity care locally. If you would like to give feedback around your maternity experience, join as a member, or find out more about what it does, please click here to visit their website

The Aspire Foundation works with partners to offer a range of services, some are accessible to all families with young children and some are in place to support those with specific needs. Aspire Foundation currently provides children & family centres and early years settings across Cheltenham and Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire.

Targeted Family Support Services are organisations dedicated to the support of vulnerable children from pre-birth to 11yrs and their families.  They provide solution and outcome focused targeted intervention services for families who may be experiencing issues.

Your Circle – a directory to help you find your way around care and support and connect with people, places and activities in Gloucestershire