​​​​​How Your Health Visitor Can Support You and Your Family

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• Support for parents and families from pregnancy until a child is five years old

• Advice on newborn care, feeding (breast and bottle), and establishing routines

• Guidance on weaning and healthy eating

• Support with infant sleep and managing crying

• Monitoring of child development and growth

• Help with behaviour and emotional development

• Advice on immunisations and minor illnesses

• Support for parental mental health and emotional wellbeing

• Screening for postnatal depression

• Support around issues such as domestic abuse or safeguarding concerns

• Health and development reviews at key stages (new birth visit, 6–8 weeks, 1 year, 2–2½ years)

• Signposting or referral to other services like speech therapy or specialist health teams

• Help with accessing local parent groups and early years services

• Home visits and clinic appointments as needed

• Promotion of safe environments for children and families​

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Baby Clinics. At a baby clinic, health visitors offer a range of support and services focused on the health and development of babies and young children: 

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• Weighing and measuring your baby to monitor growth

• Health and development checks at key stages

• Advice on feeding, including breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and weaning

• Support with sleep, crying, and establishing routines

• Guidance on baby’s physical and emotional development

• Information on immunisations and managing minor illnesses

• Support for parental mental health and wellbeing

• Answering questions and addressing concerns about your baby

• Signposting to other services if additional support is needed

• A chance to talk about parenting and any challenges you may be facing

• You can contact your Health Visiting Team’s duty desk and request information about their baby clinics.​​

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Health Visiting Duty Desks A duty desk in a health visiting service is a point of contact where parents and carers can get advice, support, and referrals when a health visitor is not immediately available for a face-to-face appointment. Here's what it typically offers:

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• Telephone advice and support on child health, development, and parenting

• Information about feeding, sleep routines, crying, and behaviour

• Guidance on common childhood illnesses and when to seek medical help

• Support for parental mental health and emotional wellbeing

• Advice on local services, groups, and resources for families

• Booking or rescheduling appointments with a health visitor

• Answering general queries about the health visiting service

• Escalation to a health visitor or referral to other professionals if needed

• The duty desk is usually staffed by a qualified member of the health visiting team and is designed to ensure parents can access help and information on the same day.​​​​​​​​​