Our health visiting and school health teams provide a public health service to children, young people and their families, with a focus on early intervention and prevention, as well as promoting both physical and social well-being. We provide practical help, advice and support.

We provide core interventions through a programme as set out in the ‘healthy child programme’. Our teams work within the community and schools and also work in close partnership with children’s centres and other services that provide care to children, young people and families.

Health visiting

Our health visiting teams, led by a qualified health visitor, work directly with families with children under five years, supporting families and children by detecting and intervening where there are health issues, referring to other services where appropriate and providing advice on a range of physical, social and emotional health issues. We also undertake regular development reviews of children and support parents/carers in all aspects of parenting.

School health

Our school nurses work closely with their health visiting colleagues and are primarily involved with children from the age of 5 to 19 years. We offer health promotion activities in the school setting for children and their parents. We are also available to support families around the health needs of their children, and to support the young people themselves, if appropriate. We undertake immunisation programmes within schools.

Our health visiting and school nursing teams are supported by specialist practitioners, who support the service where there are more complex health issues, specifically in relation to parenting and mental health.

For the disabled children in Treetops & Beacon Hill specialist provision

Providing specialist advice and support to carers, families and staff. These schools are part of an evolving plan for the social inclusion of children and young people with the most severe and complex special educational needs. Providing specialist training, advice and support to other professionals involved in the child’s care within the education setting