To be confused about letter from health visitor?

[Lottie10000]

Hi,
We moved boroughs in September, registered with the doctor and the children's centre ( we have 2 children one 3, one 4 ) straight away.
Both started pre school here in October, all fine.
Called the doctors last week to book in my daughters pre school jabs as we are moving again to a different borough in March so thought it made sense to get them done before we move.
All booked in for next week.
On Friday we got a letter through the post, written to my daughter ( younger ) not myself, saying
Hi, I am your new health visitor and wondered if I could see you at home on Wednesday 25th feb at 10am. If this isn't a good time please call and we can re arrange, take care.
Whilst I think the letter is rather unprofessional, and she is on annual leave as I've called to ask what it's regarding and the receptionist sounded like she was half asleep, I'm confused as to why at 3 1/2 a health visitor would want to visit us at home.
And why just her and not my older daughter of 4 years 7 months?
We have no concerns, pre school have never mentioned any concerns so a little confused!

Oh duh!! Sorry that's really obvious now!
I'm very shocked it's not something you have to do though, I would have always done them anyway but I thought it was all mandatory

No. Personal choice. What with it being my child and a relatively free country.

Lottie- it doesn't necessarily matter how knowledgeable (or not) HVs are in their field.

Not all parents see a need to ask outside agencies for help or advice in raising their child- especially now we can find out anything we want to know on t'internet. And after you've had a few of the little beggars, you soon learn how to look after a baby anyway.

HVs are for parents of PFBs or families with additional needs if you ask me.

I think I would be wondering why the GP surgery has passed your information to the health visitor without asking or telling you first.

Its routine information sharing. Doesnt break a single code of ethics, data protection or confidentiality.

It does break it if they haven't told you they are going to share the information.

Lol at the relatively free country comment!
I Deffo got the impression they were a must and we never needed advice either we did everything on demand really so not much advice to be given with that!
I remember whenever I've registered with a GP there's been another pink slip for the kids asking if you wish to opt out of health surveillance and if you to, to tick which I never have but guess you can

Thats a fair point saucy
But not all needs are visible to or manageable by parents.
Its perfectly possible for any of us to have a problem or a child with a problem and not see it or not be able to deal with it effectively. And much of the information available on the web is flawed/ not well researched or biased.
The services are there to support best health outcomes for children.
Lots of ppl in the toddler group i go to did not know about vit d supplements for bf mothers for example. My pnd would have gone untreated had it not been for a hv.

Yes they should tell you.
I dnt understand the worry though tbh. You'r registering with a gp, primary healthcar, the hv is primary healthcare. Universal services.

I wonder why people opt out then, is it because it feels like an invasion of privacy?

I gave it a good try, but I've now opted out of the visits.

The first one at my home (when DS was 2 days old) involved the MCHN (Maternal and Child Health Nurse, which is what they are called in the part of Australia I am from) telling me that I should rehome all of my dogs as they would 'kill' my child. My dogs are actually legally qualified to go in to schools/ nursing homes/etc (they have the same certification as a guide dog), so I think they are quite safe under the circumstances (and in the last 3 years since DS arrived on the scene they have done nothing worse than lick him).

The second visit, when DS was five days old, was focused around the MCHN telling me that since I was a single parent that I couldn't possibly manage to parent a child on my own and I needed to beg his father to come back to me. As DS is donor conceived, this was never going to be a suitable solution, but she decided to lecture me in all the ways that DS would be missing out in his life by not having a father.

On the third visit I was quizzed about whether it was appropriate to conceive a child by donor conception and would I be able to pay the bills as a single parent and was I aware that DS was never going to experience a 'real family'.

The 'real family' comment was the end of any official visit.

Goodness was that in the uk? Thats not on.

I'm sorry to hear you went through pnd, I have friends who did and it was awful to watch never mind experience, I hope you are feeling better.
I agree; I thought I was signing up for everything which I was!

Thanks lottie i am feeling much better.

I read it that midnight scribbler was in Australia rather than the uk although I may be wrong!