To have found the health visitor visit more like a social worker visit?

[Piffling]

I was reflecting earlier, my local hv team was very poor for my previous dc... In a fluffy useless way though (some are wonderful, I'm just referring to the culture at my local team).

Last week for new dd though the visit felt more like a check up/ risk assessment? Is this the norm now?

Lots of questions with " after baby p I must ask..." " illicit drugs?" ... Binge drink? .... Dv? How's dad? What time does he work? Who helps you on bad days? Plus a in depth questions of other dd's medical appointments (Sn). Even a " physical check" of baby including enquiring about bruising ( none!).

Is this odd? It had such a different tone, I sat there quite bemused after a while. I'm a teacher and cp lead so maybe I recognise questions more so, but it felt like a sw risk assessment.

Whilst I'm not a fan of local hv I've had no negative interaction, bar suggesting I just pop into clinic this time. We're boringly normal in general. There's no further meetings, baby clinic services are decimated, no support, it just seemed like a quite full on check for child protection.

Was it a slightly odd hv I met? Or is this a change others have seen? Last time it was more a chat about feeding etc.

Surely the thing that protects children the most is building up a rapport with the mothers and fathers and being alert (and kindly) in the house? That way people can tell you things and you get access to see things with your own eyes. This is not the right way to find out about child protection issues IMO, especially as visits can simply be refused!

New guidelines in Scotland, where the HV is the child's Named Person, mean 11 separate visits (60-90 minutes long) between the third trimester and school for every single child. Failure to 'engage with professional' would be noted if you refuse under GIRFEC/SHAANARI (sp?) guidelines.

The system will collapse. HV team are stretched now.

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0048/00487884.pdf

I saw a big change this time around, 20 year gap. I didn't mind answering the questions at all, the way I see it is that HV are just doing their job.

When my HV asked about DV I said no but I had previously hit DH with a frying pan, she was but I added that I was only joking

I'm terrible for using inappropriate humour at times just to lighten the mood.

abbsismyhero do you seriously use nursery when you don't want to? Stop! Do what you want to! If the HV/SW has concerns about it you can answer them, eg: socialisation happens out and about with you, shopping and seeing friends and family. You don't need the break just now but will reenrol him should you ever do so. Firm and confident. I am angry that you've been bullied into this!

It is a paperwork exercise to protect HCP's not children in real need, imo.

Mine is very sweet in general but a bit pointless for me - medical background - she's full of well-meaning advice, but it's all very rigid guidelines stuff and she doesn't seem to have the understanding of the evidence around those guidelines so therefore where they would/wouldn't necessarily apply.

I wasn't really comfortable with the open bruise checking either. She wrote in DD1s red book "X was clean and appropriately dressed for the weather". It makes a parent feel under surveillance and I find that alienating. I wouldn't dare discuss anything with her if I was struggling a bit.

So becauase of the above, I find the HV pointless. I've just moved with DC2 due any day and I haven't passed on my new address to them, although I guess they may sniff it out through the GP surgery. I figure if I have some burning question about breastfeeding or nappies or something and can't find anyone else to answer it, I can always call them.

See, I was pretty sure I'd have a few red flags with HVs because I'd moved area twice before DD (now 19m) was 6m so I was pretty prepared for questioning. HVs after first move were quite heavy on the questions, but HV in my current area wasn't - no real background questions asked at the "new to area" thing - until some months later at DDs 10-12 month review when it came up that I had history of depression and anxiety. Immediately, panicked expression, the depression questionnaire came out, and Surestart information lady was dispatched round pretty quickly after as well. I think it probably depends where you are and who you get. I've often found the advice varies too depending on who you see.

What on earth is a pre birth visit? (Or are people referring to a midwife appt?) confused Haven't heard a peep from my HV since DS's heel prick test and he's now nearly 16 months.

Not a clue as it was offered 3+ weeks after my due date!

Second dc is 10 months now and our HV visits were nothing like this. She did mention dv though and gave me a leaflet. DP was looking after toddler upstairs so she could have asked me outright etc but she didn't. I was asked nothing about drink / drugs and baby was given the usual check (weighed with clothes off)

Sounds very intrusive.

I recall at 1 year check with DC1 a recent A&E visit was flagged up. He'd actually been twice (once when he was admitted for 3 nights due to illness and a week later he fell down some concrete steps so we had to get an ambulance to A&E but weren't admitted) but it was only the fall / ambulance visit that HV mentioned.... I felt kind of reassured that it was checked out though. Just a few basic questions - nowt accusatory.