To think that this text is not a replacement for a health visitor?

[CuteOrangeElephant]

I hope this picture is visible.

Health visiting in my area has been completely done away with to the point that there is not even a two year check.

Instead we get the occasional nugget of wisdom via text message, with no ability to reply.

AIBU to think that this is completely unacceptable and will eventually lead to children falling down the cracks?

@CuteOrangeElephant we have none of these. there is a HV check in the first 2 weeks or so, nd there are weigh clinics monthly that you can go to (but are encouraged to oy go if you have concerns). the only weigh babies, nothing else. you stand in line with your baby, undress them while the 2 in front of you are weighted, put on scale, HV reads number, writes in book, next one.

HVs are crap anyways. I have only had awful experiences. Good riddance in my opinion.

It’s a mess and has been clearly cut to the bone. The service with my baby now is so different to 3 years ago. I haven’t had baby no.2 weighed because loads of the clinics have been closed and the one nearest me is now every 2 weeks for 1h30 which clashes with her nap and the queues are crazy. She won’t have a 1 year check. With my first I had home visits. This time I had to drive for 30 mins to get to a clinic that was inaccessible by public transport.

When I found I was pregnant I was so happy to find out that the HV and playgroups centre was a minute walk, I then moved up the hill same area and found out that the other centre was again a minute walk - how lucky that I live so close to both.

Well a month after my son was born both centre have not only removed most of the playgroups but also are nearly closed besides the odd HV drop in.

The cut back are terrible around here ( Surrey), to the point that me and another women on my road gave birth in an ambulances because getting admitted to hospital was impossible, just keep being told to wait and call back.

Health visitors need to focus on children with needs

And how do you think they establish who those children are? That’s literally the point of their involvement.

It would have taken us far longer to recognise DT1’s autism without the 2 year check. Because of his age, diagnosis happened swiftly - older kids need a much lengthier process in our area. We wouldn’t have all the things we do in place, we wouldn’t be anywhere near starting the EHCP process which we are now halfway through.

I’m not uneducated or ignorant but I’m also not a child development expert and I missed the signs until very specific targeted questions were asked. I already knew that DT2 had serious delays following a regression which were being investigated but DT1 was so different - didn’t occur to me that it might be the same diagnosis.

There are so many kids whose ASD isn’t detected until they’re already started school or even later. Early detection can make a big difference.

I must have been very lucky. I first met my health visitor when I was around 37 weeks pregnant, she then came round when ds was a couple of weeks old. He’s now 4 months and I’ve seen her around five times. All visits have been at my house, but there’s a clinic on Wednesday mornings for any issues.

It would have taken us far longer to recognise DT1’s autism without the 2 year check.

I think you were lucky. For us, the HV blocked a referral to paed and Salt and delayed early intervention and diagnosis by well over a year. My child has severe autism and severe LDs. Even at 2 it was clear as day that her development is not normal but according to multiple HVs who were involved, all children are different and should be given time until 3 to see if they catch up.

HVs should be scrapped altogether. nothing else.

DD's HV was pleasant enough but she actually read from documents she had printed from the internet when giving me advice. She sat and literally read printouts from websites. I couldn't see the point to it all.

DS refused to co-operate at his 2 year check up and wouldn't interact with the HV (different one). After 10mins she said, "never mind I've seen him in action at the play centre with his childminder so I know he can do everything on the list, it's all fine" and that was the end of that. I'd like to think she was just very experienced and so genuinely saw no need to continue.

I have to say ERIC is a brilliant resource in so many ways! I don't think I actually got advice from our HV on potty training.

My HV came round with a booklet on weaning he claimed he'd "written": copied from the internet; all purées, no BLW, and a recipe for homemade rusks?!

Then announced "and you'll have to night wean at six months" and wouldn't take no for an answer, nor had any helpful suggestions for how to get the baby back to sleep without feeding, except suggesting the children's centre's sinister-sounding "methods".

Also didn't crack a smile when he said don't start with sugary stuff and I said "What, like a Pret almond croissant?"

I’m sorry you had such a bad experience ShiftHappens but saying that HVs should be scrapped altogether. nothing else. because you had a bad experience is counter productive. I’ve had many bad experiences with GPs, but I don’t think the GP system should be scrapped.

There are good and bad HVs of course.

". Although as they aren't mandatory and here the final one is at 6 weeks"
Mandatory for new birth, six to eight weeks, one year and two years.

Sorry that is in England. I see the op isn't.

Saw HV here at newborn stage at home, then 6mo at home. Then a home visit we moved to a new area and reg’d with new dr - to introduce themselves and meet us etc, he was 8 months. 1 year check and 2year check. He’s 2.5. They’ve always sent us appointments and been absolutely great.

So you didn't get a 6-8 week review?

I thought the health visits were such a waste of resources. I'm a highly educated woman with access to the internet - I am far more up to date on the research than a HV and if I need advice I'd ask my mum or the internet.

A drop-in service for people who need it would be much more cost effective.

I was in a different area with my first. No HV support at all. One check after she was born.
Moved to Wales and had my youngest. HV is awesome, she always at the end of phone if needed, does regular visits and checks. Comes out to the house as she knows that’s easier for. So YADNBU!!

@IronicalCallSign health visitors need to have a nursing or midwifery qualification, and be registered with the nmc, plus additional qualifications.

Ref: nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/health-visitor

It's been like that for a good 20 years.

But lots of services now use health visiting assistants for the visits. Under the supervision of a health visitor

So if they said "I'm a health visitor"
They were lying
If they said "I'm from the health visiting team"
They were probably telling the truth

Only one person did home visit. Weighed, heel prick and then rest of time ticked off items on sheets of paper.

Very different to medical check at 6 to 8 weeks by GP. Hips, head etc

A drop-in service for people who need it would be much more cost effective.

No, it wouldn’t. I’m a highly educated woman too, but disorders are complex things and you need the specific assessments in order to screen for them. That’s the entire point of the 1 and 2 year checks. Being educated doesn’t prevent you from having an ND child or guarantee you’ll pick up on it. You’re constantly surrounded by people telling you not to worry, they’ll get there in their own time, etc. I’m glad I didn’t just listen to all the other highly educated women I know and actually listened to the people who are trained in assessing these things.

As Deady points out, things are very different in Wales. In England the service has been cut to the bone, HVs are no longer employed by the NHS, local authorities have taken over their management and due to all the cuts the LA budgets they have unmanageable workloads. In Wales things are much better - we are still employed by the NHS and have minimum standards to meet with regards to our visiting schedule. We also have an enhanced programme in areas of deprivation - on my team I visit 10 times in the first year, more if needed.

And I can assure you that no one working as a HV is allowed to do so without a nursing or midwifery qualification

"HVs are no longer employed by the NHS,"
Most are increasing numbers aren't

No, it wouldn’t. I’m a highly educated woman too, but disorders are complex things and you need the specific assessments in order to screen for them. That’s the entire point of the 1 and 2 year checks.

only, most HVs have very poor understanding of atypical development and will not understand when a child is showing signs of a developmental disorder. They will at best a wait and see approach or at worst, tell you you worry over nothing.

I have had this experience and before anyone shouts that this is individual, my experience has been mirrored times and times again by other mums in the support groups I addend for disabled children. Very few of us got HV support and most would have done far better to sideline the HVs and go to GP directly.

HVs are good for weaning advice, not much else