Health Visitors

[GravyTrain123]

Hi,

Just a query really! How often should you hear from a health visitor? I understand with Covid things are a bit different.

My daughter is 8 months old and I haven’t heard from them since she was about 2 months old.

I have no real concerns, it’s just I was told they keep in contact until they reach 5 and I figured the first year would probably be the most visits (or phone calls during lockdown)

I would expect to hear from for the 1 yr and 2 yr checks but otherwise not unless you contact them.

Okay perfect, thank you for your reply ☺️

I heard from them at 6 weeks, letter at 9 months (covid no 9 month check) and that’s it. She’s a year now. So I wouldn’t expect huge amounts!

We've had nothing since 6 weeks. She is nearly 15 months now. I rang to ask about the 1 year check and was told they aren't doing them, not even over the phone. Yet other local areas are doing them.
So ridiculous when children are at risk and difficulties could be picked up or parents need extra support.

Mine was so completely incompetent, never! I wrote to the health authority when we was 5 weeks old to notify them I was exercising my right to refuse any further contact. If I needed advice re my babies I sought it from properly qualified doctors who understood the basis and evidence behind the leaflets my 20 something HV read from. Massive waste of time and public money imo.

You should have 5 key contacts if you are a 'universal' i.e no identified issues family.
Antenatal, new birth, 6-8 week, 8-12 month and 2.5 year reviews. If you have any questions you are free to request support at any time until the child starts school.

Mine tried to order me to queue up in a stinking (literally) clinic to get the baby weighed and couldn't tell me why I should.

Thank you all for your replies! By the sounds of it I shouldn’t expect much 😂.

I just thought maybe they would do phone calls to see how people were getting on during lockdown ect. I understand it’s been a difficult time, but surely that takes less time than going to everyone’s house as they normally would!

They do the bare minimum.

I didn't hear from the HV after the initial first few weeks. They called when she was one I think and left a voicemail, I didn't call back and never hear since, DD is 3 now....we did move house though but have registered with the new Dr almost immediately!

I saw our HV at each set of injections and then had a phone call at 6 months and then dont expect to hear from them until I take him for is 12 month injections.

Once a year until they are four I think. They don't do much, quite honestly.

@jessstan2

Once a year until they are four I think. They don't do much, quite honestly.

They do with the safeguarding families. The service has been slashed so they are responsible for a social workers' caseload, and universal families get neglected. It is a lot of responsibility to keep children safe.

My DD is also 8 months and I haven't seen or heard from mine since she was about 2 months. I've been trying to contact the team since March since I needed my healthy start vouchers form to be signed off by them, and only heard back from them yesterday, saying that I should send the form off with a note saying that HV aren't signing them off during this time.

Healthy start are able to process applications without a hcp signature