What is the point of a health visitor.

[Amy1996]

Does anyone know what the point of a health visitor is and why they need to come to your house? I feel like they are just nosey and useless :/

Because child abuse is a huge problem in this country and early intervention can literally save lives.
You might be a perfect mother but the health visitor doesn't know that and so they visit everyone unless you opt out.
Yes the service isn't perfect but if you saw some of the cases they deal with daily you'd be thankful we have them.

How can the service say it's optional if you're flagged up for not engaging?

How can the service say it's optional if you're flagged up for not engaging?

It's flagged as being a possible issue if you actively avoid them, because it's common for families where there are issues with chaos/abuse/neglect to do that. If you simply say no, we decline your services, they will probably leave you alone (unless there's another reason to worry, e.g. concerns are reported by nursery or school).

I hate people dropping in, but I found visits from the health visitor when my dc were babies very comforting. I was glad to know someone was checking on us and particularly me.

Lots of services are optional but raise concerns if you have not participate in them, eg, childrens' social care child in need plans. However it isn't worth creating conflict and stress where there isnt any need for it, it is universal service designed to support families who require that support.It is a pretty minimal involvement that health visitors usually have with most families, hardly worth actively avoiding.

They want to assess you and your living situation. It's as simple as that. Take the support and be grateful we have it. They are the ones that you can ask for advice. Some are amazing some are mediocre some are rubbish. But until you meet her how will you know

I wish I had met mine prior to having DD. I suffered PND and my little girl was unwell with reflux and cmpa. It would have been reassuring to have met her in advance and opened communication. My HV was invaluable to my DD and I. I hope you have a positive experience.

I got on well with my first HV, she was nice and kind but followed nhs guidance to the letter, and was shocked when I weaned my 20 week old, I was fed up making 2 bottles at a time as they were draining a full bottle and needing more. 2nd HV for DC2 is nice but I've not seen her since DC2 "failed" the 27 month check, and I was suffering from anxiety, my DH had depression and we were in need of support. Our HV service is overstretched to say the least, if we don't qualify for extra visits/support/phone calls I don't know who would in our area.

Shame to hear about these bad experiences with health visitors. I didn't have a visit at 38 weeks but that might have been because I gave birth at 37 weeks. My health visitor is a young girl who picked up on my post natal depression and got me to the GP for medication etc. She helped my partner and I figure out what support I could get as a student and gave me the support to stand up to my overbearing family. She continued to check up to make sure I was okay and kept an eye on me and I'll be forever grateful she did.

I'm a HV and we do antenatal visits to introduce ourself, the service, where we are, see how you've been throughout pregnancy. We're here to help. If you don't want her there just decline the visit, no need to be so pissy about it.

A lot of my mums really appreciate it, especially at the birth visit and it's a familiar face.

@SlimmingMumOf1 what the hell is your problem ? How do I ? If I don't want one then that's not your business neither do I have too.

@MaderiaCycle I'm not angry I just don't feel massively comfortable when someone is in my house that I don't know. I would much rather go to my family or midwife/doctor if I ever have an issue

@Graphista no I'm not worried about her coming round I just don't feel comfortable around people I don't know I would rather go to family/friends or midwife & doctor. I didn't find my other health visitor useful what so ever

Pre-birth the main thing they give advice on is sibling rivalry, not leaving a toddler alone with a baby, not attempting toilet training / different sleeping arrangements / any big changes when the baby arrives, telling the older one they are still your baby and you still love them just as much etc etc.

One baby is born they do all sorts of things, we’ve had hearing tests, sight tests, outpatient hospital referrals etc from HV. Ours are linked up to our GP practice somehow so that they can put in referrals to the hospital on the GPs behalf, saves you wasting a GP appointment just to ask to go up the hospital please. They drop round all the paperwork etc you may need to fill in regarding diagnosis for development problems, provide a central point for collating information about the child (but I think this is only for children with health or developmental issues, not standard).

I even had a HV very kindly take my child’s records (which Parents are supposed to keep) and photocopy every page, because I was anxious I would lose all that information.

So I guess if you have a straightforward baby they are an annoyance but for some of us they are really useful and far better than badgering the GP all the bloody time. Not least because they come to the house and I am lazy

A good HV is a wonderful thing.
Unfortunately mine was atrocious.

@Graphista there's no concern I'm not going to refuse her if she wants to come and see me and my house then that's fine it's just not something I'm comfortable with that's all ! I hate people being in my house that I don't know it makes me uncomfortable.

@PerspicaciaTick that's what I mean so many people have had bad experiences with HV I'm the type of person if I want or need help I will ask I don't want someone turning up asking questions and breathing down my neck. Some people on here are so rude !

I honestly think your HV is trying to develop a good relationship with. Meeting you before the baby arrives, while you are well and not caught up in new baby stuff. Giving you the chance to see her as a familiar face, so trust can start to build should you need her advice in the months to come. I would be tempted to give her the benefit of the doubt initially.
But I absolutely support you right to disengage if the service isn't helpful for you.

Would meeting her at the baby clinic be more comfortable than in your home?

In England I think the focus is largely safe guarding (according to my HV at least) but in Wales & Scotland we get a bit more support.

Mine was instrumental in getting me the help I needed with PND. But I understand now all HV are good, just like midwives etc. So whilst they may vary in quality, I was bloody glad of mine!

They're actually highly qualified too, but again I can only speak for the setup we have here.

Health visitor here. The whole point of the antenatal visit is for us to make an assessment of your needs, certainly not a box ticking exercise. Most parents need very minimal support from us but during the antenatal period and post birth issues may arise where you need support. We ask all sorts of questions that may feel irrelevant to you but are important to the assessment. As a health visitor I have gone through this myself when I had my children and thought I wouldn't need much help etc but it turns out that I did. It's just a bit weird when it's your collegues visiting you in your pjs

I think there's a real difference in what they're supposed to do and what (as lots of posters have experienced) they actually do.

My HV came in, asked me to turn on the TV - the announcement as to whether London was getting the 2012 Olympics was on TV that day- accepted a cup of tea, had a 5 minute chat about nothing then left. She looked at my babies (twins) lying on the floor a couple of times, and despite them having spent 2 months in hospital, didn't engage with them or check them at all. It wasnt because she didnt need to - i wasn't particularly competent or confident, I was on my knees emotionally with premature twins, she was just really poor.

I am very vocal about supporting the NHS - it is being wonderful and I wouldn't have my husband or my twins without it. They've had amazing care via dedicated, wonderful healthcare professionals. Sadly, I don't think HV warrant inclusion in that praise from my own experience.

@Georgepigthedragon thank you ! That's made me feel a lot more comfortable

@PerspicaciaTick yeah I defiantly would but I don't want to raise flags by not letting them in my house I have nothing to hid I would just feel a little on hedge like I'm being judged but hopefully she's nice and I feel relaxed

I had one HV who was so awful I made a formal complaint about her for yelling at me on the doorstep the day I came out of hospital after 4 days in intensive care with sepsis because I’d forgotten she was coming, and two who gave me lots of valuable support. I would never write of an entire profession based on the incompetence of one.