The joint Health Visitor Review and the EFYS 2 year review. What are your views??

[russell66]

Mums! Please help. I'm looking at the pros and cons of a joint health visitor and EYFS nursery review for 2+y olds. It's started happening in some areas of the country and is meant to let parents have feedback from a health visitor review at the same time as the 2 year EFYS progress report. What are your views? Is it helpful or would you prefer health ande education to have separate reviews???

Well it would only affect parents of children who were sending their DC into childcare under the age of three wouldn't it...so only those who are paying for it?

I only sent mine once they reached the age of 3plus where we got so many hours for free...how do they propose to get to parents whose children are not in any childcare until almost 4?

In terms of the benefits...I do think it could be a very good thing. A HV watching a toddler play in the comfort of their own sitting room is not really giving them a clear view of the child's development is it...many red flags are missed in this way.

If a child is observed in an educational setting by an EYFS worker and that worker confers with a HV then the outcome will be more conclusive I should imagine.

They aren't health and education though. They're both development. HVs have been using my assessments for years, so no change for me. HVs don't have long enough for a full assessment.

It would be better than what's happening in my area at the moment. Health visitors are telling parents that early years settings 'have no place undertaking an assessment' and they have no right to do so!!!! Loving the excellent communication between agencies...

Pink it's interesting....my sister's son has possible Autism. This was not picked up at his 2 year check (despite some obvious signs) and the nursery picked it up after 2 visits and advised sister to go to the Dr or HV.

Thanks for this everyone! Your ideas, thoughts and experiences have been so helpful.....it's really interesting how varied they all have been. What else do you all think? Any other comments or ideas gratefully received!

Our 2 yr check is a questionnaire checklist thing sent out to you to fill in & return. Pretty useless IMO.

russel tell us why you are asking.

I'm asking because I'm a student health health visitor (also mum of 2!) and we're thinking of changing the health visitor review in our area. I wanted to know what mums think and want. After all, the service is for your children and you're the one's who use it. My two are a little older now and things have changed since then......

What about Dads and what they think?

Neomaxi - the question is being asked on mumsnet, so not unreasonable to ask what mum's think. If you have a problem with the 'mums' aspect of this, then perhaps your gripe is with the existence of mumsnet, not this perfectly reasonable question.

OP - have declined all HV checks since the first one as I found them useless, and would likewise decline EYFS HV checks. Could be more useful for those who want the check, though.

Jedward no. Mumsnet is by parents for parents. I don't like the patronising and sexist "what do mums think?" questions because they ignore Dads and add to the prevalent belief that Mothers are more responsible for children.

I don't have a "gripe" thank you. Also, I and others answered the OP in a helpful way...she then came back for more...without adding her reasons which is considered rude on any forum.

It wouldn't only be children whose parents pay for childcare though. In my area disadvantaged children receive 'free' nursery places from age 2, and soon even more 2 year olds will benefit. The groups of people who qualify for this are the groups least likely to welcome HV input so a dual approach may well improve outcomes for these children's who may not otherwise not get a 2 year check.

so sorry, I did not mean to cause any offence. Everyone has been very helpful and I do really appreciate it. I've clearly missed the rules...re-posting....not including dads, grandparents, carers etc....rookie mistake that I'll hope you'll forgive

No worries russel I wasn't having a go or anything...

Hysterical I thought about the disadvantaged kids...yes, they'd be included but what about the myriad of other children who don't attend until well past three or even 4?

they'll slip the net won't they. I agree it could improve outcomes amongst the disadvantaged but the others can fall by the wayside too. I know of at least one well educated professional who has a child with ASD who has not been diagnosed until older.

I think it is a good idea, I am an early years senco and try to have contact with HV's, not easy in my area. Some dc's who come to us as funded 3 yr olds have been missed and have quite significant SN's.

We do our 2 yr assessment before the childs 3rd birthday if they are in our setting then and we use the development trackers to assess the stage of development for the 3 core areas.

We have many children whose parents pay for the children to do 1 or 2 sessions per week until they recieve their 3 yr funding, we occasionally get children on 2 yr funding but this is hard to get in my area. We are a charity and try to keep our costs as low as possible.

I definitely think HV's should work together with early years settings.

I didn't think it mattered what area of the country you are in. The new eyfs framework came out last year and in that there is a whole section about the two year check which has to be completed for all children in child are between the ages of 2 and 3. I don't believe it will necessarily help. It is not compulsory to send your child to child care between these ages (or even to school once they are of school age), so a lot of children will be missed out of this. However, health visitors in this area don't seem bothered by the two year check completed by childminders and nurseries and parents don't actually have to do anything with the report once it has been written, it is their choice if they pass it on to the health visitor or not.