Family Health Needs Assessment
The initial Family Health Needs Assessment helps you and your health visitor plan what level of Health Visiting Service is needed.
This may be one of the following four levels:
1. Your community
Health visiting teams hold information about a wide range of local and wider health services, including children’s centres, GPs and dentists.
They deliver drop‑in family health clinics and baby clinics in local communities, ensuring all families have easy access to timely information, advice and support whenever needed.
All venues used for clinics offer pram and wheelchair access.
2. Universal
Universal health visiting is offered to all children aged 0 to 5 years and their families.
Health visiting teams coordinate and deliver the Healthy Child Programme, working with you to assess your child’s health and development. This helps identify any concerns early so that you can access the right support as soon as possible.
The programme also gives you the opportunity to receive expert advice on topics such as diet, parenting, preparation for nursery, and school immunisations.
The universal Healthy Child Programme contacts include:
- antenatal contact
- new birth visit at 10 to 14 days
- contact at 6 to 8 weeks
- contact at 3 to 4 months
- a child health review by 1 year of age
- a child health review by 2.5 years of age
3. Targeted
A rapid response from your health visiting team if you need specific expert help on health issues such as feeding, parenting, sleep or emotional wellbeing.
4. Specialist
If your child or family’s needs are more complex, your Health Visitor can play a key role in coordinating local services that can support you, your child and your wider family.
You will be given every opportunity to share what you would like from these services. A clear plan will be created so you understand how the support will be provided and who will be responsible for coordinating it.
Clinical specialist – infant feeding
Our clinical specialist for infant feeding provides an appointment‑based clinic for families who need additional support.
If you feel that an appointment may help with any ongoing feeding difficulties, please speak to your health visitor or midwife who can make a referral on your behalf.
Health visiting and SEND
Health visitors support all children and young people, including those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), to achieve well throughout their lives. They keep children and their families at the centre of care, providing early help and support in partnership with children’s specialist services.
The Local Offer is a user‑friendly online resource where information about services for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) from birth to 25 years is brought together in one place.
