What is health visiting service?
Health visiting is a free universal service for all families in Northern Ireland from pregnancy until your child starts school (ages 0-5 years)
Health visitors are qualified nurses or midwives with specialist training in public health, child development and family wellbeing.
Under the regional guidelines all families are offered a series of scheduled health & development reviews, including:
- Before your baby is born (antenatal contact)
- Shortly after birth (new birth visit)
Follow-up contacts at key stages of your child’s development. Appointments may take place:
- At home
- In a clinic
If you need extra support, your health visitor can offer additional visits or tailored help.
Who can use this service?
Health visiting is a universal service, which means it is available to every family. Every family in Northern Ireland is automatically assigned a named health visitor.
You do not need to apply, you will be contacted automatically during pregnancy or after your baby is born, however if you have recently moved to Northern Ireland you can contact the local health visiting service
You can also get in touch with your health visitor at any time if you have questions or need support. If you are not sure who your health visitor is you can ring your local health centre or GP practice to ask.
How health visitors support you
Your health visitor is there to help you give your child the best start in life. They work under the Healthy Child, Healthy Future framework providing essential support with:
- Your child’s growth and development
- Feeding and nutrition (breastfeeding, bottle feeding, weaning)
- Sleep and routines
- Behaviour and emotional wellbeing
- Speech and language development
- Parenting support and confidence
- Parental mental health
- Vaccination guidance
- Keeping your child safe at home and outdoors
They can also help if you are finding things challenging, including your own physical or emotional wellbeing.
Working together for you and your family
Health visitors work closely with other services to make sure you get the right support, including:
- Midwives and GPs
- Early years and childcare services
- Family support and community services
This joined-up approach helps ensure the best outcomes for you and your child.
Key resource
This book provides information on caring for children up to five years old and contact details for useful organisations. It is available to new parents resident in Northern Ireland through primary care services (antenatal clinics, GPs or health visitors).