Health visiting
Being a parent can be challenging and talking to someone face-to-face can really help. Get advice and guidance from your local health visiting service for your new baby or child under five-years-old.
Find support for those common challenges you experience day-to-day to help your child grow, develop, and stay well.
Ask your health visitor about:
- infant feeding
- child development and behaviour
- healthy weight, growth and nutrition
- you and your baby/child’s emotional wellbeing
- immunisations
- toileting
- sleep
- accident prevention.
Your health visiting appointments
A member of the team will contact you to offer an appointment:
- once during your pregnancy
- when your baby is around 10 days old
- six to eight weeks following birth
They also offer two further developmental reviews, one between nine and 12 months and the next at two to two-and-a-half years.
Find out more about these and how to access your appointment on the Kent Family website.
Find a child health clinic
Come along to a child health clinic for advice, information and support for you and your child's health and development.
Find a child health clinic on the Kent Family website
Who you will speak to
The team includes:
- community public health nurses
- senior public health assistants
- public health assistants led by specialist community public health nurses (health visitors).
Health visitors and community public health nurses are registered nurses or midwives. They have completed extra training in the care and development of pre-school children.
To give you and your family the best care possible, your health visiting team work with:
- midwives
- early years staff
- GPs
- paediatricians
- voluntary.
Ways to get in touch and book appointments
There are lots of ways to get in touch with your local health visiting team.
Text Let's Chat 0-5 to 07312 263368 if you would like a quick answer to anything that's bothering you.
Find your nearest child health clinic on the Kent Family website for in-person health visiting support for you and your child’s health and development.
To change or cancel an appointment, contact your local team by visiting the Kent Community Health website.
Your email should include:
- your child’s name
- your child’s date of birth
- the district you live in.
Call or email your local health visiting team for support or to book an appointment using the phone numbers and email addresses listed below. You can call on Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.
Contact health visiting on Kent Family website
Call 111 if you have medical concerns about your child or yourself. In an emergency, always call 999.