Family life and bringing up children is rewarding but can also be challenging. It has been widely recognised that your child’s early years are important and will influence their development and future achievements.

Health Visiting is a universal service providing a home visiting and community-based service to support children and families in promoting health and wellbeing.

The aim of the Health Visiting Team is to work with you to identify areas that may impact upon the overall health and wellbeing of your family. Together we will develop a plan to support you and your children so that they have the best possible start in life.

How can we help

Health visitors can help and support you to make healthy choices for yourself and your family.

This includes:

• supporting and guiding mothers and fathers in pregnancy and in their parenting role with a particular focus on young parents
• increasing the levels of commencing and sustaining breast feeding
• child health and development reviews
• improving the emotional health and wellbeing of children and families
• improving the experience of parents with children with additional needs

We can help with support and advice

• Infant feeding and diet
• Child development
• Making healthy choices and including immunisations
• Healthy weight and physical activity
• Emotional health and wellbeing
• Parenting and local support groups
• Behaviour
• Sleep

We can signpost for guidance on

• Safeguarding children
• Smoking, drug, and alcohol misuse
• Access to housing
• Sexual and contraceptive advice

See our Somerset Health Visiting Information Pack for more details

Type of provision

Universal - This is for everyone, including people with special educational needs and disabilities