Pregnancy and First Five Years

This service is made up of many different professionals working within a Healthy Family Team and are key in supporting the growth and development of your child, to maximise their potential for future life experiences.

These professionals include

• Health Visitors (HV) are qualified nurses and/or midwives who have additional specialist training to support the assessment of needs for children and families, identifying any additional support that may be required and addressing any concerns that you may have.
• Family Wellbeing Nurses (FWN) are qualified nurses and/or midwives who undertake assessments of your child and deliver supportive work to address any identified areas of need required.
• Healthy Family Support Practitioners are professionals who have a National Vocational Qualification in Early Years and/or Child Development, who undertake routine assessments of your child and deliver family support work to address any identified areas of need required.
• Family Hub Practitioners are professionals who have a National Vocational Qualification in Early Years and/or Child Development, who deliver routine promotional and guided workshops on a one-to-one basis or within a group in the Family Hubs and Delivery Sites. These are likely to be the first point of contact within our Hubs and Delivery sites and have a wealth of knowledge and experience to signpost to other relevant services within the community.

All professionals will work in partnership with you and your family to decide on the level of support you may require. They work closely with Midwives, GPs and Practice Nurses and may refer or signpost to other services too.

The Healthy Family Team offer routine contacts to ALL families living in Essex within the first 3 years.
These are as follows:

• Antenatal Assessment – an opportunity to introduce you to our services from 28 weeks of pregnancy and provide guidance during this period. This will take place in our Family Hubs and Delivery Sites.
• New Baby Review – A home visit to all newborn babies and the parent/carer, when your baby is between 10 and 14 days old.
• 48 hour Infant Feeding Call- our practitioners will call all parent/carers approximately 48 hour after discharge with your baby, to offer any advise and support in those early days of feeding your baby.
• 6 to 8 week Review – A follow-up contact with you and your baby in the Family Hub or Delivery Site to discuss how you are managing, and an opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have.
• Under 1 Year Review – An assessment of your child’s growth and development, usually between 9 and 11 months of age. This will require you to complete a questionnaire and will identify those that need additional advice and guidance. For those identified, we will meet with you face to face in the Family Hub or Delivery Site, to discuss any concerns. Click here for more information about the Under 1 Year Review.
• 2 to 3 Year Review – An assessment of your child’s growth and development, usually between 30 and 36 months of age.
• This will require you to complete a questionnaire in advance and you will all be invited for a face to face appointment in our Family Hub or Delivery Site to discuss the outcome of your questionnaire.

In addition to these contacts, there is a range of services available for you to access through our Family Hubs and Delivery Sites, these include groups, activities and community events. All the details on the services available locally to you can be accessed through clicking on your local hub page in the top right hand frame of your screen.