Solihull 0-19 Service

Health Visiting

The Solihull Health Visiting Service is here for you! We’re a team of Health Visitors (qualified specialist community public health nurses) working in partnership with community Nursery Nurses, Infant Feeding Specialists and other professionals who support families in Solihull.

We help to empower parents and carers to make decisions that affect their family’s health and well-being. We provide expert information, developmental assessments and interventions for babies, children and families along the parenthood journey – from before your baby is born until 5 years of age. Our role is focused on improving the health outcomes for children, the local community, wider populations and to support reducing inequalities.

What we do

Universal Services - Offered to all

We provide the Healthy Child Programme to ensure a healthy start for your child, ongoing support for parents, and access to a range of community based services and resources. It is a universal service that is offered to all parents and includes:

• a visit before your baby is born, usually when you are more than 25 weeks pregnant
• a visit and check when your baby is 11-14 days old
• a review for you and your baby at 6-8 weeks carried out by your GP
• a 9-month health review
• a 2-2 ½ year review, usually carried out by a nursery nurse.

Universal Plus - Specific support when you need it

Universal Plus gives parents an expert response from health visitors when specific help is needed. This may be in the case of:

• Post-natal depression
• Sleep problems
• Breastfeeding
• Other feeding issues
• Speech development
• Concerns regarding your child’s behaviour and/or development.

Universal Partnership Plus - Ongoing support for families with more complex needs

Universal Partnership Plus provides ongoing support from health visiting teams plus a range of local services that help with more complex issues. These include children’s centre services, other community services including some charities when appropriate, and the Family Nurse Partnership. For example:

• Families living with disabilities
• Mental health issues
• Drug and alcohol related problems
• Learning disabilities
• Complex family circumstances
• Support with domestic violence.

Contact Us

To speak to a Health Visitor or to discuss an appointment, please ring:

• North – 0121 726 6758
• South – 0121 726 6755

For up-to-date service information, including information about well-baby clinics and groups, please access our social media pages:

Texting service

You can text your questions or concerns to our health visitors from your mobile phone using the ChatHealth service. We aim to reply to you within one working day and you should get an immediate message back to confirm we have received your text. Texts will only be seen between 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank and public holidays).

The text number for this is 07507 332563

If you need help before you hear back from us contact your GP or dial 111. If it is an emergency please call 999.

Unless you give permission, the information you provide will not be shared with other agencies – except in circumstances where we feel you or someone else is at significant risk or there are safeguarding concerns. If we did need to share your conversation, we would always try to speak with you first. In order to provide you with the best possible care, we hold information you tell us, on electronic records that are shared with other relevant health professionals. Your information will be kept secure, accurate and in a manner that is compatible with General Data Protection Regulation. For more information please visit www.swft.nhs.uk/privacy-policy

Our text number does not receive voice calls or MMS picture messages. We support messaging from UK mobile numbers only (which does not include messages sent from landlines, international mobile numbers and some 'number masking' mobile apps). To prevent the health visitor from sending messages to you, text STOP to our number. Messages are charged at your usual rates.

Useful Links

Start 4 life website

NHS immunisations
A guide to immunisations up to one year of age
Protecting your baby against meningitis and septicaemia

Healthy Start
What is Healthy Start?

Contraception
When can I use contraception after having a baby?

Solihull Children's Services
Support for children and families

The Lullaby Trust
The Lullaby Trust
Safer sleep for babies - A guide for parents
When a baby dies suddenly & unexpectedly

Nutrition
First Steps Nutrition Trust website
Caroline Walker Trust

Pregnancy and Baby Guide
Your pregnancy and baby guide

Solihull Domestic Abuse Service
Domestic abuse support Solihull

Local stop smoking support
Stop Smoking Solihull
Smoking in Pregnancy

Child Accident Prevention Trust
Child Accident Prevention Trust website

Breastfeeding Support
National Breastfeeding Helpline
Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
La Leche League helpline
National Childbirth Trust

Getting to know your baby
Getting to know your baby website

What we do

We are a voluntary programme for young first time mothers (and their partners), aged 19 years or under. Our specially-trained nurses provide regular home visits, from early pregnancy until your child is aged two. FNP uses methods on attachment, relationships and self-efficacy. Your family nurse will build a trusting and supportive relationship with you and your family, they will guide you so that you will be able to adopt healthier lifestyles for yourself and your baby, provide good care for your baby and toddler, and plan your future.

Your family nurse will help you:

• increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy
• improve your child's development
• build a positive relationship with your baby and others
• plan for the future
• make lifestyle choices that gives your child the best possible start in life
• achieve your aspirations such as finding a job or returning to education

Family Nurse Partnership visits begin before your baby is born, they are weekly for the first six weeks after your baby's birth, and then fortnightly until 21 months. Monthly visits continue until your child is 2 years old.

It’s all voluntary and if there is something you don't want to talk about in a meeting just let your family nurse know. Together you will decide what to cover in each visit and your family nurse is always available to talk through any concerns you have in-between visits.

Dads or partners are welcome to join in if the mum would like them to. You don't have to be in a relationship for dads to attend.

Developed alongside the NHS, DadPad is a free app available on android and digital, with content created and added especially for Dad’s.

Just search DadPad on Google Play Store / App Store.

Contact and location

Family Nurse Partnership, Coleshill Clinic, Wingfield Road, Coleshill B46 3LJ

Telephone: 07808 763322 or 01675 461966

Email: swg-tr.fnpwarks@nhs.net

Information leaflets and related links

Information for pregnancy:

• Help with managing your money before, during and after the birth of your baby from the Money Advice Service
• What you must consider if you have any new or expectant mothers in your workplace
• The Lullaby Trust guide to essential things you can do, or avoid doing, to help lower the chance of SIDSThe Lullaby Trust guide to essential things you can do, or avoid doing, to help lower the chance of SIDS
• Information about handling your baby with care from the NSPCCInformation about handling your baby with care from the NSPCC
• Healthy Start Application Form- if you're pregnant or have a young child under four you could get Healthy Start vouchers
• Information on being vaccinated against whooping cough during pregnancyInformation on being vaccinated against whooping cough during pregnancy

Information for infancy:

• NHS Start4Life
• A guide to immunisations up to 13 months of ageA guide to immunisations up to 13 months of age
• ROSPA car seat website - a properly fitted child car seat will help to prevent your child from being thrown about inside the vehicle, or ejected from it, if there is a crash

Information for toddlerhood:

• The Care to Learn scheme can help with childcare costs while you stud

Breastfeeding is widely recognised as nutrition, protection and comfort for babies, with many health benefits for mum and baby for as long as they breastfeed.

Solihull Infant Feeding Team consist of staff who are Registered Midwives, Lactation Consultants, Tongue Tie Practitioners and Breastfeeding Peer Supporters. The service is for mums and mums-to-be and is free to Solihull residents.

We are accredited as a Unicef Baby Friendly Gold service meaning you can expect the highest possible standards of care around infant feeding and parent-infant relationships.

What we do

• Provide antenatal and postnatal information and support, however baby is fed. This information can include topics around breastfeeding, formula feeding, expressing, brain development, working and breastfeeding, long term breastfeeding, stopping breastfeeding.
• We work alongside Health Visitors, Midwives and other Health Professionals to provide support and information.
• Hold regular Breastfeeding Cafes which are run by our Breastfeeding Peer Supporters. These can be In-person and online cafes that offer friendly and informal information and support around feeding babies, as well as the opportunity to meet other mums and babies. For information on times and venues please visit https://tiny.one/infantfeedingteam or https://linktr.ee/Solihull.IFT
• Hold Breastfeeding Clinics where there are more complex breastfeeding challenges.
• Loan out for free, hospital grade, double breast pumps for 4 weeks, if you have a Solihull postcode, your baby is under 8 weeks of age and you are facing breastfeeding challenges.
• Provide free Volunteer Breastfeeding Peer Support training for mums who have breastfed and wish to support other mums and families by volunteering within our Breastfeeding Cafes.
• Provide training for Health Visitors, GP’s and other Health Professionals.
• Our support is provided as required, face to face, 1-1, in groups, by phone, video calls, social media, café or home visit.

To book a place on one of our online antenatal classes or in-person cafes, follow the link: https://linktr.ee/Solihull.IFT

Contact

For the latest information, please access our social media pages or speak to your Midwife/Health Visitor:

Facebook Group

NHS Solihull Breastfeeding Support

Facebook Page
SolihullInfantFeedingTeam

Instagram
@SolihullInfantFeedingTeam

Twitter
@Solihull_IFT

Youtube
Solihull Infant Feeding Team

Links

Healthy Start

What is Healthy Start?

Solihull Children's Services

Support for children and families

The Lullaby Trust

The Lullaby Trust

Nutrition
First Steps Nutrition Trust

Local stop smoking support
Stop Smoking Solihull
Smoking in Pregnancy

Breastfeeding Support
National Breastfeeding Helpline
Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
La Leche League helpline
National Childbirth Trust
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/
www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/

What we do

We provide a named school nurse in each school in Solihull, to help children and young people (from school entry to 19 years old) to take responsibility for their own health and to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

We also assess the health needs of the school community, planning and implementing programmes that promote and protect public health. We work in partnership with other agencies to address wider threats to, and inequalities, in health.

Solihull School Nursing Service supports the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme 5-19 years old (DH 2009) and adheres to the guidance as per Solihull Safeguarding Children’s Board. This includes for example the delivery of the National Child Measurement Programme, Reception ASQ’s and Health questionnaire, Year 6 and Year 9 Health Assessments.

Preparing for your appointment

An appointment with your school nurse or a member of the team could take place at the child’s school, at home or online.

Contact

The School Nursing Team can be contacted Monday to Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm excluding bank and public holidays. Note: we do work during school holidays/closures.

The team are based at Cranmore Place.
Tel: 0121 726 6754

Texting service – Young people aged 11-18 can text us on: 07520 615730

ChatHealth is a text messaging service that enables 11-18 year olds across Solihull to send confidential SMS text messages to School Nurses who will provide impartial advice and support between 8:00am-5:00pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank and public holidays. Note: we do work during school holidays/closures.

Texting service - Parents/carers can text us on: 07480635469

If you are a parent/carer and would like advice and support from your school nurse you can send a confidential text to our messaging service on 07480635496 between 8:00am-5:00pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank and public holidays. Note: we do work during school holidays/closures.

Related links

The best possible start in life, Solihull Parents: Health for Kids.

Health for Teens, everything you wanted to know about your health.

View our short animation to remind you of the importance of attending your appointments.