The Health Visiting Service
The Health Visiting Service supports families with a new baby or child under 5 years old by offering advice and guidance.
The Health Visiting Team includes health visitors, community public health nurses, senior public health assistants and public health assistants.
Health Visitors and community public nurses are registered nurses or midwives that have undergone additional training in the care and development of pre-school children.
They work with midwives, GP's, paediatricians, local children's centres and voluntary organisations to provide the best possible care to you and your family.
The contact details for the local Health Visiting Team for Swale are:
Telephone number: 0300-123-4014 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm excluding Bank Holidays
Email: kentchft.swaleHV@nhs.net
You can email healthvisitingappointments@nhs.net to change or amend an appointment.
Click on the link below for further information.
Kent Health Visiting
Kent baby Health Visiting Service
Appointments
A member of the Health Visiting Team will see you at least 3 times; once during pregnancy (antenatal), again when your baby is around 10 days old and a further appointment at 6-8 weeks following birth.
They also provide two further developmental reviews; one between 9 and 12 months and the next at two and a half years.
Other support from the Health Visiting Service
Child Health Clinics - Go along to a child health clinic for advice, information and support for you and your child's health and development from your local Health Visiting Team.
Kent Baby - has a range of information and support for local parents and carers of under 5's.
Beside You - help and support with breastfeeding including details of local breastfeeding drop- in sessions.
Born to move app - is about encouraging play and interaction to help and learning and development of your baby's brain at this early stage, building the foundations for a healthy, confident child. Click on the link below for more information.
Born to Move
Understanding your child - FREE online courses for anyone who is pregnant or caring for a child in Kent. There are courses for all stages from before baby arrives, up to 18 years of age. Use the access code Invicta to register for an account. You can complete courses in smaller chunks at your own pace.
Virtual workshops - on a variety of topics including starting solids and toilet training.
Specialist Infant Feeding Service
Family Partnership Programme - available to families living in Kent who have experienced difficulties such as poverty, mental health issues, family problems or domestic abuse.