Healthy Child Service

The healthy child team work with young people, children and families ensuring children are able to reach their full potential and have the best possible start in life.

York's Healthy Child Service delivers information, advice and support for children and parents and of children 0 to 19 years old.

The Healthy Child Service incorporates York's Health Visiting and School Nursing Services and works with families, young people and children up to the age of 19. The team works across the city covering the North, East and West of York from three locality bases.

You can find out more about the teams and the services they offer at YorOk or by contacting the health visitors. You can also call York's Healthy Child Service 01904 555475.

Health visitors

Health visitors are qualified nurses or midwives with specialist training in public health for children, young people and families. Health visitor’s additional public health training enables them to effectively promote good health and prevent illness through assessing the health needs of individuals, families and the wider community.

Health visitors lead and deliver the Healthy Child Programme for 0-5 year olds, offering support to all families in pregnancy and up to when children are aged 5. Health visitors provide a wide range of services to children and their families and can also refer to other services to support more specialist problems.

Child Health and Development workers

Child Health and Development qualified workers are part of the team working alongside the Health visitors and can support with a variety of child health, behavior and development needs, such as child safety, sleep, speech and language, tantrums, healthy eating and toilet training.

The health visiting team provide the following information and support:

• Health and wellbeing of your whole family, from ante-natal visits until your child goes to school including support for parents or carer’s mental health
• Provide advice on healthy choices with special knowledge of breastfeeding and healthy eating
• Offer growth and development reviews and support to ensure your child is reaching their full potential this also includes language development and early learning and can refer to specialist services if required
• Support parents to feel confident in their parenting skills and to provide the best opportunities for their baby
• Provide advice on immunisations and childhood infections/illness and common skin problems and accident prevention
• Provide advice and support on children’s behavior, including sleeping, toilet training, eating, tantrums and mental health.
• Offer support and information to families experiencing specific difficulties such as postnatal depression, social isolation and domestic abuse
• Work in partnership with partner agencies to support families with additional needs
• Supporting your child to get ready for school

School nurses (5 - 19 years team)

School Nurses (SCPHNS) are qualified nurses with specialist training in Public Health for children, young people and families. SCPHNS lead and deliver the Healthy Child Programme for 5-19 year olds, up to the age of 25 for people with special educational needs and/or disabilities), and their families.

Working with and supporting the SCPHN School Nurses are the Children and Young People Health Outreach Nurses (CYPHONS), they are qualified nurses from various nursing backgrounds and have a wealth of knowledge in health for Children and Young People.

National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) Screeners, measure the height and weight of primary school children in Reception and Year 6. The Screeners also carry out a vision and hearing test for children in school. For more information on this and the NCMP please visit the NHS National Child Measurement Programme.

We also work jointly with other groups, including schools, communities children’s services and children’s charities, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children to improve and reduce health inequalities so they are protected from significant harm.

Also see

• Your health and wellbeing
• NHS Healthy Start
• Caring for your child (York Hospital NHS)
• Institute of Health Visiting