Join us on Thursday 17 September 2026 where our iHV Insights Webinar will explore Lessons We Can’t Ignore: Translating Evidence on Black Maternal Health into Health Visiting Practice, 15:00-16:30 (join from 2:45pm to allow a prompt start).

This is open to all iHV members.

In this webinar, we will be considering the findings from a vast number of reports that have exposed the issues of healthcare services continuing to fail Black mothers and their families. As health visiting teams, our families cannot afford for us to think that the issues Black women and their families face are only in maternity and neonatal settings. We need to understand this learning and look at how we can make changes to our services to drive change and improve the experience of and outcomes for Black mothers and their families. 

To help us explore this topic, we will be joined by leading experts who will help us translate this national maternity and neonatal learning to local health visiting practice. Those with lived experience will share the human impact behind these reports and numbers. They will explain the importance of co-design when designing and changing service delivery to combat the current failings. 

Alison Morton OBE, CEO, iHV, will co-chair the session with Prof. Gina Awoko Higginbottom MBE, Emeritus Prof Ethnicity and Community and Health, Co-Director ICCHNR, Health Visitor and Midwife 

We will hear presentations from:  

• Prof. Gina Awoko Higginbottom MBE. Gina will be presenting “From Evidence to Action: Addressing Inequalities in Black Maternal Health”. She will explore why inequalities in Black maternal health demand urgent attention, summarise the latest evidence and national developments, and consider what this learning means for health visiting teams and the families they support.
• NHS Race Health Observatory will be sharing the work they are currently involved in for tackling racism in health care. As part of their session, they will be sharing resources they have developed to support practitioners in both their professional and service development.   

• Susan Ibuanokpe, Antenatal Educator, Maternal Health Advocate and Peer Researcher. Susan will be sharing her lived experience of health visiting and how she now uses her voice to drive change as a maternal health advocate, and more recently as a peer researcher. 

• David Midwinter, Community Practice Educator, Health Visitor, Midwife. David will be sharing how training has impacted his knowledge, understanding and practice when working with different communities – and how he has used co-design with local communities to tailor health visiting services to their needs and helping to establish local interprofessional working groups that have positively impacted local communities, staff knowledge and service delivery.

• Join the conversation – there will be a Q&A session with all speakers at the end of the webinar 

Due to the breadth and depth of presentations, please note this webinar will be longer than usual – lasting 1.5 hours. 

To join us, please click below and book your space. 

A recording of the webinar will be available on our website following the event.

How to book

Log in with your iHV member email address and password.

Please note: when you log in you’ll be redirected to the iHV homepage. Simply return to the iHV events webpage to find and book your event.

Once you are viewing this page logged in, the “Register now” button will appear when you click on “Booking Link (click to reveal)“

Call for abstracts now open!

Share Your Innovation at the iHV Evidence-based Practice Conference 2027

“The Future is Now: Shaping Better Outcomes Together” 
📅 30 June 2027 | 📍 King’s House Conference Centre, Manchester 

The iHV annual Evidence-based Practice (EBP) Conference is the UK’s leading health visiting event. This one-day conference offers a fantastic opportunity to hear about the latest developments, research and innovations in health visiting and to network with colleagues from across the UK to share best practice.

The iHV EBP conference also provides an important platform for health visiting researchers and practitioners to raise the profile of their work, disseminate excellence and support best practice – all focused on improving health and ending health inequalities for babies, children, families and communities.

Babies and children’s health outcomes are facing increasing challenges, with widening health inequalities impacting the most vulnerable families. Now more than ever, we need innovation, research and evidence-based practice to drive meaningful change. 

We know that health visiting teams, practitioners, educators and researchers across the UK are leading inspiring work to improve outcomes for babies, children and families. We invite you to share your learning, innovation, research, service developments and quality improvement initiatives with colleagues from across the profession. 

What are the benefits of presenting at the iHV Evidence-based Practice Conference 2027? 

Presenting at the iHV Evidence-based Practice Conference is a unique opportunity to share your expertise, inspire others and contribute to the future of health visiting and family public health practice. 

By presenting, you can: 

• Showcase your work to a national audience of practitioners, researchers, educators and leaders. 
• Raise your profile as a presenter at a prestigious UK-wide conference. 
• Highlight the achievements of your organisation and demonstrate the impact of your work. 
• Share learning and innovation that can influence practice and improve outcomes for babies, children and families. 
• Build your professional network and connect with colleagues from across the UK and beyond. 
• Enhance your CV and professional development portfolio for revalidation through conference presentation experience. 

Presentation Opportunities 

Successful abstracts may be selected for one of the following presentation formats: 

• Plenary Presentation: A keynote-style presentation to the main conference audience. 
• Concurrent Oral Presentation: A themed presentation delivered alongside other speakers. 
• Rapid-Fire Presentation: A concise 6-minute speed presentation showcasing key findings or innovations. 
• Poster Presentation: An opportunity to display and discuss your work with delegates throughout the conference. 

We welcome submissions that showcase research, service evaluation, quality improvement, innovation, education, partnership working and examples of evidence-based practice that contribute to improving outcomes for babies, children, families and communities.

iHV Webinar | Generation New Era – How health visitors can support a new groundbreaking scientific study of babies born in 2026

Join for an exciting webinar: ‘How health visitors can support a new groundbreaking scientific study of babies born in 2026’ on Thursday 10 September 15:30-16:30.

Open to both iHV members AND non-members.

Generation New Era (gnestudy.info) is a groundbreaking scientific study of around 30,000 babies born in 2026, and their families. It’s the first UK-wide study of its kind in 25 years. The study aims to follow the babies as they grow up in our ever-changing world. By providing vital new insights into children’s health and development, Generation New Era will help researchers, governments and service providers to improve the lives of children and families in the UK.

Parents will start to receive their invites to join the study in September when their baby/babies are around 9-10 months old. We’re especially keen to make sure heath visitors feel informed about the study as you’ll be seeing parents around this time – so you can answer potential questions from those who may be asked to take part.

Health visitors are trusted professionals, and we hope your endorsement of the study will encourage invited parents to take part!

Speakers include:

• Pasco Fearon, leading expert in early child development, specialising in early parenting, attachment, parental mental health and the development of children’s emotional and behavioural problems. He is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor at the University of Cambridge and UCL.
• An interviewer from Ipsos: Ipsos is one of the largest and most well-known multinational market research and consulting firms in the world. Ipsos have a wealth of experience carrying out cohort study research for UCL and will be conducting fieldwork interviews for Generation New Era.

This year’s annual iHV Leadership Conference ‘Voices that Matter: Leading Impact in Health Visiting’ will be held on Wednesday 2 December 2026 at The King’s Fund at No.11 Cavendish Square, London, with options to join us in-person or online, to give you flexibility.

Our annual health visiting Leadership Conference has become the highlight of the health visiting calendar, providing a forum to learn together, share excellence and hear the latest policy, practice and research.

The title and theme of this year’s iHV Leadership conference is Voices that Matter: Leading Impact in Health Visiting. In a rapidly changing world, the voices and experiences of babies, children and families have never mattered more. Equally important are the voices of the practitioners who work alongside them every day, bringing professional insight, advocacy and leadership to some of the most pressing health and social challenges facing our communities.

This year’s conference will celebrate the power of leadership, collaboration and partnership to create healthier futures for the next generation. Bringing together health visiting leaders, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, commissioners and parent voices from across the UK, the conference will explore how we can strengthen leadership, champion prevention and early intervention, tackle inequalities, and ensure that the needs of babies, children and families remain at the heart of decision-making.

The conference offers a valuable opportunity to invest in professional development, gain fresh perspectives, and connect with colleagues who are driving change across health visiting and the wider early years system.

Supporting Student Health Visitors in Role Transition

Join us at our next iHV Member Practice Education Networking Event on Wednesday 9 September, 9:30-11:30am.

This session will consider how the transition to SCPHN from previous professional roles can be supported. Specifically, role change in becoming a health visitor and the part played by practice supervisors and assessors. As part of the group discussion, we will explore the new Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) call for evidence on using the professional title ‘nurse’ and the need to protect other titles including that of ‘health visitor’. Giving attention to issues of public protection as well as professional identity when changing roles.

The PEN session will align with The Code, item 20 Uphold the reputation of your profession at all times, as well as NMC Standards of proficiency for SCPHN. Namely sphere of influence E: Advancing public health services and promoting healthy places, environments and cultures.

E.5 lead and support a culture of learning and continuous professional development for colleagues, and with interdisciplinary and interagency teams

E.6 recognise individual abilities and learning needs when applying the standards of education and training for pre- and post-registration nursing, midwifery and nursing associate students, in order to educate, supervise and assess effectively

To find out about the public consultation on legally protecting the professional title ‘nurse’ and other titles including ‘health visitor’ please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/using-the-professional-title-nurse/using-the-professional-title-nurse-call-for-evidence-document

How to book

Log in with your iHV member email address and password.

Please note: when you log in you’ll be redirected to the iHV homepage. Simply return to the iHV events webpage to find and book your event.

Once you are viewing this page logged in, the “Register now” button will appear when you click on “Booking Link (click to reveal)“

Join us at our next iHV SCPHN Student Health Visitor Networking Event on 7 October 2026:

Connecting Voices, Shaping Practice: SCPHN Student and Newly Qualified Health Visitor Member Networking Event

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is driving forward its commitment to strengthening health visiting, recognising the vital role that SCPHN health visitor students and newly qualified health visitors play in shaping the future of the profession and improving outcomes for babies, children and families. As part of this commitment, Nicole Hobson, Senior Clinical Lead, 0–19 Programme Unit, Chief Public Health Nurse Directorate, DHSC, will be joining our upcoming iHV SCPHN student networking event to hear directly from you — your voice is central to this work.

This interactive session is designed to amplify your voice. We want to understand what has worked well and why, what challenges you have faced, and crucially, the one change you believe would most enhance your learning experience.

Your insights will help shape ongoing national conversations about workforce development, education quality, and the future direction of health visiting.

This event is open to all SCPHN health visitor students and newly qualified health visitors. Join us, connect with peers, and ensure your voice contributes to shaping the future of our wonderful profession.

The iHV SCPHN Student Member Networking event is designed for student health visitors and newly qualified health visitors in their first year of practice.

This event is available to iHV SCPHN student health visitor members. If you are not a member yet, you can find out more about student membership here.

How to book

Log in with your iHV member email address and password.

Please note: when you log in you’ll be redirected to the iHV homepage. Simply return to the iHV events webpage to find and book your event.

Once you are viewing this page logged in, the “Register now” button will appear when you click on “Booking Link (click to reveal)“