The iHV annual Evidence-based Practice (EBP) Conference 2026 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.
This year’s conference, “From Evidence to Action: Getting it right from the start”, will be held at Bournemouth International Centre on 6 May 2026.
Reasons to attend:
- Hear from over 80+ inspiring speakers and presenters – and engage in Q&A sessions and discussions.
- Participate in an extensive range of topical sessions covering the breadth of health visiting practice and research – with something for everyone to choose from in our keynote, concurrent and breakout oral presentation sessions, focused on key priority topics for health visiting in the UK today.
- Enjoy an extensive range of poster presentations selected from the highest scoring poster submissions from researchers and leaders in practice.
- Network with hundreds of participants from across health visiting practice, research, education, policy, national and local government, charities, businesses, partners and supporters.
- Visit our vibrant exhibition with carefully selected stands that will be of interest to those working in health visiting and child/family health in the earliest years.
- Hear new ideas and solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing health visiting and child/ family health across the UK and share ideas during interactive sessions.
- Flexible joining options: you can choose to either join in-person at the fantastic Bournemouth International Centre, with its state-of-the-art facilities and excellent location on Bournemouth beachfront – or take advantage of our hybrid option and enjoy the conference experience online from your work or home setting.
- Leave feeling inspired and connected to the wider health visiting community.
Why are iHV conferences so popular? Read our delegate feedback:
In-person delegates:
“Inspiring, powerful, motivating – as always!”
“Great atmosphere and vibe”
“Excellent programme – every speaker was so good and the programme flowed well with a good mix of policy, practice and research”
“The atmosphere was so welcoming, supportive, and personable… I loved the interactive discussions and the enthusiasm for sharing learning across the profession. I left feeling completely inspired”
“One of the best conferences I have attended – whole atmosphere of the day and speakers provided a positive, motivational and inspirational day. Went home energised and thrilled to have been able to network with so many new people as well as seeing wonderful colleagues from previous roles”
Online delegates:
“I found it so interesting, the interactive part was great too, allowing us to ask questions virtually”
“First time attending. Loved it. Reignited a fire I thought had long been extinguished”
“The broadcast was clear and visually covered the room well. Keep up the excellent work”
Conference aims and objectives
Conference Aim:
To integrate the best research evidence with health visiting clinical expertise and parent/carer experiences, to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities for babies, children, and families.
Learning Objectives:
- To hear and learn the latest national policy, evidence and research on key public health priorities to improve health outcomes for babies, children, and their families, with recommendations for practice.
- To be equipped with new knowledge and skills to address key challenges in prevention and early intervention work, to reduce inequalities and improve access, experience and outcomes.
- To explore ways of improving population and neighbourhood health through evidence-driven health visiting service models and/ or integrated ‘whole system’ approaches that include health visiting, to improve health and reduce inequalities – including initiatives that tackle the wider determinants of health, work with local communities, and strengthen diversity and inclusion.
- To hear and learn from cutting edge researchers, national and local experts, and parents/carers/those with lived experience.
- To gain insight into how integrated working across agencies can support local system planning to improve the health and life chances of babies, children and families.
- To gain CPD points to support NMC revalidation.
- To have networking opportunities with peers to further develop relationships and share best practice.
Programme
Our conference programme covers a breadth of key priority topics for health visiting in the UK today.
We are delighted to be joined by high-profile keynote speakers including the inspirational health visiting leader and iHV Fellow, Dr Ruth Oshikanlu on her groundbreaking work as an advocate and leader of transformational change. We also love to profile new ways of sharing evidence on achieving the ‘best start in life’ with families and are delighted to be joined by Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Julie Hayward from BookTrust on their latest learning from research. Also, hear iHV CEO Alison Morton’s presentation on ‘Leading with purpose: Turning Vision into Impact’. And there are many more – see programme for full details.
Choose from a wide range of fantastic concurrent sessions, with research and evidence-based practice presentations focused on:
- Safeguarding and trauma-informed care* (*live streamed option for online delegates)
- Supporting babies and children with SEND
- Food insecurity and oral health inequalities
- Health equity
- Professional practice
- Perinatal and infant mental health
- Getting it right from the start (*live streamed option for online delegates)
- Infant feeding
Alongside an extensive range of poster presentations from researchers and leaders in practice, we also have a fantastic variety of presentations in our Oral Breakout Sessions, with four streams to choose from:
- Bridging the gaps (live streamed option for online delegates) – focused on financial hardship, paternal mental health, parents by adoption, and clinical governance (including learning from international colleagues in Australia).
- Inclusive practice– covering mothering with autism, perinatal and infant mental health, transition to parenthood for same-sex couples, and experiences of multiple birth care.
- Supporting families with safeguarding or additional needs– including social care reform, MECSH sustained home visiting in London, health visitors working in prisons, and young fathers with histories of childhood domestic abuse.
- Applying professional learning and service design– focused on the health visitor new baby assessment, enhancing the HV offer in Hull, embedding safeguarding supervision, and delivering excellence in workforce education, learning and development.
