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Good Practice Points

These Good Practice Points are based on the six high impact areas for health visitor public health outcomes, and the content of the Healthy Child Programme and the publication Birth to Five. They have been written by topic experts, health visitors and others using the most up-to-date evidence.

*The iHV has adopted a gender-additive approach to the language we use in policies, resources, projects, and events. A gender-additive approach means using gender neutral language alongside the language of womanhood, to ensure that everyone is represented and included. Please note that this publication uses gendered terms when referencing research which is gender specific.

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They have all been peer reviewed by academic HVs, senior HVs in practice and parents to ensure that they accurately reflect both the latest evidence and practice experience.

More Good Practice Points available to members only can be found in the Resource Library A-Z under alphabetic topic headings.

Transition to Parenthood and the Early Weeks

In this section you will find good practice points to support the early days of having a baby such as: Immunisations; Healthy attachment; Oral Thrush; Safer Sleep; Cradle Cap; Reflux; Colic

View GPPs in this section

GPP – Advocating the use of Vitamin D
GPP – Babies who have neonatal jaundice
GPP – Caring for a baby with suspected colic
GPP – Engaging with fathers
GPP – Enhancing maternal recovery following caesarean birth
GPP – Managing Cradle Cap
GPP – Managing Reflux
GPP – Postnatal contraception
GPP – Strengthening parent-infant* relationships
GPP – Promoting smoke-free families
GPP – Promoting physical activity during pregnancy and the postnatal period
GPP – Promoting the Uptake of Childhood Immunisations
GPP – Recognising and managing oral thrush in babies
GPP – Recognition and Management of Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Safer Sleep resources
GPP – Supporting the emotional wellbeing of parents when their baby leaves the neonatal unit during COVID-19
GPP – Talking with parents/carers about their sexual wellbeing
GPP – Understanding babies who cry a lot
GPP – Understanding Cleft Lip and Palate

Breastfeeding

In this section you will find information and links to support Breastfeeding.

View information

Breastfeeding guidance

Mental Health

In this section you will find good practice points to support mental health and well being for the whole family.

View GPPs in this section

GPP – Postpartum Psychosis
GPP – Supporting Families Following a Traumatic Event
GPP – Understanding Fathers’ Mental Health & Wellbeing
GPP – Understanding Mothers’ Mental Health & Wellbeing
GPP – Working with birth trauma

Healthy Weight, Healthy Nutrition

In this section you will find good practice points to support healthy nutrition such as: Complementary feeding & Baby-Led Weaning; Healthy Infant & Toddler Diet; Feeding the Older Child

View GPPs in this section

GPP – Advocating the use of Vitamin D
GPP – An introduction to Food Allergies
GPP – Complementary feeding and baby-led weaning
GPP – Food insecurity and families
GPP – Helping the older child to eat well
GPP – Preconception nutrition
GPP – Promoting a Healthy Infant and Toddler Diet
GPP – Promoting physical activity during pregnancy and the postnatal period
GPP – Babies and very young children with eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties

Managing Minor Illness and Reducing Accidents

In this section you will find good practice points to support managing minor illness & reducing accidents such as: How to reduce accidents in pre-school children

View GPPs in this section

GPP – How to reduce unintentional injuries in under 5-year olds
GPP – Managing childhood illnesses
GPP – Supporting parents to recognise sepsis
GPP – Signs and symptoms of Varicella (chickenpox) and knowing what to look for
GPP – Impetigo

Health, Wellbeing and Development of the Child

In this section you will find good practice points to support healthy 2 year olds & school readiness such as: Independent Sleep; Smoking near children; Dental health; Difficult behaviours; ASQ/SE; Eczema; Child Development; Travelling with babies

View GPPs in this section

GPP – Approaches to working with families to understand and support behaviour
GPP – Atopic Eczema
GPP – Foot development in infancy and early childhood
GPP – Identifying, referring and supporting infants with Spinal Muscular Atrophy – type 1
GPP – Keeping infants and young children safe around dogs in the home
GPP – Managing children’s behaviour
GPP – Oral health for babies and children
GPP – Overview of walking development in infancy and early childhood
GPP – Promoting smoke-free families
Safer Sleep resources
GPP – Sleep and the older Child
GPP – Supporting children on the autism spectrum and their families
GPP – Supporting families with pre-school children to promote their SLC development when there are signs of autism or learning difficulties
GPP – Supporting the Child’s Development
GPP – Talking to Parents about Travelling with their Baby
GPP – Supporting good practice with toilet training
GPP – Transition to School for Children with Complex Health Needs /Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
GPP – Trauma-aware and trauma-informed practice: Working with families of children with a disability/difficulty
GPP – Understanding behaviour to support the sensory needs of children with autism
GPP – Understanding sleep issues in children with additional needs
GPP – Working with families when hearing loss is suspected
GPP – Working with families when hearing loss is confirmed
GPP eXtra – Understanding Genomics

Generic GPPs

In this section you will find a wide range of Good Practice Points which do not come under the High Impact Areas

GPP – Advocating the use of Vitamin D
GPP – An introduction to Food Allergies
GPP – Childhood cancer: The signs and symptoms and knowing what to look for
GPP – Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy – recognition, diagnosis and clinical care
GPP – Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
GPP – Food insecurity and families
GPP – Keeping infants and young children safe around dogs in the home
GPP – Promoting physical activity during pregnancy and the postnatal period
GPP – Recognition and Management of Hyperemesis Gravidarum
GPP – Reducing alcohol harm: Early intervention and prevention
GPP – Retinoblastoma (eye cancer in babies and children)
GPP – Signs and symptoms of Varicella (chickenpox) and knowing what to look for
GPP – Supporting a parent when their partner dies
GPP – Supporting children with Down’s syndrome and their families
GPP – Supporting children with Down’s syndrome: growth, feeding and development
GPP – Supporting families experiencing pregnancy loss or the death of an unborn baby
GPP – Supporting families following the death of an infant or child (aged 1 to 4 years)
GPP – Supporting families following the death of a baby
GPP – Supporting parents whose own parent (or early attachment figure) has died
GPP – Supporting young children who have lost a parent
GPP – Trauma-aware and trauma-informed practice: Working with families of children with a disability/difficulty
GPP – Umbilical Granuloma
GPP – Working with parental substance misuse (illicit drugs)
GPP eXtra – Understanding Genomics
GPP eXtra – Working with Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) by Carers
GPP – Emotional Wellbeing at Work 1
GPP – Emotional Wellbeing at Work 2

*The iHV does not authorise the direct placement of any iHV products on any secondary websites hosted by organisations, or other bodies, outside the iHV. If you would like to disseminate iHV Parent Tips please can you do so by sharing the direct link to the original product webpage on our website. The information in our resources is regularly reviewed in response to changing evidence and guidance. The iHV accepts no liability for any claims, penalties, loss, damage or expenses, howsoever arising, out of or in connection with the use of iHV resources that have been accessed via any other websites, or means, which may contain outdated content.