"I am truly honoured and delighted to have been awarded first place in the iHV Student Health Visitor Award 2026. Receiving this recognition means a great deal to me and I am incredibly grateful to the judging panel for their encouraging feedback.

 

Health visiting is a profession I am deeply passionate about. Having worked with children and families for over 20 years in a variety of roles, I have always been committed to supporting families, reducing inequalities and improving outcomes within local communities. Becoming a Health Visitor was a goal I worked hard to achieve, and completing my SCPHN training while balancing work, study and family life was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my career.

 

This award represents more than a project, it reflects a journey of dedication to children, families and communities. I hope it inspires others considering a career in health visiting and highlights the positive impact that collaborative, community-focused approaches can have on family health and wellbeing".

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Nicola Leach – 1st Place SCPHN student health visitor University of Salford

"I am absolutely delighted and honestly quite overwhelmed to learn that I have been awarded second place. It is a real honour, and I am incredibly grateful to the judging panel for their thoughtful, constructive feedback and kind comments about my work.

I never imagined that my empowerment work would be acknowledged in this way, and I am still a little bit in shock. This project is something I am very passionate about, so receiving this recognition means a great deal to me and I am excited to continue developing this work and sharing it more widely."

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Danielle Entwistle – 2nd place SCPHN student health visitor Manchester Metropolitan University

"Achieving third place at the iHV Awards is something I feel incredibly proud of. I feel particularly excited in relation to Black maternal health and being able to continue raising awareness of such a fundamental topic. I feel incredibly honoured to have worked closely with a family, whose experiences have given me a deeper insight into the real impact Black maternal health inequalities can have on women, children and families. After 15 years of being a midwife and now being a newly qualified health visitor, the most valuable attribute in both roles is being able to listen, learn and understand the importance of lived experiences, reinforcing passion for advocating for equitable, compassionate and culturally sensitive care.

Statistics are based on real people whose voices should continue to be heard, channelling their experiences to bring meaningful change to our practice. This recognition is not just about an award; it is about continuing important conversations, challenging inequalities and ensuring every family feels seen, heard and supported.

I am passionate about continuing this work through action research at the University of Stirling, helping to build on lived experiences, raise awareness and contribute to meaningful, lasting change in practice."

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Stacey Hazel Paterson – 3rd place SCPHN Student Health Visitor University of Stirling