Thursday, 15 October 2026
The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to announce its Week of Health Visiting and SEND, taking place from 16-20 November 2026. This dedicated week will shine a spotlight on the vital role that health visiting plays in supporting babies, children and families with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The idea to dedicate a whole week to SEND has come from the iHV SEND Special Interest Group and we are delighted to support the members of this group in raising the profile of their important work.
Throughout the week, we will be sharing evidence, highlighting good practice, showcasing innovative approaches and exploring how health visitors and their teams can help ensure children and families with SEND access the right support at the right time. Through webinars, blogs, podcasts and member events, colleagues will have the opportunity to hear from leading experts, learn about the latest policy developments, discover practical resources and connect with others working to improve outcomes for children and families.
Whether you are looking for policy updates, examples of effective practice or opportunities to network with colleagues, there will be something for everyone.
Programme
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Date |
Activity |
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Monday 16 November 2026 |
Launch of the new iHV Position Statement: Giving Every Child the Best Start: Strengthening SEND support in the earliest years through health visiting. SEND Special Interest Group (SIG) Event (open to all iHV members for this one-off event). Join us to learn more about the SEND SIG, hear from expert speakers, share examples of good practice and connect with colleagues who are passionate about improving outcomes for babies, children and families with SEND. See below to book |
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Tuesday 17 November 2026 |
Guest Blog from Whizz Kidz exploring how health visitors and their teams can help children access appropriate equipment to support their development. |
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Wednesday 18 November 2026 |
Podcast: Exploring the use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) in developmental reviews, with a focus on supporting babies, children and families with SEND. |
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Thursday 19 November 2026 |
iHV Insights Webinar: Health Visiting and SEND - From Policy to Practice (iHV member only event). Hear from expert speakers on the role of health visiting in supporting babies, children and families with SEND, alongside policy updates, practice examples and resources to support practice. See below to book. |
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Friday 20 November 2026 |
Best Practice Case Study and iHV Voices Blog by Kirsty Jacques and Nikki Freeman, Health Visitor Clinical Leads for SEND at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust and iHV Expert Advisers for SEND, will share their Hertfordshire case study. |
SEND Special Interest Group Event
As part of the week, we are pleased to open our SEND Special Interest Group (SIG) event to all iHV members.
This special session will include:
- Launch of the iHV Position Statement, Giving Every Child the Best Start: Strengthening Early Years SEND Support Through Health Visiting.
- Presentations from Dr Kate Oulton and Dr Paulina Pérez-Duarte Mendiola on the work of SPROCKET, a research and innovation hub aiming to transform services for children and young people with complex health needs and support families through key transition points.
- Opportunities for SEND SIG members and attendees to connect, share learning and celebrate good practice.
Guest Speakers
Dr Kate Oulton - Consultant Nurse for Family Engagement and Co-Production, Senior Research Fellow (Centre for Outcomes and Experience Research in Children's Health, Illness and Disability, Great Ormond Street Hospital), and Honorary Associate Professor (UCL Institute of Child Health).
Dr Paulina Pérez-Duarte Mendiola SPROCKET Research Fellow in Co-production, Centre for Outcomes and Experience Research in Children's Health, Illness and Disability, Great Ormond Street Hospital.
iHV Insights: Health Visiting and SEND - From Policy to Practice
On Thursday 19 November, our iHV Insights webinar will bring together expert speakers to explore how policy, evidence and practice can work together to improve outcomes for children and families with SEND.
Guest Speakers
Lynne Reed Deputy Director, 0-19 Clinical Programmes Unit, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), who will provide a policy perspective on health visiting and SEND, including the Healthy Child Programme.
Rachel Costis Public Health Nurse Consultant, who will share learning from Swindon Borough Council's Little Bean Stalks initiative, demonstrating how collaborative partnership working, early identification of need and a proactive approach are helping children and families access timely support and interventions.
The iHV will also introduce its new position statement and highlight resources available to support health visitors in practice.
Book onto iHV Insights: Health Visiting and SEND - From Policy to Practice
Thursday 19 November 2026 | 15:30 - 16:30
Book nowGet Involved
The Week of Health Visiting and SEND is an opportunity to celebrate the essential contribution of health visiting in supporting babies, children and families with SEND.
We encourage you to help raise the profile of SEND work in your local area by sharing your initiatives, celebrating good practice and engaging with our content throughout the week. Please follow and repost our social media content using #HealthVisitingSEND26 to help showcase the valuable contribution of health visiting and spread learning across the sector.
Together, we can raise awareness, share good practice and improve outcomes for babies, children and families with SEND.