iHV attends All Party Parliamentary Group on Babies Event

24th June 2026

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) was privileged to attend the Houses of Parliament yesterday (23 June 2026) to attend an All Party Parliamentary Group on Babies Event showcasing brilliant work that is happening across England supporting babies, children & families.

 

Organised by Maya Ellis MP and The Parent-Infant Foundation, it was a lively event full of passionate and dedicated practitioners from across all sectors. The iHV stood alongside colleagues from AVIGuk, The 1001 Critical Days Foundation, The Parent-Infant Foundation, LGA National Centre for Family Hubs, Triple P UK, Home-Start UK and Brazelton Centre UK – with Eileen Perrins, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Lead and Karen Hardy, Specialist Health Visitor for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health from Hull 0-19 Integrated Public Health Nursing Service representing the iHV at the event.  

The APPG Showcase Event provided an excellent opportunity to celebrate successes and showcase the vital work of health visitors through their universal reach, targeted support and specialist expertise. Alongside colleagues, Eileen and Karen highlighted the important role that health visitors play in widening access and connecting parents and children with Family Hubs, peer support groups and specialist parent-infant services. It was also a valuable platform to speak with MPs and government officials, emphasising that health visiting can only achieve its full impact through a robust, well–resourced service, supported by urgent investment from the Department of Health and Social Care and a ring-fenced public health grant for delivery of the Healthy Child Programme.  

Sharon Hodgson MP (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention), Sue Robb (Government’s Best Start in Life champion) and Maya Ellis MP spoke at the event celebrating what has been achieved through Best Start in Life funding but also recognising a road to travel before the “postcode lottery” for families is at an end. Eileen and Karen also had the opportunity to meet with Sir Desmond Swayne MP who is currently seeking to introduce a landmark Private Member’s Bill to legislate specifically for the 1001 critical days. The proposed Infants, Parents and Carers Bill (also known as the ‘Baby’s Bill’) would enshrine in law services provided by the Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies Programme including midwifery checks and health visiting, as well as support for parenting preparation, infant feeding, parental mental health and parent-infant relationships.  

Karen shared the following feedback from the day: 

“I was delighted to be invited to attend the APPG Showcase on Babies alongside the Institute of Health Visiting. It provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the important work undertaken by a wide range of organisations supporting babies during the critical first 1001 days. It was also fantastic to showcase the work we are doing in Hull, and to emphasise how vital a well-led and adequately resourced health visiting service is. Such services play a crucial role in ensuring that all families receive the support they need, helping to give every baby the best possible start in life.”