2nd September 2024
SCPHN Student Health Visitor joins the iHV Team for an Alternative Public Health Learning Experience, as part of her SCPHN Health Visiting Studies.
The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is a professional body and a Centre of Excellence, established to strengthen the quality and consistency of health visiting practice, so health visitors can effectively respond to the health needs of babies, children and communities, enabling them to achieve their optimum level of health, thereby reducing health inequalities. As part of our role, we welcome applications to provide learning opportunities for iHV SCPHN student health visitor members, who wish to connect with us, as part of their academic study requirements for alternative public health placements.
Leah Craven, from the University of Derby, got in touch with us expressing an interest in learning more about the work of the iHV and the opportunities for health visitors to continue their professional development. It was our pleasure to facilitate arrangements for Leah to meet with iHV team members to learn about their roles, as well as experience shadowing opportunities at iHV member-only events.
Below, Leah shares a Voices Blog summarising her learning experience with iHV.
Leah Craven, SCPHN Student Health Visitor
Leah Craven, SCPHN Student Health Visitor – University of Derby
“My time with the iHV has demonstrated the importance of health visitors uniting and being a collective voice to facilitate better outcomes for children, babies, and families in England.”
I am a student health visitor studying at the University of Derby, due to complete my studies in September 2024. Amanda Holland, Professional Services Lead at the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV), gave a presentation at our university on the work of iHV and I signed up as an iHV student member. I was interested to find out more about the Institute and decided to explore the possibility of work experience as part of the alternative practice element of my SCPHN health visiting programme. With approval of my practice assessor and manager, I contacted Amanda to explore this. We met online and discussed some options, and I am happy to say that the iHV facilitated a really interesting programme for me with a wide variety of experiences and learning opportunities.
To understand the iHV’s policy influencing work and their engagement with practitioners, I attended a virtual iHV Insights event. This explored the ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 guidance’ and its implications for practice. I also attended a networking event for student health visitors around ‘safeguarding supervision’. Before these events, I attended the pre-meeting which enabled me to see the extent of the work that is undertaken behind the scenes in preparation for iHV events. All speakers and the event’s organisers connected, introducing themselves and their role, and discussed the organisation of proceedings to enable the event to run smoothly. After the event, I had the opportunity to ask any questions to speakers to advance my learning. I also observed the post-event briefing where the team of speakers and organisers took time to reflect on the event, discussed themes that arose to inform the wider policy work of the Institute, and any improvements that needed to be made going forwards for future events.
I also arranged a virtual one-to-one meeting with Georgina Mayes (iHV Professional Lead for Health Visiting – Policy and Quality) to discuss her role within the iHV. Georgina spoke about how she got into the role, previously being a health visitor and then practice teacher, and then service manager. She expressed the importance of getting the role of the health visitor known in society and in politics, by emphasising the benefits of preventative public health and to increase funding for the health visiting service. Georgina outlined her work at the iHV and the numerous ways that the organisation is working to raise the profile of health visiting and influence policies affecting health. In particular, Georgina spoke about how she has helped to do this by creating short films and the ‘Who are health visitors’ iHV infographics.
Attending the virtual events has emphasised the importance of the Institute, to distribute relevant and current information to health visitors, to enable them to deliver best practice in communities. The iHV also provides a valuable “voice” for the profession. These meetings provide a forum for health visitors to voice and highlight their concerns which was noted by the relevant professional to carry the consensus forward to help make improvements to health visiting practice and service delivery.
Attending the student safeguarding supervision event allowed me to connect with other student health visitors working in different areas. We were able to share thoughts and feelings around safeguarding when qualifying which was reassuring. It was also encouraging to hear that different areas have strong support systems in place to protect newly qualified health visitors with safeguarding which I plan to raise within my own trust.
Amanda and Georgina’s passion for the health visiting role is evident, they have given me an understanding of the dedication that goes on behind the scenes at the iHV. My time with the iHV has demonstrated the importance of health visitors uniting and being a collective voice to facilitate better outcomes for children, babies, and families in England.
Going forward I will take my experience working with the iHV into my own practice, continuing to liaise with multi-agency services. I will continue to stay in touch with the iHV and attend relevant events to further expand my knowledge on updated policies and information and connect with health visitors across the UK. I also feel I will be able to share my own views at iHV events and encourage colleagues to do the same, to help improve the future health visiting service.
Leah Craven, SCPHN Student Health Visitor – University of Derby
To enquire about opportunities for an alternative public health placement, contact [email protected]
As iHV student health visitor members, students can also benefit from a wide range of iHV resources to support them throughout their academic studies and beyond, such as our regular iHV Insights Events, SCPHN student Health Visitor Networking Events and Good Practice Points. Furthermore, we have developed an area of the iHV website dedicated to meet the specific learning needs of students. In addition to this, we are delighted to explore other opportunities to support the professional development of SCPHN student health visitors and for members to learn more about our work at the iHV in the same way as Leah did. Everyone at the iHV wishes Leah the very best as she completes her studies.
