Updated iHV GPP: Improving Vaccination Uptake

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to announce the publication of its updated Good Practice Points (GPP): Improving Vaccination Uptake During Pregnancy and Early Childhood. This new resource supports health visitors and the wider health visiting workforce to strengthen their role in improving vaccination confidence and uptake during pregnancy and the early years – a crucial public health priority.

Recent national updates, including the UK’s loss of its measles elimination status, highlight the impact of declining vaccination rates and the urgency of supporting families with clear, evidence-based information. Through their universal reach, health visitors can engage early with parents, build trust, and help overcome both hesitancy and barriers to accessing vaccination-based information.

The updated GPP was created with the support of Dr Helen Bedford, Professor of Children’s Health, Population, Policy and Practice Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, iHV Trustee, and iHV Expert Adviser: Immunisations.

iHV GPPs provide busy practitioners with easily accessible and up-to-date information on key public health priority topics. This updated GPP contains the latest data and evidence on improving vaccination uptake, with an overview of:

UK childhood vaccination coverage and the impact of declining rates

Inequalities, declining uptake, and approaches to tackling these disparities

A whole system approach to improving vaccination rates

Vaccine access, vaccine hesitancy, and strategies to support families

Key messages and top tips for health visitors and health visiting skill mix teams.

The iHV would like to thank the iHV Health Visiting Advisory Forum (HVAF) members for their valuable contribution to the review process, helping ensure this refreshed guidance reflects current evidence and the realities of frontline practice across diverse communities.

Read GPP - Improving Vaccination Uptake During Pregnancy and Early Childhood

Note: iHV GPPs are free-to-access for all iHV members.

The iHV is a self-funding charity – we can only be successful in our mission to strengthen health visiting practice if the health visiting profession and its supporters join us on our journey. We rely on our membership to develop new resources for our members.

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

Celebrating continued collaboration between iHV and APF

The Active Pregnancy Foundation (APF) and the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) have been working together for more than five years to deliver the This Mum Moves (TMM) educational programme. The Institute is the APF’s official training partner, supporting the development of place-based leaders – known as This Mum Moves Ambassadors – who promote physical activity within their local communities and settings.

On 8 October, the APF and iHV hosted the This Mum Moves Annual Networking Event, themed ‘Maternal Health Equity in Motion‘. The event brought together TMM Ambassadors from across the UK to share research, resources, and practical strategies to advance health equity in the perinatal period.

Speakers and topics included:

Professor Hora Soltani, Sheffield Hallam University – Maternal Health Equity and Movement: Priorities, Barriers and Bridges in the Perinatal Period
Dr Danielle Schoenaker, University of Southampton – The Preconception Care Toolkit: Guidance to Support Pregnancy Planning and Preparation
Dr Lamia Zafrani, OBGYN – Active Pregnancy: My Journey and the Call for Maternal Equity
Beth Marriott, Sport in Mind – Sport in Mind’s Pregnancy and Postnatal Programme
Scott Radcliffe, Sport England – We Like the Way You Move

As part of its work to address inequalities, the APF has been awarded over £250,000 of National Lottery funding through Sport England to tackle key systemic challenges in maternal physical activity. Current guidelines tend to focus on women with uncomplicated pregnancies and good baseline health. However, a significant gap remains in meeting the needs of women with disabilities, mental health challenges, or those at risk of long-term health conditions. These challenges are often compounded by socio-economic status, ethnicity, and geography, leaving many women underserved and facing barriers to staying active during pregnancy and the postnatal period.

This investment aligns with Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign, which recently launched “We Like the Way You Move”. The campaign takes an intersectional approach to promoting activity among diverse groups, including pregnant women, new mothers, Black communities, and South Asian Muslim women. Read more here.

Updated Good Practice Point – Promoting physical activity during pregnancy and the period following childbirth

The APF and iHV are committed to highlighting the vital role of health visitors in supporting physical activity as part of maternal and family health. To complement this work, the Good Practice Point resource (available to iHV members and TMM Ambassadors) – Promoting physical activity during pregnancy and the period following childbirth – has been updated to reflect the latest evidence, guidance, and examples of best practice.

Physical activity during and after pregnancy is not only safe for most women but also offers significant benefits: improved mental wellbeing, enhanced cardiovascular fitness, and reduced risk of complications such as gestational diabetes and excessive weight gain. As trusted professionals, health visitors are uniquely placed to support and encourage women to remain active during this important stage of life.

Go to GPP - Promoting physical activity during pregnancy and the period following childbirth

iHV members can access this updated GPP via the above link when logged into the iHV website.
TMM Ambassadors who are not iHV members will need to log in to access via the TMM training resources on iHV LEARN.

This Mum Moves Ambassadors Training

Through this collaboration, iHV delivers the This Mum Moves training in partnership with subject matter experts at the APF to health visitors, allied health professionals, fitness and other professionals. Those completing the training become This Mum Moves Ambassadors, equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to:

Understand the evidence base for physical activity during and beyond pregnancy, including national guidelines;
Promote physical activity effectively using the Chief Medical Officers’ (CMO) guidance;
Offer appropriate and timely advice, guidance, and signposting to trusted resources;
Access and use tools to support conversations and engagement around physical activity; and
Act as advocates for active, healthy lifestyles within their local areas.

For more information about This Mum Moves Ambassador training, please click here or contact [email protected] to register your interest.

New GPP on The Importance of Supporting Fathers

We are delighted to publish a new Good Practice Point (GPP) for health visitors on the importance of supporting fathers.

All parents have a unique and significant role in promoting their family health and wellbeing, and any person can experience difficulties during their transition to parenthood, whether they are a mother or birthing person, father, co-mother or non-birthing parent. This GPP focuses specifically on the importance of the support that health visitors offer to fathers* during the perinatal period.

*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 both gendered language alongside gender-neutral language, to ensure that everyone is represented and included.
For the purpose of this publication, the term father includes those who are: biological or non-biological parents; residing with or separately from their partner and baby; in a relationship with or separated from their child’s other parent; heterosexual, gay, bisexual or transgender; an adoptive or step-parent.

Go to GPP - The Importance of Supporting Fathers

Please note that GPPs are available to iHV members.

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

So do join us now!

Retinoblastoma awareness

In World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week (#RbWeek), iHV supports the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT) to raise awareness of retinoblastoma.

Retinoblastoma is a rare eye cancer that affects babies and young children, mainly under the age of six. Around 40-50 cases are diagnosed a year in the UK – or one child a week. It represents 3% of all childhood cancers and 10% of cancers in babies under the age of one in the UK. 98% of children in the UK with retinoblastoma survive, but early diagnosis is crucial to save a child’s eyes, sight and life.

Photo credit: Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT)

Over one in ten (13%) parents of a child diagnosed with the rare eye cancer retinoblastoma (Rb) in 2022 consulted their health visitor in the first instance. Health visitors were the second most consulted professionals after GPs for parents with concerns about their baby’s eyes.

However, according to the annual survey from the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT), less than 30% of these health visitors recognised that the child’s symptoms were a sign of this rare condition.

The main symptoms reported by parents of children diagnosed with retinoblastoma are:

White glow seen in photos or in the eye itself – 77%
New squint – 33%
Change in colour of iris (coloured part of eye) – 9%
Loss of vision – 8%
Roaming eyes / child not focusing – 8%
Redness or swelling without infection – 7%
Absence of red eye in a photo – 1%

It’s important to note however that the symptoms are usually confined to the eye, and the child seems otherwise well in themselves, which can be misleading.

Richard Ashton, Chief Executive of the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust, said:

“Despite the extremely challenging environment many practitioners are working in currently, health visitors continue to play a hugely important role for parents of children this age. It’s important therefore that they are aware of the main signs of childhood eye cancer, and the appropriate action to take. This is why we have worked with the iHV to develop the Good Practice Points for retinoblastoma, and have a specific information on our website for health visitors at www.chect.org.uk/hv.”

Alison Morton, CEO of the Institute of Health Visiting, said:

“We are delighted to be working with the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust to raise awareness of the signs of retinoblastoma amongst health visitors and practitioners working in health visiting teams. Spotting the signs of this rare condition and ensuring that these children access the right treatment as soon as possible makes a big difference to their outcomes. It is therefore vitally important that all practitioners are able to spot these early signs and can ensure that families are supported with accurate information and advice.

“I encourage all practitioners to read our Good Practice Points resource which was developed in partnership with the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust and contains a wealth of information in an easy to access and quick read format.”

Go to GPP - Retinoblastoma (eye cancer in babies and children)

World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week takes place from 14-20 May 2023. Help CHECT to raise awareness with their downloadable resources.

For more information for health visitors on retinoblastoma, go to www.chect.org.uk/hv.

Updated GPP Postpartum Psychosis

During Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, #MMHAW23, and following today’s theme of Health Care Professionals hub to support healing, we are delighted to share our updated Good Practice Points (GPP) on Postpartum Psychosis.

GPP – Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum psychosis (PP), also known as puerperal psychosis and postnatal psychosis, is a severe illness that involves hallucinations, delusions, mania, severe confusion, or unusual behaviour occurring, often with acute onset, in the postnatal period.

These Good Practice Points set out what health visitors need to know about Postpartum Psychosis.

Authored by Dr Judy Shakespeare, retired GP, Royal College of General Practitioners Clinical Champion in perinatal mental health, and in association with Action on Postpartum Psychosis, this GPP provides up-to-date evidence and references.

Go to GPP - Postpartum Psychosis

Updated Vitamins resources now available

We are delighted to share updated Parent Tips and Good Practice Points resources on the importance of vitamins for babies and children.

Parent Tip – Vitamins A, C and D

In the UK, it is known that some babies and children have low levels of vitamins A, C and D. Vitamins and minerals help us to stay healthy, including babies and children. They also help us when we are ill.

This parent tip will look at each of vitamins A, C and D, explaining why they are important for babies and children.

Go to Parent Tip - Vitamins A, C and D

Good Practice Points – Advocating the use of Vitamin D

Health visitors have a central role to play in increasing Vitamin D uptake. These Good Practice Points, authored by Sara Patience, Registered Health Visitor, Registered Nutritionist, set out what health visitors need to know on advocating the use of Vitamin D.

They outline some evidence and guidance on the use and importance of Vitamin D, along with up-to-date evidence and references.

Please note that this GPP is available to iHV members only.

Go to GPP - Advocating the use of Vitamin D

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

So do join us now!

iHV GPPs for Down’s syndrome updated and ‘open access’

Thanks to generous funding from the Leieune Clinic for Children with Down Syndrome, the Institute of Health Visiting has updated, and made ‘open access’, its Good Practice Points (GPP) for health visitors supporting children with Down’s syndrome and their families.

People with Down’s syndrome have a genetic variation. Whilst they share some common features, it must be emphasised they are all individuals with their own abilities, needs, interests and aspirations. Down’s syndrome is not a disease and people who have Down’s syndrome are not ill.

The evidence base of what families with babies and children with Down’s syndrome value from health and related services has increased in recent years and should be acted upon in the design of services including health visiting. In November 2022, the iHV submitted evidence for the Department of Health and Social Care’s Down Syndrome Act 2022 guidance: call for evidence.

Colette Lloyd, Trustee of the Lejeune Clinic for Children with Down Syndrome, says:

“It is so important that all children, including children with Down Syndrome, are given the support they need to live happy and healthy lives from an early age. Therefore, we wanted to ensure that health visitors had access to the latest information on the additional support that children with Down Syndrome benefit from. We are delighted to partner with the Institute of Health Visiting to make these Good Practice Points available to all.”

There are two GPPs in this series:

The iHV developed these resources using co-production methods, with Down’s syndrome charities and parents with lived experience. As part of our scoping, families reported a postcode lottery of support – the quality of the service that they receive, and the skills of the staff that deliver it, really does depend on where they live. These GPPs are designed to address this gap by providing a summary of evidence-based information to support quality improvement in health visiting practice.

Like all children, children with Down’s syndrome are all different and will benefit from early intervention that is personalised to their identified needs. Personalised support should be in place as soon as the early signs are detected – for Down’s syndrome, this is likely to be at the antenatal screening when a ‘high chance’ of Down’s syndrome is detected. All parents are different and will respond to the diagnosis in an individual way. It is therefore extremely important that professionals take their lead from the parents. The Good Practice Points provide guidance in the specific areas of: growth, infant feeding, child development, managing minor illnesses, tailored support, and language/ terminology, as well as signposting to other resources for babies and young children with Down’s syndrome.

Go to GPP – Supporting children with Down’s syndrome and their families

Go to GPP – Supporting children with Down’s syndrome: growth, feeding and development

Updated resources

We are delighted to share 5 updated Parent Tips (providing advice for parents and families) and an updated Good Practice Points resource providing up-to-date evidence and references for our members.

Updated Parent Tips

(advice to share with parents and families)

Updated PT - Childhood Immunisations Part 1

Updated PT - Childhood Immunisations Part 2

Updated PT - Routine baby screening reviews at 6-8 weeks

Updated PT - Supporting breastfeeding for everyone and issues relating to breastfeeding during COVID-19

Updated PT - Coping with a crying baby

Updated GPPs

Please note that GPPs are available to iHV members only – do remember to sign in to access them:

Updated GPP - Managing childhood illnesses

Please note that GPPs are available to iHV members only.

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

So do join us now!

The vital role of health visitors in supporting families with SMA type 1

Health visitors play a vital role in listening to and supporting parents or carers when they have health or developmental concerns about their children. Health visitors also play a vital role in observing and detecting the early signs of complex conditions and disabilities in infants and children.

They are well placed to observe infants who may have Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA Type 1) for example, which, although is a rare condition, is incredibly important to spot early as this improves the outcomes for infants.

We are delighted to launch our new Good Practice Points (GPPs) on SMA Type 1. The aim of this GPP is to support health visitors to recognise the early and important signs and symptoms of SMA, and optimise on all their contacts with young infants and their families. Early recognition is important as it speeds up the diagnosis and treatment which can make a significant and life-changing difference to outcomes and prognosis.

There are 3 very specific symptoms to be aware of in infants and these are:

An infant who cannot raise their head when on their tummy
An infant who has floppy arms and legs
An infant who is not reaching for things.

Health visitors should look out for these signs when reviewing gross motor development in young babies, and refer to a GP for review and referral to a Paediatric Neurologist if an infant presents with any of these specific symptoms. There is more information on SMA Type 1 and the other types of SMA in the GPP.

Go to GPP - Identifying, referring and supporting infants with Spinal Muscular Atrophy – type 1

We are grateful to our authors and funders for writing this GPP to equip health visitors. It originated from the awareness by Paediatric Neurologists of the vital role that health visitors have in early detection of SMA and the difference that their intervention can make to a young infant. We are currently working with our authors and will involve parents in creating a resource for parents and carers on SMA.

Click here for more information about symptoms of SMA Type 1

Calling all health visitors: We invite you to find your inner warrior and share your stories on social media. How have you made a difference to babies, children and families? Support the #TurnOffTheTaps campaign and raise the profile of health visiting so every baby can get the best start in life. Together we are stronger. #InvestInHealthVisiting

Find out more about the #TurnOffTheTaps campaign

Resources to support sexual health in #SHW21

In support of Sexual Health Week 2021 #SHW21 (14-19 September 2021), iHV publishes updated Parent Tips (PT) and Good Practice Points (GPP) and also reshares its recently published Interactive Parent Leaflet for Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Interactive Parent Leaflet for Sexual and Reproductive Health

This interactive leaflet will help parents think about having a baby and any questions they may have.

PT – Sex and intimacy: understanding changes to your sexual wellbeing following the birth of your baby

Having a baby is a major change in any couple’s relationship, with many parents feeling less happy in their relationship after the birth of a baby. This isn’t surprising, as a new baby means less sleep, extra work and less time for each other.

We know that this can lead to changes in a couple’s sex life, with one third of couples continuing to experience sexual difficulties up to four years after birth. Sex and intimacy is one of the issues that parents argue about after they have a new baby, but it is also one of the areas that gets talked about the least.

These parent top tips bring together a collection of evidence-based tips that new parents can put into practice today.

GPP – Talking with parents/carers about their sexual wellbeing

These Good Practice Points set out what health visitors need to know on talking with new parents/carers about their sexual wellbeing after having a baby.

Having a baby is usually a happy event, but it’s also a major transition for parents/carers, leading to changes in lifestyle and putting an understandable strain on the couple relationship.

Please note that GPPs are available to iHV members only.

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

So do join us now!