The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) announces the launch of its International membership whilst Dr Cheryll Adams CBE, iHV executive director, Professor Dame Sarah Cowley, iHV Trustee, and Dr Karen Whitaker, iHV Fellow, attend a UNICEF meeting in Leiden, Holland, as professional advisors to support the introduction of home visiting services in other countries.

iHV International membership has been introduced for those living overseas who would like to have access to the latest evidence-based research, reports, briefings and other materials relevant to the work of the health visitor.  In addition, this new category of membership helps the iHV to raise international awareness of the important role of health visitors.

Dr Cheryll Adams CBE, executive director, iHV, said:

“I am pleased to open up our membership of the Institute of Health Visiting to those health professionals living outside of the UK who work with babies, children, families and communities.  Membership of the iHV provides access to our vast number of excellent evidence-based resources and information to improve outcomes for children and families and reduce health inequalities.”

The announcement of iHV’s International membership coincides with Cheryll, Sarah and Karen’s attendance and presentations at a UNICEF meeting, being held in Leiden, Holland, where UNICEF is supporting the introduction of a home visiting service based on health visiting into 25 countries across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Dr Adams added:

“I am delighted we are helping support UNICEF to introduce home visiting services into other countries. UNICEF is turning to England as a source of best practice on the central role that the health visitor plays in the lives of families due to our history and the level of experience and sophistication in our systems.  The UK health visiting service is seen as the gold standard service to emulate, with the iHV as the ‘go to place’ to support these countries.”

In 2014, the iHV hosted a meeting for UNICEF where child and family health experts from Eastern Europe and Central Asia visited England to learn about the vital role that health visitors play in health and wellbeing outcomes for children and their families in England – they heard presentations on policy, education, research, practice, health visiting frameworks and tools.

Dr Adams added:

“We’re very proud here at the Institute of Health Visiting to be working with UNICEF to help child and family experts of other countries to improve the health and development outcomes of young children and their families in their own countries.  Health visitors in the UK play a vital role in ensuring that every child gets the best possible start in life – and the iHV supports UK health visitors to do just that!  And now, with our International membership, the iHV will be helping other health professionals to achieve the same in their own countries.”