Tags: training

Your Year of CPD Starts Here: iHV Releases Accredited Training Calendar for 2026-27

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to launch its Learning and Development Training Programme for September 2026 – September 2027, offering a full year of CPD‑accredited, evidence‑based learning, designed to strengthen practice across the health visiting and multi-agency workforce.

This annual schedule gives busy practitioners, service leads, and commissioners the clarity they need to plan ahead, meet statutory obligations, and ensure their teams remain current, confident, and equipped to provide safe high-quality, evidence-based, effective care that improves outcomes for babies, children and families.

Our programmes provide a clear pathway to demonstrate up‑to‑date knowledge, support NMC revalidation, and strengthen role satisfaction and emotional wellbeing through meaningful CPD.

Why iHV training works: 

iHV programmes are grounded in the latest evidence, shaped by lived experience, and facilitated in close collaboration with experts by experience, topic specialists, and frontline practitioners who bring extensive knowledge and a deep understanding of the pressures of practice.

Participants consistently report increased knowledge, understanding and confidence, stronger multi‑agency working, and measurable impact on service quality.

By investing in CPD that is current, prevention focused, and rooted in public health principles, practitioners can continue to provide evidence-based care, reduce inequalities, enhance safety, and deliver the best possible support to the families they serve. Our programmes are highly valued across the workforce for their relevance, quality, and impact.

Here’s what participants have told us over the past year – feedback that highlights the impact of iHV training programmes, their relevance, and their application to everyday health visiting practice:

  • Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor Programme:
    “Excellent course – content, delivery and organisation was brilliant.”
    “Truly inspiring facilitators and guest speakers – demonstrated passion and dedication.”
  • Safeguarding Supervision Programme:
    “I thought the 2 days were well run and speakers incredibly knowledgably and also able to present/ teach well on MS Teams. I will certainly be raising this training as a go-to for additional staff in my Trust.”
  • Leading Excellence in Practice Programme:
    “I have a new job and the leadership skills gained from this programme have really helped.”
  • Changing Conversations Autism Ambassador Programme:
    “The day was well spent. I liked the variations of the presentations; it included everything you would want in a virtual presentation/training.”
  • Genomics Ambassador Programme:
    “Brilliant sessions, highly qualified speakers. Would certainly highly recommend it.”
  • Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme:
    “This training is exceptional, content is structured really well with interactive activities to keep you focused throughout the 2 days. Both trainers were motivating and showed empathy and kindness when learners needed support…”
  • Motor Development Ambassadors:
    “This will enhance my practice and those I deliver training to. A really great Ambassador programme that I am really excited to start.”
  • This Mum Moves Ambassadors:
    “I enjoyed the interactive learning, mixture of group work and online discussion. This training really appealed to my learning style.”
  • Postnatal Contraception:
    “Excellent training. Extremely engaging and one of the best sessions I have ever attended.”

Dr Michelle Moseley, iHV Director of Programmes (Learning and Development), commented:

Dr Michelle Moseley, iHV Director of Programmes (Learning and Development)

“We are delighted to announce the launch of our year-long Learning and Development Programme. At the iHV, we are committed to supporting lifelong learning and professional excellence. Our programmes have been designed to promote meaningful CPD discussions, encourage reflective practice and provide practical knowledge that can be applied directly to health visiting services. We are incredibly proud of the breadth and quality of opportunities available and look forward to supporting colleagues in their continued professional growth throughout the year.”

iHV remains the home of high‑quality, effective, evidence‑based learning for the health visiting workforce and multi-agency practitioners involved in the early years. iHV is a centre of excellence for impactful learning and professional development opportunities that makes a difference.

Prioritise your CPD today and book your place now.

See Training Programme Calendar for more information or email [email protected]

Little Sparks, Big Starts – Training on Early Brain Development for Health Visitors – New Promotional Brochure

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to share the new promotional brochure for Little Sparks, Big Starts – Training on Early Brain Development for Health Visitors.

Little Sparks, Big Starts – Health Visiting, is an exciting two-part programme designed to support health visiting practitioners in translating key messages about baby brain development into meaningful conversations with parents and carers. It complements, rather than replaces, existing practice.

The programme comprises:
  • A flexible, free-to-access e-learning package for all health visiting practitioners.
  • An accompanying web-based Parent App to support practitioners’ conversations with families.

Little Sparks, Big Starts – Health Visiting was developed with support from Kindred Squared and aims to raise awareness and understanding of early brain development, supporting parents, health visiting teams, educators and communities to improve outcomes for children aged 0–5 years.

Positive early feedback

Initial feedback from health visiting practitioners has been extremely encouraging. Users describe the e-learning as engaging, interactive and practical, with many appreciating that it can be completed in under an hour, making it easy to fit around busy workloads.

Practitioners report increased confidence in having meaningful conversations with parents and carers about baby brain development. They also value the accompanying web-based Parent App as a practical resource that reinforces key messages during and after contacts with families.

Parents and carers have responded positively to the programme’s strengths-based approach, recognising that it celebrates the everyday interactions they are already having with their babies while offering simple, evidence-informed ideas to further support early brain development.

Vicky Gilroy, iHV Director of Innovation and Research, said:

“It has been a privilege to collaborate with Kindred Squared in the co-design of the Little Sparks, Big Starts programme. The e-learning programme is engaging, interactive and provides an important overview of the value of having meaningful conversations with parents and carers about baby brain development. The accompanying resource further supports these interactions by helping practitioners promote children’s development through everyday experiences and responsive interactions with parents and carers.”

​Felicity Gillespie, CEO of Kindred Squared, said:

“Health visitors play a vital role in helping new parents understand their baby’s development and the difference that everyday interactions can make. We are delighted to work with the Institute of Health Visiting on this essential programme, equipping practitioners with practical tools to support these important conversations.”

Little Sparks, Big Starts has been welcomed as a valuable addition to health visiting practice, helping practitioners translate the science of early brain development into accessible, everyday conversations with families.

The programme highlights the critical importance of early childhood experiences in shaping brain development, emotional wellbeing and future learning. It reassures parents that the everyday moments they already share with their babies make a real difference, while providing practical ideas and information to build on these interactions.

As more practitioners complete the programme and begin using the Parent Web App with families, iHV and Kindred Squared look forward to gathering further feedback to continue refining and developing the resources.

Find out more

If you haven’t already explored the programme, now is the perfect opportunity. The e-learning takes less than an hour to complete and has been designed with the demands of health visitors’ busy schedules in mind.

How to access Little Sparks, Big Starts e-learning programme
  • For iHV members:
    Access to the whole Little Sparks, Big Starts – Health Visiting programme is free, with instant access for all iHV members via iHV LEARN.
  • For non-members:
    To register for free access to the programme and the accompanying Parent App, please complete your details here.

To explore all strands of the Little Sparks, Big Starts programme, visit: https://littlesparks.org.uk/

We are delighted by the positive response so far and would love to hear your feedback as you use the resources and share them with parents and carers.

Download Little Sparks, Big Starts promotional brochure

To cite this short brochure, please use the link to the pdf here: https://bit.ly/4fuCnww

Building Genomic Confidence: Supporting health visitors nationwide

“Genomics is transforming the future of healthcare, offering opportunities to personalise treatment and improve outcomes for patients.”

Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England and Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England.1

The Nursing and Midwifery Genomics Framework highlights the pivotal role that nurses and midwives play in driving the UK’s genomics transformation. Health visitors, with their universal reach and strong partnerships with families, have a unique opportunity to support babies, children and families in the transformation that genomics is bringing to healthcare.  

From pregnancy through to early childhood, health visitors are often one of the first professionals to support a family when screening is taking place, to notice and respond to emerging developmental concerns, and work in partnership with parents as they navigate the process of assessment and diagnosis. 

“…it is essential that we upskill our NHS workforce across all healthcare specialties and professions, with the nursing and midwifery workforce at the forefront of this transformation.”

Professor Kate Tatton-Brown, Clinical Director and head of National Genomics Education, NHS England.2  

Operating at the intersection of community care, public health, prevention, and family support, health visitors are crucial in turning advances in genomics into meaningful, person-centred care during the early years. 

To fulfil this role, health visitors need the confidence, knowledge, and skills to integrate genomics into practice. This is also reflected in the NMC (2022) Standards of Proficiency, which highlight the importance of applying genomics knowledge within SCPHN roles and maintaining ongoing professional development. 

Introducing the iHV Genomics Ambassador Programme 

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) has designed a programme to support the fulfilment of the health visitor role via its Genomics Ambassador Training Programme. This programme is designed to recognise health visitors’ existing skills and equip them with additional tools to embed genomics into everyday prevention and early intervention practice. 

Launched in 2024 with a funded pilot, the programme has since expanded nationally, delivering high-quality training with outstanding feedback from participants. Health visitors consistently report increased confidence, improved understanding, and a strengthened ability to support families navigating genomic information. 

Together, we are building a workforce ready to harness genomics – improving outcomes for babies, children, and families across the UK. 

The training was great and has definitely increased my knowledge of genomics.

The value of the real-life stories was superb.  Lots to go away and reflect on and explore.

Really enjoyed the session, very informative & knowledgeable speakers. 

I look forward to discussing genomics within my role and learning more through access to the resources. 

I felt I’d gained a lot around a topic I knew little about. 

Brilliant sessions, highly qualified speakers. Would certainly highly recommend it. 

Aim of the iHV Genomics Ambassador training programme 

To enable health visitors to become iHV Ambassadors in genomics, equipped with knowledge and understanding to become place-based leaders in raising awareness of genomics.   

Learning outcomes 

  • To equip health visitors with relevant knowledge and understanding of genomics 
  • Enable health visitors to apply and promote genomics in their everyday practice 
  • Support health visitors to become place-based leaders, with tools and learning resources to:
    -raise awareness of genomics within health visiting localities 
    –connect with wider genomic provision in the NHS
    –    continue professional development in genomics. 

“I would recommend the iHV Genomics Ambassador Training Programme to all health visitors. It is tailored to our unique role, provides practical application by hearing from those with lived experience and exploring case studies, and fosters networking opportunities with the local genomic medicine services to better support babies, children and families.”

Sally Shillaker, iHV Professional Lead (Innovation and Research) 

If you’d like to find out more about the iHV Genomics Ambassador Training and how it can help you to better support your local families, please contact us for a chat at [email protected].

iHV can offer this training to you and your colleagues or team/s. We can offer this as either in person or online training, and we can work with you to tailor it to your specific workforce – contact us at [email protected] to discuss your specific requirements. 

 **Book your place on the next iHV Genomics Ambassador Training event on 12 and 19 October. **

Click here to find out more and book your place

References 

  1. Burton D. Chief Nursing Officer for England. Forward. Nursing and Midwifery Genomics Framework in England. 2025. [Accessed 22.07.2026]. Available at:  NHS England » Nursing and midwifery genomics framework in England 
  2. Tatton-Brown K. Clinical Director and head of National Geonomics Education, NHS England. Nursing and Midwifery Genomics Framework in England. 2025. [Accessed 22.07.2026]. Available at:  NHS England » Nursing and midwifery genomics framework in England 

Updated GPP: Supporting the Emotional Wellbeing of Parents/Carers of Preterm Babies

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is pleased to announce the publication of its updated Good Practice Point (GPP): Supporting the Emotional Wellbeing of Parents/Carers of Preterm Babies Who Have Experienced the Neonatal Unit. This update equips health visitors and the wider health visiting workforce to provide timely, compassionate, and evidence-based support to families navigating the emotional challenges associated with preterm birth and neonatal care. 

iHV GPPs provide busy practitioners with easily accessible and up-to-date information on key public health topics. This revised GPP brings together current evidence and best practice to support health visitors in delivering sensitive, family-centred care, including an overview of: 

  • The effects of preterm birth and the neonatal unit (NNU) experience on parental mental health
  • Feelings and conditions that parents may experience, including anxiety, trauma responses and guilt
  • How health visitors and their teams can support parents’ mental health – particularly through relational approaches
  • Top tips to support families transitioning to home, helping ensure continuity and partnership working.  

The iHV would like to extend special thanks to Dr Caitriona Collins, Clinical Psychologist at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, for updating this GPP. Her expertise and contribution have been invaluable in ensuring the guidance reflects current evidence and best practice. 

We also thank the members of the iHV Health Visiting Advisory Forum (HVAF) for their insights and support through the review process. 

If you would like to know more about this topic and how to support families who have had babies on the NNU, then please contact [email protected] to enquire about booking onto our Neonatal Families Ambassadors training. 

Go to GPP - Supporting the Emotional Wellbeing of Parents/Carers of Preterm Babies

Please note that GPPs are available to iHV members only.

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.

A New Era for Practice Assessor & Supervisor Development

Celebrating the successful launch of the NEW iHV Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor Development Programme – booking now open for September 2026

 “Excellent course” – “content, delivery and organisation was brilliant” – “truly inspiring facilitators and guest speakers – demonstrated passion and dedication”- “feeling motivated and ready”- “strong transferability to enhance support for pre-registration nurses and midwives” – “best online training I have attended” – “I will definitely recommend this course” – this is just some of the feedback from the first cohort.

In March 2026, iHV successfully launched its new Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor Development Programme, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the professional preparation of those supporting Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) health visitor students. The three‑day programme responds to the growing national demand across the four nations for high‑quality, bespoke training for practitioners who play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of the health visiting workforce.

Practice assessors and supervisors are central to creating positive learning environments, facilitating high‑quality practice‑based learning, and ensuring students meet the NMC 2022 Standards of Proficiency for SCPHN. The new programme recognises health visiting as a distinct field of practice, one that requires tailored educational leadership alongside specialist knowledge and skills to support learners effectively. By strengthening the capability and confidence of those guiding students in practice, the programme helps enable a consistently high‑quality learning experience that not only supports student success but also contributes to improved recruitment and retention. When learners feel well‑supported and practitioners feel valued in their educational role, services are better positioned to attract new entrants and retain experienced staff – a vital step in sustaining and rebuilding the health visiting workforce.

The new programme equips participants with bespoke knowledge, educational leadership skills, and practical tools to tailor learning opportunities and support professional development. Whether stepping into the role for the first time or seeking to deepen their impact, practitioners gain the confidence and capability needed to guide students into safe, effective SCPHN practice.

Analysis of pre‑ and post‑training evaluations from the first cohort showed a dramatic uplift in knowledge, understanding, and confidence, with participants overwhelmingly endorsing the programme – 90% rated it ‘excellent’ and the remaining 10% rated it ‘good’, 100% said they would recommend the programme!

We are now taking booking for the next cohort in September – reserve your place now!

Find out more and book here

Contact [email protected] for more information

Jamie Brockett, SCPHN Health Visitor, Hereford and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
“Thank you for your enthusiasm and experience throughout your presentations this week. It has been an excellent experience. I felt so inspired; coming away with so many ideas to positively change practice and experiences for our SCPHN students.”

Nicola Baker Practice Development Nurse/Operational Lead Health Visiting Swansea Bay University Health Board
“I recently attended the iHV PA/PS programme and found the training to be excellent. It was well structured, interactive, and delivered effectively via Teams. The use of guest speakers throughout the programme really helped to embed the learning. The course was packed with practical information and guidance that I’ve already begun to use in practice. I finished the programme full of ideas for strengthening the learning environment within our service and would highly recommend it to anyone supporting SCPHN learners or working in a role where they can positively influence the learning experience.”

Anonymous
“The course was engaging and informative and it will change my practice.”

Anonymous
“The training was excellent. It was very well structured and relevant. The best online training I have ever attended.”

Anonymous
“The delivery and organisation was brilliant.  It took any stress away which enabled me to focus on what I was leaning rather than the IT navigation. The facilitators were all approachable, easy to talk to and made me feel at ease.

My knowledge and confidence has definitely grown. I would recommend this course.

Thank you so much.”

Our new Safeguarding Supervision Champions Training Programme – booking now

Safeguarding supervision should provide a structured discussion between supervisee and supervisor to support and advise on specific complexities and challenges within their caseloads. For safeguarding supervision to enhance safeguarding practice, accountability and responsibility is targeted to the organisation, the supervisor, and the supervisee – with the aim to develop competent, confident, professionally curious practitioners who work across all relevant agencies to support the best interests of a baby/child/young person/individual and their families. 

This education, learning and development programme will enable participants to become Safeguarding Supervision Champions to promote the purpose of authentic safeguarding supervision, and for them to become place-based leaders in raising awareness of its relevance with peers/colleagues as well as within their organisations. 

Dr Michelle Moseley, iHV Director of Programmes, who developed our exciting new Safeguarding Supervision Champions Programme, said:

Dr Michelle Moseley, iHV Director of Programmes

“Drawing on my experience as a lead nurse in safeguarding children and as an SCPHN (Health Visitor) Educator, I have seen first‑hand the emotional and professional pressures faced by health visitors and practitioners working with babies, children and families. Safeguarding supervision plays a vital role in supporting those at the frontline, particularly in an increasingly complex and demanding working environment. It provides a protected and trusted space where practitioners can slow down, reflect, and make sense of difficult and often distressing situations.

“This education programme was developed from my own professional experiences, alongside a pilot study and my doctoral research, which took an ethnographic approach to capturing the everyday realities of health visiting practice. My PhD explored how effective safeguarding supervision offers consistent emotional and professional support for practitioners managing high‑risk and sensitive work. The research findings revealed a clear need for improved training for supervisors and for safeguarding supervision to be prioritised across organisations. Strengthening this support helps ensure health visitors feel valued, confident and equipped in their role to protect children and support families.”

Marcia Smikle, Queen’s Nurse, Head of Safeguarding Children at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and iHV Expert Adviser: Safeguarding, said: 

Marcia Smikle

“The Institute of Health Visiting is strengthening safeguarding supervision for health visitors through its Safeguarding Supervision Champions programme. This is in recognition of the key public health role and responsibilities that health visitors have in the early identification of need and support they provide to vulnerable children and families.  The current workload demands placed on health visitors should not be underestimated. High-quality supervision is essential and provides the opportunity for reflection on self and practice – ensuring that health visitors can make confident, well-informed safeguarding decisions.” 

The wellbeing of health visitors dealing with the complexities of safeguarding practice is paramount to prevent feelings of being overwhelmed and carrying the burden of the safeguarding of families outside of the working day. It is important that safeguarding supervisors have the necessary training to equip their supervision practice.  

Our champions model of training will allow the Safeguarding Supervisors to share best practice, evidence, research, and have a safe space to discuss their own practice experiences. Therefore, as part of this new education programme, we are delighted to set up a Safeguarding Supervision Champions Forum to meet bi-annually.  

Liz Plastow, Safeguarding Consultant and iHV Fellow, commented:

Liz Plastow

“Are you passionate about protecting babies and children from harm and suffering?If so, this training is for you!  

“It will equip you to champion safeguarding supervision in your workplace. Providing you with a range of evidence-based skills, models and strategies to strengthen safeguarding supervision, which in turn will support your colleagues to protect those in their care. You will get the opportunity to learn from others and to cascade that learning throughout your profession. 

“Do feel free to contact Dr Michelle Moseley for more details. We look forward to you joining us!“

Find out more and how to book your place on our new Safeguarding Supervision Champions Training Programme

Or contact [email protected] to find out more.

Read Dr Michelle Moseley's Voice blog: “Full to the brim” – the importance of effective safeguarding supervision education

iHV launches new bespoke Programme for Health Visiting Practice Assessors and Supervisors

iHV launches new bespoke Programme to support the professional development and equip current and future Health Visiting Practice Assessors and Supervisors.

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is thrilled to announce the launch of its brand-new Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor Development Programme. This three-day training programme has been developed by the iHV in response to growing demand for bespoke education preparation for those who support the professional development of SCPHN student health visitors in practice.

Practice assessors and practice supervisors play a vital role within a shared team approach, creating a positive learning environment for SCPHN student health visitors and providing high‑quality, practice‑based learning. A high level of knowledge and skills are needed to facilitate learning, provide supervision and evidence-informed assessments to ensure that students are fully prepared and equipped to meet the NMC 2022 Standards of Proficiency for Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPHN), and enter the workforce ready to begin safe, effective professional practice.

This exciting new programme recognises health visiting as a unique field of practice with distinct education and practice standards. The programme has been designed to equip SCPHN practice assessors and supervisors with bespoke knowledge, educational leadership, and practical skills to tailor learning opportunities and support the professional development of the next generation of SCPHN health visitors. Whether practitioners are stepping into the role for the first time or seeking to further their professional development and educational impact, the programme provides the tools and insights to elevate their practice.

Amanda Holland, Education, Learning and Development Lead at iHV, said:

“In my various roles, I’ve spent many years supporting the professional development of student health visitors and the practitioners who support their learning – working with colleagues across the UK. When the NMC introduced the Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment (SSSA) in 2019, the long‑established practice teacher role disappeared overnight – replaced by practice assessors and supervisors. What had once required a rigorous academic qualification was suddenly reduced to the requirement for ‘appropriate preparation’ – a term open to wide interpretation.

“Organisations have worked hard to make sense of this shift, but the result has been significant variation in how practice assessors and supervisors are prepared for their crucial role in shaping the next generation of SCPHN health visitors.

“I’m excited and privileged to be leading the development of and facilitating this new programme that gives health visitors access to consistent, high‑quality education that prepares them for their vital roles of facilitating practice learning, and supervising and assessing student health visitors – ensuring students successfully complete their academic programmes, register as NMC SCPHN health visitors, and progress confidently along their career pathways within our wonderful profession.”

Amanda Holland, Education, Learning and Development Lead at iHV

Elaine Robinson and Wendy Fowler, Nursing Education Advisors at the Nursing and Midwifery Council, commented:

“As Education Advisers at the NMC we are fully committed to supporting supervisors and assessors of SCPHN students. We understand that post-registration education and training brings new, often diverse, challenges and are very excited to see this new opportunity for learning that the iHV has developed.

“We look forward to meeting you at these sessions and will continue to offer any support and guidance that may help you understand, interpret and apply the standards in your role – empowering the future workforce of SCPHNs.”

Wendy Fowler and Elaine Robinson, Nursing Education Advisors, Nursing and Midwifery Council

Jen Kirman, Associate Professor, and SCPHN Health Visiting and School Nursing Lead, Oxford Brookes University, Chair of the United Kingdom Standing Committee for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) Education, said:

“I am delighted that the iHV has led the work on a recognised programme specifically tailored to the learning and preparation requirements of SCPHN Practice Assessors and Practice Supervisors. The profession recognises the unique skills and learning challenges of SCPHN students, and welcomes this advancement in supporting the workforce to support, supervise and assess SCPHN students. As I step down as the Chair of the United Kingdom Standing Conference for SCPHN Education and hand over to my colleague Angela Davy, we embrace a new phase of SCPHN Practice Educator preparation as we face unprecedented workforce challenges.”

Jennifer Kirman, Associate Professor, and SCPHN Health Visiting and School Nursing Lead, Oxford Brookes University, Chair of the United Kingdom Standing Committee for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) Education

For more information about the programme see below or contact [email protected]

Find out more

Aim of the iHV Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor Development Programme  

To prepare health visitors with knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively supervise, assess, and support the learning and professional development of SCPHN student health visitors, ensuring students meet the required proficiencies to safely and effectively begin their professional practice.

Learning outcomes 

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

  • Demonstrate leadership in SCPHN health visiting practice by fostering a positive learning culture and advocating for excellence in student education and professional development.
  • Apply effective supervision and assessment strategies to support the professional development of SCPHN health visitor students – ensuring safe, evidence-based, and compassionate practice.
  • Facilitate meaningful learning experiences that promote reflective practice, critical thinking, and the development of professional identity in SCPHN health visitor students.
  • Integrate educational theory into practice to enhance the quality of SCPHN health visiting education and contribute to the sustainability of the health visiting workforce.

This programme is delivered over three days  

The curriculum is divided into three units delivered over three days. All units must be completed to complete the programme:

  • Unit 1 – Education Leadership in SCPHN Health Visiting Practice
  • Unit 2 – Assessment and Supervision in SCPHN Health Visiting Practice
  • Unit 3 – SCPHN Health Visitor Education, Learning and Development in Action

Dates of training – 3, 4 and 12 March 2026 

Find out more and book your place

New – The Potty Training Guide created by coalition of experts, backed by government

Yesterday, a new national guide aimed to help parents potty train their children was launched by a coalition of early years experts and partner organisations (including the iHV) – and endorsed by both the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The coalition was established to review the evidence on best practice for toileting and in response to growing numbers of children starting school in nappies.

Toilet/ potty training is a vital milestone in every child’s development – supporting independence, confidence, and school readiness. The new guidance highlights clear messaging – that it is better for children’s bladder and bowel health to stop using nappies between 18 and 30 months. The new guide covers when to start potty training, and how to get all children enthusiastic about using the potty and toilet, with lots of practical advice and ideas.

The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, and Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, both welcomed the new advice. Yesterday’s launch follows the Government’s backing of a new agreed definition of school readiness with the launch of the new Starting Reception website earlier this year, linked to their Best Start in Life strategy.

The new emphasis in toilet training guidance is based on research and a consensus of leading experts in the field – moving away from previous advice which was to ‘wait until children are ready’. This advice is now outdated as modern nappies are designed to protect children from feeling wet and many will not show signs that it is the right time to stop using nappies. Parents, practitioners and early years settings also highlighted that they wanted clear, consistent and trusted advice.

Kindred Squared’s annual School Readiness Survey shows that 1 in 4 children are not toilet-trained when they start Reception. Findings indicate that over two hours of teaching time is lost in classrooms every day because teachers and assistants are helping children who lack age-and-stage-appropriate life skills.

There are also multiple health and cost benefits for toilet training children before they first start school:

  • In the 1970s and 1980s, 83% of children were out of nappies by 18 months (children haven’t changed, society has).
  • British families spend more than £400 per year on nappies and wipes.
  • Around 3 billion disposable nappies end up in UK landfill sites each year, and each one can take up to 500 years to decompose.
  • The disposal of nappies costs UK local authorities more than £60m per year.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

“This government is determined to put the expert advice mums and dads need right at their fingertips, and this new guidance from early years experts will be a brilliant help in getting their children potty trained and ready for school.

“By giving families trusted support early on, we’re helping kids arrive at the school gates confident, ready to learn, and ready to shape their own future.”

Health and Social Care Secretary,Wes Streeting, said:

“Potty training is an important health milestone, helping children to be ready to start school and thrive. This guidance is vital to achieving our mission of giving every child the best start in life, providing parents with expert-backed advice to support their child’s health and development.

“We’re making it easier for families to access the trusted support they need – because we know healthy children who reach developmental milestones are more confident and better prepared for school, and beyond.”

Read NEW – The Potty Training Guide here

Visit the Starting Reception website here.

The guidance aligns with the recently updated iHV Parent Tip on Toilet Training, developed in partnership with ERIC, available here.

iHV presents at UKHSA Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution Stakeholder Event

We were delighted to present our air pollution resources and Respiratory Health project (funded by The Burdett Trust for Nursing) at the UKHSA Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution Stakeholder Event yesterday, held at the Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne.

The event included a wide range of stakeholders –  from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) to local Public Health Leads, Global Action Plan to Universities, Clean Air Network, and other charities such as MP Smarter Travel. It was a fantastic opportunity for all these different groups to come together with a shared vision and understanding of how to make things better and put research into action.

During the day, we heard about each other’s work. There were active discussions on what is needed to shift the narrative, what investment is needed, how to balance individual and government/society responsibilities, and what can be learnt from other public health work such as obesity.

One of the most encouraging things which we came away with from the day was the impact of health visiting in this space. There was not one person or organisation who didn’t say that they “need to include health visiting in their research”, “health visitors are vital to this work”, and other variations on this theme. It was an excellent opportunity to shine a light on the importance and unique role of health visitors and why we need more investment to strengthen health visiting services.

Watch our animation about air pollution which we shared at the event:

Click here to visit our Air Quality and Pollution page to find more resources which we developed as part of the project

If you would like to develop your learning in this area, contact the iHV Learning and Development team to find out more about our half-day Respiratory Health Ambassador training. This programme not only covers air pollution, its effects on health and how to mitigate these, it also discusses how to support families of babies and children with asthma, cystic fibrosis and preterm chronic lung disease.

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: 

  1. Understand the evidence base for physical activity during and beyond pregnancy, including national guidelines; 
  2. Promote physical activity effectively using the Chief Medical Officers’ (CMO) guidance; 
  3. Offer appropriate and timely advice, guidance, and signposting to trusted resources; 
  4. Access and use tools to support conversations and engagement around physical activity; and 
  5. 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.