State of Health Visiting Survey Reports
State of Health Visiting Annual Survey - 2020
Our 7th annual survey was completed by 1012 health visitors from across the UK during October and November 2020. This report presents the findings from 862 health visitors in practice in England and highlights the range of issues facing the profession, with significant unwarranted variation in the quality of services available to parents depending on where they live. The findings lay bare the damage that the pandemic has had on families, with the youngest and most vulnerable in our society suffering the most.
State of Health Visiting Annual Survey - 2019
This latest publication from the Institute of Health Visiting presents the findings from an annual health visiting survey completed in November 2019. This latest survey was responded to by 1209 health visitors in the UK, of whom 1040 were working in practice roles. The annual nature of this survey, and the fact that many questions have been repeated in an identical format, year on year, enables a “temperature check” to see how we are doing and the identification of trends by comparisons over time.
State of Health Visiting Annual Survey - 2018
For the last six years the Institute of Health Visiting has surveyed its members on the ‘State of Health Visiting’. Here we report some of the findings from our 2018 survey of over 1200 health visitors and compare them to what health visitors told us in 2015 when their commissioning arrangements were moved from the NHS to Local Authority.
State of Health Visiting Annual Survey - 2017
For the last five years, the Institute of Health Visiting has surveyed its members on the ‘State of Health Visiting’. Here, we report some of the findings of our most recent UK-wide survey, which had a response rate of over 1400 health visitors.
State of Health Visiting Survey 2016
In November 2016, the iHV surveyed its Associates, yielding over 1220 responses from front-line health visitors.
This is the fourth annual survey covering the high-water mark in 2015 of the last government’s Health Visitor Implementation Plan: A Call to Action (Department of Health, 2011) and what has happened since. That Plan aimed to grow the workforce in England by 4,200 to modernise the workforce; and to transform the service in readiness for local authority commissioning and integration with other local children’s services.
iHV Project Reports

PIMH Champions Forum Project Report - April 2020

Building Community Capacity: a perspective on practice - November 2015

ASQ Evaluation Project - Evaluation of training for implementation of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire in London Health Visitor Services - September 2015

NHS HV Retention Project Report - September 2015
iHV Annual Reports
8th Annual Report
2020 has been a year like none before for health visiting, as it faced the challenges of adapting to a world forced into “lockdown”. The challenges of COVID-19 have been felt both by the Institute and in practice, bringing with them much learning. Our first concern is always the families we support, whom we know this year did not receive either adequate or, in some cases, any support during a crucial time.

2019-2020
7th Annual Report
It is time to look forward and lay the foundations for a new future for health visiting. We have worked hard with many partners to deliver our evidence-based Vision for the profession and are thrilled by how well it has been received across the system. We are now working across government to seek support for its implementation. The evidence is stark, health visiting does deliver clear public health outcomes in at least fifteen priority areas for children. Stay close – together we can create a better future for babies, children and their families.

2018-2019
6th Annual Report
Institute has been working hard behind the scenes to raise the concerns of English health visitors, and those of the Institute, regarding the measurable effects of reduced public health budgets on outcomes for all young children and their families. As a result, our voice has been heard by health visiting’s many friends in Parliament, partner organisations, by journalists and by the public.

2017-2018
5th Annual Report
As the Institute celebrates its 5th year, our team continues to develop and grow, and as a result increase their contributions and impact on the Institute’s core business of improving outcomes for children and families.
We remain endlessly impressed and proud by the work of our amazing members and all that they do everyday. Despite sometimes challenging circumstances, they still give their all to make a difference to children, families and communities.

2016-2017
4th Annual Report
As we celebrate our fourth birthday, we wonder where four years have gone!
Thank you to each and every one of you who have helped make the Institute the organisation it is today. Without you we could never have got so far, so fast.

2015-2016
3rd Annual Report
After a standing start just three years ago we can now say with confidence that the Institute is here to stay!
The recurring highlight of this year has been seeing so many of our members becoming local leaders in their communities.

2014–2015
2nd Annual Report
What a year it’s been! Thrilled to see our innovations liberating the talents of so many in the health visiting profession. This supports our core purpose: to deliver positive health outcomes for children and families nationwide.

2013–2014
1st Annual Report
Our focus in our first year has been on steady and sustainable development: one of the things the profession needs most.

2012–2013
Other Reports
Health visiting during COVID-19: An iHV report (April 2020)
On 2 April 2020, the Institute of Health Visiting contacted health visitors through the iHV open Facebook page in an attempt to understand the impact that COVID-19 was having on their practice and the families on their caseloads.
Health visitors were asked to respond to two questions. Responses were received from across the UK and the data from all sources were included in this rapid qualitative analysis and identification of key themes. Based on these key themes, the Institute of Health Visiting made recommendations to support the health visiting workforce maximise their contribution and impact as part of the wider COVID-19 response.
Voices from practice (July 2018)
A snapshot of first hand experiences from health visiting services under pressure,
demonstrating the impacts of cuts to public health budgets on the health visiting workforce and the services that they deliver for babies, children and their families.