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Health and Development Contacts


The Healthy Child Programme (HCP) offers every family a programme of:

  • screening tests
  • immunisations
  • developmental reviews
  • information and guidance to support parenting and healthy choices

We offer the following health and development contacts as well as other advice and support. These may be offered by phone, virtually or face to face.

What to expect

Families will be offered an antenatal contact according to the information provided by your midwife; therefore not everyone will receive a contact from us at this time.  All families will receive a letter from us introducing you to the health visiting service.  You can find lots of information and resources below.

We will contact you around 28 weeks gestation, following notification from your midwife and offer an appointment to see you and your partner. This could be a telephone call, virtual appointment or home visit.

Pregnancy, birth and beyond is a significant time and can be challenging. We are privileged to be able to support you and your family at this time and provide you with information to help make informed and positive choices for you, your child and family.

We will ask how you feel about being a parent, let you know about our service and others that can support you. We will talk you through key health information and ask about you and your families' health and wellbeing. This will help us to tailor our service to support you and your baby.

You will be given a Personal Child Health Record (known as the 'Red Book') which is where we and other services such as your GP, midwife and practice nurse will record health reviews, measurements, and immunisations.  It will also include contact information, as well as sections that you can complete.

It is important that you register your baby with a GP practice after the birth so that you receive appointments for checks and immunisation appointments.

Some of the topics we may discuss with you include:

For additional information see information and resources infant feeding section.

We help to deliver your local bump to baby antenatal programme.  We also offer the free Solihull online parenting programme, which includes understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby.

What to expect

We will contact you to make an appointment to see you and your new baby at home for the new birth visit, when your baby is between 11 and 14 days old.  This is around the time when the care of you and your baby will transition from your midwife to your Health Visitor. The appointment lasts about an hour and is an opportunity to discuss any queries you have and your experiences as a parent so far.

We provide you with support and help if you have any worries, or if there are any feeding, growth or physical concerns.  We offer advice and information about being a parent and your child’s health, development and wellbeing.

We routinely ask about your emotional wellbeing and anything that may be affecting this.  At the visit we will complete your baby's hearing screen, observe your baby and may also weigh and measure your baby.  We will agree with you when to see you again.

We also offer baby drop in clinics and / or virtual appointments and telephone support. You may feel emotional after having your baby which might include anxiety and feeling low.

If you feel you need additional emotional advice or support please contact our advice line or come along to one of our child health drop-ins.

It is important you register your baby with a GP practice after the birth so that your baby will have a GP baby check and immunisation appointments sent to you

Areas we may discuss with you

For additional information see information and resources in the infant feeding section.

We also offer the free Solihull online parenting programme.

What to expect

You and your baby will usually be invited for a physical examination at this time, and this is completed by your GP.

You will also be offered an appointment with your Health Visitor for a 6-8 week review. This contact is important for answering any queries or concerns, assessing your baby’s growth, development and wellbeing and to see how and your partner are feeling.

If you have any queries concerning your child’s progress before or after the review, please contact us on our advice line or come along to one of our child health drop-ins where we would be happy to discuss any aspect of health and well-being for you and your family. You may feel emotional after having your baby which might include anxiety and feeling low.

If you feel you need additional emotional advice or support please contact our advice line or come along to one of our child health drop-ins.

Local sessions are available on weaning at ready, steady, eat: an introduction to solid food. 

The health visitor may also discuss the following at the review:

For additional information see information and resources in the infant feeding section.

We also offer the free Solihull online parenting programme.

What to expect

This review may be completed by your Health Visitor or by one of our experienced Family Health Workers.

It provides you with an opportunity to ask questions or discuss any concerns you may have. We will review your child’s health and development and discuss with you topics like:

  • safety
  • immunisations
  • nutritional health
  • speech and language development 
  • managing childhood illnesses
  • positive parenting

We also discuss family healthy lifestyles and emotional health and wellbeing.

As your child approaches their first birthday, we recognise this as an important stage of their health and development and if you would like to check if your child is achieving their developmental milestones, we have developed a self-assessment for you. 

By 1 Year Self-Assessment Child Health and Development Checklist 

Children develop at different rates and the following questions will help you to you identify any concerns you might have, or any support you might need about your child’s health, development and behaviour at 1 year of age.  

Some children will be a few weeks ahead with some things and slightly behind on others. But, if you are concerned your child has missed out on some important milestones, we would like to hear from you. 

Please note if your child is not yet 1 year of age you may not be able to answer ‘yes’ to all these questions at this stage.  

  • Does your child respond to their name?   
  • When your baby wants something, do they tell you by pointing at it? 
  • Does your child say 3 words such as ‘mama’ ‘dada’ and ‘baba’ (a word is a sound your baby uses consistently to mean someone or something)? 
  • Does your child copy movements and gestures?   
  • Does your child follow one simple command such as ‘come here’ or ‘give it to me’ or ‘put it back’ without your using gestures? 
  • Does your child enjoy social games e.g., ‘peek-a boo’? 
  • Does your child have favourite toys? 
  • Does your child let you know when they are hungry, tired or hurt? 
  • Does your child try to help with getting dressed/undressed? 
  • Can your child drink from a cup? 
  • Is your child starting to learn how to eat on their own and use a spoon? 
  • When holding a small toy in each hand does your child clap the toys together? 
  • Does your child help turn the pages of a book? 
  • After watching you hide a small toy under a piece of paper, or a cloth completely does your child find it?   
  • When you hold out your hand and ask for a toy does your child let go of it into your hand? 
  • If you hold both hands to balance your child, do they take several steps without tripping or falling? 
  • If you hold one hand to balance your child, do they take several steps forward? 
  • Does your child use both arms and legs well? 
  • Can your child get into a sitting position without support? 
  • Can your child pull up to stand and walk while holding onto furniture? 

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s health, development or their behaviour, including problems with eating, the following information and services are available to support you and your child.

On line resources and information:

For any general advice 

You can contact us via a messaging service, or via telephone or email. Please visit our health advice page for more information.

Please email coco.childrenscmc@nhs.net providing the following details: 

  • Your name 
  • Child’s name 
  • Date of birth 
  • Address 
  • Contact Telephone Number 
Some other useful information :

We also offer the free Solihull online parenting programme.

What to expect

The 2-2 1/2 year review may be completed by your Health Visitor or by one of our experienced Family Health Workers.

It provides you with an opportunity to ask questions or discuss any concerns you may have. We will review your child’s health and development and discuss with you topics like:

  • safety
  • immunisations
  • nutritional health
  • behaviour
  • managing childhood illnesses
  • positive parenting

We also discuss family healthy lifestyles and emotional health and wellbeing.

Prior to the review our team will send you two questionnaires to complete:

  • ASQ 3 | Ages and Stages Questionnaires
  • ASQ SE2 | Ages and Stages Questionnaire - Social Emotional

This allows you time at home to try out some of the activities covered by the questionnaire, where your child is comfortable and in familiar surroundings. This information helps us to understand how your toddler is developing. Don't worry if you can't fill in the whole questionnaire. Your Health Visitor or Family Health Worker will help you complete it. Take a look at the example of what is included on an ASQ3.

Please take a moment to view the two year page in your child’s Personal Child Health Record (known as the ’Red Book’).  This highlights the many new skills they may be developing at this age. We will also weigh and measure your child.

Please remember to bring your questionnaires and red book to your appointment

This review will cover

For additional information see information and resources in the infant feeding section.

We also offer the free Solihull online parenting programme.

Two Year Progress Check

When your child is two and you will also be offered a review by the early years education team. Each review is important and has a different focus on your child's progress and development.  They will identify your child’s progress, strengths and needs.  This is so that you, your health professional and education provider can support your child's health and wellbeing, learning and development.

If your child attends an early years education setting, such as a childminder, nursery, or preschool) the review will take place there. The results of the check should be kept in your child's Personal Child Heath Record  (known as the 'red book').

Two Year Old Funding

Your child may be eligible for free nursery education. Please visit the Family Information Service for more information.

Older children

If you have a child over 2 1/2 years of age and need advice you can still call our Health Visiting and School Nursing Advice Line.  However, if you need more help, we may advise a referral to the Early Help Hub so that you can see a a Health Visitor if you are no longer being visited by the team.

Last Updated:

15/01/2024

Need help?

Most issues can be resolved online, it's the quickest and most convenient way to get help.

  • Health Visiting and School Nursing
  • Message us at:

    07312 263 096 - young people aged 11-19
    07312 263 423 - parents / carers children aged 0-5
    07312 263 499 - parents / carers young people aged 5-19
  • 01872 324261
  • hvsnadvice@cornwall.gov.uk

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