Government agrees with FPI - we need more Health Visitors

Family and Parenting Institute

The Family and Parenting Institute welcomes the Government's vow to increase the number of health visitors 'substantially' and its commitment to giving more support to the profession including enhancing career opportunities*.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson has announced a Programme of Action on Health Visiting which will be led by the Department of Health jointly with Unite/Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association (CPHVA). This is designed to reverse the current decline in the profession and is in response of Lord Laming's recommendations to improve child protection in this country. **

The Family and Parenting Institute (FPI) has been campaigning for more health visitors since 2007 and published a list of health visitors numbers in every PCT in the country to highlight declining numbers.

Sally Gimson, Director of Communications at the Family and Parenting Institute said: "We welcome Alan Johnson's commitment to improving the health visitor service. Parents tell us they love health visitors. They trust them as a good source of guidance and go to them when they are worried about their children. They are unique in that they go into all of the homes with children in this country.

"The numbers of health visitors are in rapid decline. It's a postcode lottery as to how often you see your health visitor and for how long for. We are really pleased to see that the Government is committing itself to boosting this much needed service"
The Institute has always argued that health visitors are in a unique position to help parents when their children were very young and to spot the problems early that can lead to tragedy .

Sally added, "They can help with the continuation of breastfeeding, attachment, parenting, the involvement of fathers as well as pick up difficulties like domestic violence and post natal depression at an early stage. It is vital that their training is refreshed to make sure that they have the most up to date knowledge and skills for the role that makes such a huge difference to children's development and family life."

Next month the Family and Parenting Institute will release the results of a freedom of information request into ratio of health visitor per children under five for each PCT in the country.
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More on the FPI Health Visitor campaign

• * Government response to Lord Laming's report
• ** Child protection progress report published

For more information
Please contact Sally Gimson or Jo Sharp on 020 7424 3460.

Notes to editors
The Family and Parenting Institute researches what matters to families and parents. We use our knowledge to influence policymakers and foster public debate. We develop ideas to improve the services families use and the environment in which children grow up.

March 2009

child health, wellbeing, postnatal depression, mothers, fathers