Health Visitor

Health visitors are nurses or midwives who are passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing illness. They work with families to give pre-school-age children the best possible start in life.

Working life

As a health visitor, you’ll be working mainly with children from birth to five years and their families. You may also work with at-risk or deprived groups such as the homeless, addicts or travellers.

You’ll have a crucial role in making sure that children have the best start in life. In partnership with parents, you’ll assess:

• parenting skills
• the family and home situation
• the development needs of young children.

You may then offer and agree with parents any further support that may be needed, and arrange to meet with them in their own home, clinic or community setting.

You’ll need to work together with a range of different health care professionals including community nursing staff, school nurses, nursery nurses, GPs, social workers and allied health professionals.

Entry Requirements

In order to train as a health visitor, you must first qualify and register as a nurse or midwife.