Health visiting and school nursing

In Kirklees Health Visitors and School Nursing are a part of the Locala 0-19 Team which provides health and care support for young people aged 0-19 (and up to 25 for young people with SEND).

The Health Visitor and School Nursing Service supports child development and promotes the health of children and young people. Locally this is referred to as the Locala 0-19 service. Health Visitors and School Nurses are supported by Child Development Practitioners and School Nurse Assistants to deliver the service.

Health visitors and School Nurses are registered nurses or midwives who have undertaken additional specialist training in community public health nursing. They aim to support and help children, young people and their families to stay healthy and avoid illness and support emotional health and wellbeing.

The Locala 0-19 team deliver the NHS Healthy Child Programme this includes the following contacts

Antenatal visit - Aimed to be carried out from 32 weeks onwards.
New Birth visit - Completed within the first 14 days following birth.
6-8 week check - Continual assessment of the well-being of Mother and Child/ Family.
Pre One Year Review - Aimed to be carried out between 9 months and 1 year.
Two Year Review - Aimed to be carried out between 2 and 2 and half years.

Support and advice is offered on the following for children aged 0-4years and their families

Infant feeding (breastfeeding, bottle feeding and introducing solids).
Baby-weigh clinics and Well Baby Clinics.
Healthy lifestyle and healthy eating advice.
Behavioural support – including sleeping, potty training and temper tantrums.
Support with school readiness.
Emotional support with any aspect of parenting including postnatal depression, violence within the family and bereavement.
Helping parents and young people boost their confidence, self-esteem and improve mental health wellbeing.
Working in partnership with families to develop and tailor health plans to meet their needs.
Medical issues that are affecting a child’s education.
Referral and sign posting to other services and support where required.

For 5-19 (25 with SEND) School Nurses will continue provide a responsive service for children and young people, support includes:

Provide support and advice around sexual health and drugs and alcohol.
Provide The National Child Measurement Programme (weighing and measuring children) together with vision screening and hearing screening. (when a concern is raised).
Offer online self-assessment health questionnaires to children entering reception.
Follow up A&E attendance by children and young people when a concern is raised.
Attend GP link meetings.
Offer online parenting courses and virtual advice in schools.
Provide the ChatHealth texting advice for parents and 11–19-year-olds.
Attend all initial safeguarding meetings and support children and young people where there are recognised unmet health needs.
Provide a School Nursing service for children and young people in existing Alternative Provisions.
Offer an enhanced paid-for service for schools who wish to fund bespoke School Nursing.

Children and young people with long term conditions will continue to be supported by GP, paediatricians, specialist consultants and nurses.

Children Looked After (CLA) health reviews will be undertaken by the Locala CLA Team.

To access Locala 0-19 Team please use the Locala single point of contact - 0300 304 5555

You can also get advice, help and support from Chat Health - please click the image below for more information, or go to the Chat Health Local Offer page.

Emotional health and wellbeing contacts for low-level mental health issues such as anxiety, low mood and phobias?

Children’s emotional health and wellbeing, as well as mental health provision, will be offered via the new Kirklees Keep in Mind service

Kirklees Keep in Mind - Helping young people improve their mental health (opens link in new window)

Hygiene advice including headlice, menstruation, puberty.

Speak with your local pharmacy GP if medical support for headlice, menstruation or puberty.

Toileting advice including continence, constipation. GP where medical advice is required.

Speak with your GP to determine if referral to Children’s Continence Service may be required.

Diet or nutrition advice, including help with disordered eating, growth and weight.

Diet and nutrition advice is given as part of the NCMP programme feedback through parental and school contact at Reception Year and Year 6, and further information can be found at Healthier Families - Home - NHS (opens link in new window).

For eating disorders support is available for those with significant risk or impairment (such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia) via Child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) (Kirklees) - South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (opens link in new window).

The NHS has information for parents about eating disorders in children and young people Advice for parents – Eating disorders - NHS (opens link in new window) and The UK's Eating Disorder Charity - Beat (opens link in new window) provides further information.

Additional advice may also be obtained via school and family GP.

The PRU role is also a special service for children who are not attending a mainstream school. Our nursing team of 2 nurses and a community development practitioner provide health assessments for school aged children and can offer support, education and guidance on wide variety of issues.

We have a team of 2 nurses and a number of peer support volunteers who are trained to provide specialist infant feeding support and advice over and above the routine things that the 0-19 practitioner would be able to provide.

To access Locala 0-19 Team please use the Locala single point of contact - 0300 304 5555

Useful links

Locala Health Visiting

Locala School Nursing

NHS - Healthier Together