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Welcome to the Health Visiting Service and the Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service
You don’t need to be referred into the services, the teams will make contact with you. However, , if you do need extra support, you can contact them at any time. There are a variety of services available for children, young people, and families.


Meet the teams
Health Visitors are qualified nurses and midwives who have additional specialist training to support families both during pregnancy and right up until your child is in their early years of primary school.
Family Wellbeing Nurses & Community Staff Nurses
Healthy Family Support Practitioners, Healthy Child Practitioners & Family Hub Practitioners
Essex child & family wellbeing Services
Family Wellbeing Nurses
Healthy Family Support Practitioners
Family Hub Practitioners
Suffolk Community Health Team
Community Staff Nurses
Healthy Child Practitioners
Support and Information Officers
Support and Information Officers
Accessing services within your community
Assisted self weigh sessions
Infant feeding support
Parent/carer & baby stay & play sessions
Toddler stay & play sessions
Preparing for baby antenatal sessions
Family support and development reviews
If you live in Essex or Suffolk you can choose to attend:
- assisted self-weigh sessions and infant feeding support
- parent/ carer and baby stay-and-play sessions and workshops
- toddler sessions including stay-and-play sessions and workshops
- Family Support and Development reviews
- volunteering opportunities and community events
If you live in Essex you can choose to attend:
- ‘Preparing for baby’ antenatal sessions
If you live in Suffolk you can choose to attend:
- Services in outreach venues outside of Family Hubs
Members of the team will visit you at home or at one of the Family Hub or Delivery Sites. You may also be offered a video call. Here is when you can expect a visit:

Antenatal Contact
After your baby is born, a member of the team will usually contact you within the first 48 hours. If you live in Essex, you’ll be contacted by a Healthy Family Support Practitioner. If you live in Suffolk, you’ll be contacted by The Infant Feeding Team. Both teams will offer support with feeding your baby and will arrange your ‘New Birth Visit’.

New Birth Visit
Follow-Up Contact
Both teams are there to help until your child is 19 years old, but if they have a special education need or disability, support can extend right up until they reach 25.
Both Essex and Suffolk teams, look forward to getting to know you and your family and always welcome the chance to work in partnership with you throughout your incredible parenting journey.


You can find more information about your local services here:
Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Services
- essexfamilywellbeing.co.uk
- 0300 247 0015 (NORTH ESSEX)
Suffolk Health and Children’s Centre Services
Explanation point
Term | Description |
---|---|
Family Hubs and Delivery Sites | Places where families, parents, carers, and young people can get support, access services, or be signposted to other organisations that are relevant to their personal needs. |
Antenatal | before birth; during or relating to pregnancy. |