“This survey paints a deeply concerning picture of the challenges faced by families with babies and young children. Rising levels of need and complexity, coupled with a decline in the health visiting workforce, are leaving many without the critical early support that can transform lives.
Responding to a survey by the Institute of Health Visiting, which warns of soaring demand for health visitor support and large gaps in provision across the UK, Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board said:
“This survey paints a deeply concerning picture of the challenges faced by families with babies and young children. Rising levels of need and complexity, coupled with a decline in the health visiting workforce, are leaving many without the critical early support that can transform lives.
“Urgent action is needed to rebuild and strengthen the health visiting workforce. The findings highlight the pressing need for long-term investment in health visiting services to address stark disparities and deliver high-quality, personalised care for families.
“Health visitors are a safety-critical workforce, essential to improving children’s health and development. Committing to an ambitious plan to increase the number of health visitors and resourcing these services properly will ensure that all families can access support, reducing pressures on the NHS and improving outcomes for children and families. Failing to act is a false economy.”