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The Healthy Child Programme (HCP) is a national Public Health initiative to help improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people, starting before birth and continuing into adulthood. It supports families in two age groups:
Children aged 0 to 5 years,
Young people aged 5 to 19 years (up to 25 for those with SEND).
The service is available to all children and aims to ensure that every child gets a good start to lay the foundations for a healthy life. It also provides an opportunity to identify families that need additional support early in a child’s life.
The Healthy Child Programme currently provides universal services (services for everyone), with additional support provided for:
the 20% of the population living in the least advantaged areas
those groups most impacted by health inequalities, such as ethnic minority communities, SEND children, young carers, children in care, young people who have experienced care, vulnerable migrants, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and those in contact with the justice system.
The Healthy Child Programme for 0-5 year olds
The Healthy Child Programme for 0-5 year olds, also known as the Health Visiting Service offers five child development reviews required by law to all children. It provides support:
in pregnancy
for infant feeding
for bonding and attachment
with physical health and emotional wellbeing to families such as safe sleep and speech and language support
to help children be ready for school
by delivering evidence-based parenting programmes.
The service enables Health Visitors to identify those families who may benefit from extra support as early as possible.
The Healthy Child Programme for 5-19 year olds (25 for people with SEND)
The School Nursing Service delivers the Healthy Child Programme for 5-19 year olds (up to 25 for those with SEND) and undertakes reviews at age 4 to 5 to support the move to primary school. Another health review is undertaken at age 10 to 11 to support the transition to secondary school. A four-weekly drop-in session is offered in mainstream secondary schools.
The 5 -19 years (25 with SEND) element of the service aims to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of every child and young person through a range of support programmes:
National Child Measurement Programme - This programme is a required Public Health government initiative that measures the height and weight of children in Reception class (aged 4 to 5) and Year 6 (aged 10 to 11) to assess healthy weight and obesity levels in children.
Health surveillance and screening - This involves regular medical appointments to monitor children’s physical, emotional and social development, early detection of any potential health issues and provision of health promotion.
Resilience and Wellbeing – This programme promotes resilience and wellbeing, with a particular focus on supporting vulnerable young people. It aims to reduce health inequalities by addressing complex and additional health and wellbeing needs. The programme also encourages healthy lifestyle choices and positive self-care behaviours.
Family Nurse Partnership
For vulnerable first-time young parents, a service called the Family Nurse Partnership offers intensive home visiting, which is delivered by specially trained nurses, from early in pregnancy until the child’s second birthday. This evidence-based service is not part of the standard Healthy Child Programme.
The aims of the Family Nurse Partnership are to:
Promote child development
Improve child health outcomes
Support parenting and family wellbeing
Identify and support families at risk as early as possible.
The Healthy Child Programme (HCP) is a national Public Health initiative to help improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people, starting before birth and continuing into adulthood. It supports families in two age groups:
Children aged 0 to 5 years,
Young people aged 5 to 19 years (up to 25 for those with SEND).
The service is available to all children and aims to ensure that every child gets a good start to lay the foundations for a healthy life. It also provides an opportunity to identify families that need additional support early in a child’s life.
The Healthy Child Programme currently provides universal services (services for everyone), with additional support provided for:
the 20% of the population living in the least advantaged areas
those groups most impacted by health inequalities, such as ethnic minority communities, SEND children, young carers, children in care, young people who have experienced care, vulnerable migrants, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and those in contact with the justice system.
The Healthy Child Programme for 0-5 year olds
The Healthy Child Programme for 0-5 year olds, also known as the Health Visiting Service offers five child development reviews required by law to all children. It provides support:
in pregnancy
for infant feeding
for bonding and attachment
with physical health and emotional wellbeing to families such as safe sleep and speech and language support
to help children be ready for school
by delivering evidence-based parenting programmes.
The service enables Health Visitors to identify those families who may benefit from extra support as early as possible.
The Healthy Child Programme for 5-19 year olds (25 for people with SEND)
The School Nursing Service delivers the Healthy Child Programme for 5-19 year olds (up to 25 for those with SEND) and undertakes reviews at age 4 to 5 to support the move to primary school. Another health review is undertaken at age 10 to 11 to support the transition to secondary school. A four-weekly drop-in session is offered in mainstream secondary schools.
The 5 -19 years (25 with SEND) element of the service aims to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of every child and young person through a range of support programmes:
National Child Measurement Programme - This programme is a required Public Health government initiative that measures the height and weight of children in Reception class (aged 4 to 5) and Year 6 (aged 10 to 11) to assess healthy weight and obesity levels in children.
Health surveillance and screening - This involves regular medical appointments to monitor children’s physical, emotional and social development, early detection of any potential health issues and provision of health promotion.
Resilience and Wellbeing – This programme promotes resilience and wellbeing, with a particular focus on supporting vulnerable young people. It aims to reduce health inequalities by addressing complex and additional health and wellbeing needs. The programme also encourages healthy lifestyle choices and positive self-care behaviours.
Family Nurse Partnership
For vulnerable first-time young parents, a service called the Family Nurse Partnership offers intensive home visiting, which is delivered by specially trained nurses, from early in pregnancy until the child’s second birthday. This evidence-based service is not part of the standard Healthy Child Programme.
The aims of the Family Nurse Partnership are to:
Promote child development
Improve child health outcomes
Support parenting and family wellbeing
Identify and support families at risk as early as possible.
