Key Roles

LOT1284 Your Health Visiting Service.pdf

HV pathway visual.docx

Health Visitor

Health Visitors play a pivotal role in the prevention and early identification of concerns about the wellbeing of a child, including more serious protection and care concerns. Health Visitors provide a consistent, knowledgeable and skilled point of contact for families, assessing children's development and planning with parents and carers to ensure their needs are met. As a universal service, they are often the first to be aware that families are experiencing difficulties in looking after their children and can play a crucial role in providing support.

Prior to entry to an Early Learning and Childcare setting, the child's Health Visitor will be the key point of contact for support and advice with regards to a child's wellbeing and any necessary planning required. Where appropriate, the Health Visitor will arrange a Child's Planning Meeting before the child starts at their Early Learning and Childcare establishment to ensure an effective transition and hand over to the named education contact. Prior to school entry, the Health Visitor will still have a role in supporting the child and their family but will do so as a participant rather than the leader of the child's planning process.

The Health Visiting Pathway

The Universal Health Visiting Pathway presents a core home visiting programme to be offered to all families by Health Visitors as a minimum standard, and defines and enhances Health Visitors responsive way of working with parents and their children.

Named Education Contact

A Named Education Contact will be in place at entry to an educational establishment. For some children this will be from age two.

ELCC and Primary School: Depute or Head Teacher

Secondary School: Guidance Teacher or Depute Head Teacher

All schools should have an arrangement to communicate who the Named Education contact is.

Key Roles

point of contact for children, young people, families, school staff and other agencies who have wellbeing concerns about a child or young person.
when required, coordinate the implementation of the National Practice Model to identify, plan and provide for additional support needs using the Child’s Planning Framework

Guidance and Information

Full Guidance

National Practice Guidance: Named Education Contact

Lead Professional

A Lead Professional will always be required where children and young people require multi-agency assessment and intervention (e.g. targeted level).

The appointment of a Lead Professional does not remove the need for a Named Education Contact.

In deciding who will be the Lead Professional, consideration should be given to:

the views of the child, young person and family
the strength of existing relationships;
the type of support being offered and
any statutory responsibility to co-ordinate support, for the child, young person or their family.

In most cases, the professional who has the greatest responsibility in co-ordinating and reviewing the Child’s Plan will undertake this role.

The Lead Professional is in most instances a social worker where a child or young person is:

the subject of a Statutory Order;
the subject of a Child Protection investigation;
on the Child protection register;
6 months post registration of the Child Protection register;
on an interim Compulsory Supervision Order or Compulsory Supervision Order or
the subject of an assessment surrounding possible accommodation (cusp of care).

Key Roles

act as a main point of contact for all, particularly to ensure the child or young person and their family are not required to tell their story multiple times to multiple professionals;
coordinate the implementation of the Child’s Planning Framework

Where no agreement can be reached on who should assume the role, contact the appropriate Service Manager.

Detailed Guidance And Information

Role of the lead professional

Full Guidance:

National Practice Guidance: Lead Professional

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