Supporting children and families: how a work placement inspired Louise to become a health visitor

What is a health visitor?

Health visitors are registered nurses or midwives who have received additional training in public health nursing. They support families with children aged 0 to 5 years. This involves regular health and development reviews to assess the child's needs, improve their health, prevent illness, and reduce health inequalities.

Find out more about becoming a health visitor.

Choosing a career that helps families thrive

While at school, Louise did a work placement at her local hospital. This experience inspired her to choose a career that would allow her to help people in her community.

Louise studied children’s nursing at university, then did some additional training to become a health visitor. Louise advises, “Although I started my career as a children’s nurse, my colleague trained as an adult nurse. You can come into health visiting from any field of nursing or as a midwife.”

Working in the community

Louise sees a variety of children of different ages. These could be newborn babies at 14 days old or children at 4 and a half, ready to go to school. She explains, “At the health and development reviews, I’m looking for different things, such as checking the child’s weight and length. I may also use the child’s toys when assessing their development.” 

Health visitors use the Scottish Universal Health Visiting Pathway, which sets out the core home visiting programme. The programme is offered to all families in Scotland with children aged 0 to 5. Louise says, “It ensures all children have access to the same support and the same start in life.”

Building relationships with families and children

Louise feels very lucky to work as a health visitor in her local community, which is also where her family and partner live. She says, “I get to build great relationships with families and children. I watch them grow up from newborn babies up to the age of 5. I see their whole development journey.”

Louise says you need to be approachable and friendly to be a health visitor. She explains, “You’re going into people’s houses. They could be in a vulnerable situation. You’re going into their space, so it’s really important that you’re friendly, nice, approachable, and a good listener.”

The best job in the world

The NHS is a good place to work because you get to care for people. Louise thinks it’s one of the best things you can do. She says, “It’s a real privilege to provide the support that families need. It’s the best part of my job as a health visitor. I absolutely love it!”

Louise acknowledges that she is going to be working as a health visitor for a long time. “It’s going to be an incredible number of families that I’ll have the privilege of helping and supporting in Campbelltown. I feel very lucky to work in the NHS.”, she says.