Job title: Sure Start project worker (health visitor)
Name of organisation and department:
Sure Start Weymouth and Portland Local Programme
Location: Weymouth, Dorset
Duties
As the only Sure Start health visitor for the Weymouth and Portland Sure Start programme, I provide the link between local health visitors and Sure Start. I keep them updated on related activities and provide the health visiting voice in Sure Start.
I do not have a caseload - families registering with Sure Start have their own health visitor, meaning much of my work is liaising with health visitors. They may refer families to me so that some one-to-one work can be undertaken. This may involve exploring parenting issues, discussing Sure Start with the family or linking the family with other team members. I also carry out joint visits with health visitors, other members of the Sure Start team (for example, our speech and language development worker) and other agencies, such as housing.
Each member of the Sure Start team is a resource for their particular specialist area, so the team may approach me, for example, when they have questions about breastfeeding or weaning, concerns about a family or child protection issues.
I am involved in several groups including breastfeeding support (BreastFriends) groups, baby massage and postnatal depression. We have two BreastFriends Groups and are about to start a third.
I am also part of the local Baby Friendly working group, looking to achieve Baby Friendly status in the hospital. This entails providing breastfeeding training to colleagues - health visitors, midwives and nurses - and is a real challenge.
Along with several Sure Start colleagues I recently completed the International Association of Infant Massage training and am now involved in running baby massage courses for Sure Start parents.
Likes/dislikes
The things I like can also cause me frustrations. I love the variety of what I do, the fact that no two days are the same. This can also be a source of stress, as there are frequent interruptions to my work and constant changes in priority.
I enjoy working with so many different people - including the Sure Start team, other professionals in the community and the parents and children.
The flip side of this is the amount of liaising, which can be very time-consuming, and trying to catch up with people when we are all so busy and often out and about.
Best achievement
I am really pleased to be a part of the BreastFriends groups; I can see they are a real support to the mothers. I also feel the baby massage groups, which I run with a colleague, are having a positive impact, as you can see the parents and baby benefiting from the experience. I think everyone, my colleague and I included, comes away feeling more relaxed than when we arrived (you don't often feel that after running a group!).
Training
There are project workers from many disciplines in Sure Start, but for my post a health visiting qualification was specified. I have a BA Honours in Public Health Nursing (health visiting) from Southampton University. I also have a BSc Honours in Health and Community Studies (University of Chester), which I feel contributed to me getting this post. I have since qualified as an infant massage instructor, undertaken the Unicef Baby Friendly Breastfeeding Training and the Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) training.
Career path
After studying in Chester I trained as a nurse in Portsmouth. I then nursed at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. I trained as a health visitor and worked for two years in Weymouth before taking up this post. This provided me with good local awareness.
Career progression
I am seconded in my current post for three years, and have just over one year left. My career progression very much depends on future funding as we make the move from Sure Start to Children's Centre. Whatever happens, I am keen to continue working with families and would like my future work to include breastfeeding support and baby massage.
Advice
You need a sense of humour and a good team around you. You definitely need to be a team player. Expect the unexpected and try to remain calm; being flexible and open to ideas will also help. Patience is a necessity, as a good idea can take a long time to become a reality and there may be many unexpected obstacles along the way.
Interest/hobbies
I relax by reading, listening to music, playing sport (netball, badminton and sometimes football). I'm not sure it's always relaxing, but I do enjoy DIY and gardening. More than anything, I love my holidays!
Further information
* www.msfcphva.org (health visiting)
* www.peep.org.uk (Peers Early Education Partnership programme)
* www.surestart. gov.uk (Sure Start)
* www.iaim.org.uk (infant massage)
* www.babyfriendly. org.uk (breastfeeding)
