Health visitor

You can apply for training if you're a registered nurse or midwife. Any branch of nursing is acceptable.

You'll complete a course in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing - Health Visiting, approved by the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

Courses can be full time or part time and last between 1 and 2 years.

Registration

• you'll need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council

Further information

You'll find more details about how to become a health visitor from Health Careers.

You'll need:

• customer service skills
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to use your initiative
• to be flexible and open to change
• sensitivity and understanding
• to enjoy working with other people
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

As part of your day-to-day duties, you could:

• give advice to new parents on feeding babies, hygiene, safety and sleeping
• support parents with their children’s development needs
• coordinate child immunisation programmes
• organise special clinics or drop-in centres
• support children with special needs
• advise on how to reduce the risk of accident and injury
• work closely with social services and other organisations to safeguard and protect children

You could work at a client's home, at a health centre or at a GP practice.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding and you'll travel often.