SSAFA Canada BATUS

SSAFA provides a health visiting service available to the serving Armed Forces community within Alberta, Canada.

Health Visitors – delivering the Healthy Child Programme

The role of a Health Visitor
Where can we help?
How can we help?
CONI (Care Of Next Infant)
How do we work?
How you can access the service
Useful UK resources

 

The role of a Health Visitor

Health Visitors are registered Nurses or Midwives who have undertaken additional training to become Specialist Community Public Health Nurses. They work with families to give babies and pre-school children the best start in life, as we know that the first years of life are a foundation for future health and wellbeing.

We work closely with other members of the Alberta Public Health Team, the Defence Primary Health Care Team and British Forces Social Work Service (BFSWS) to make sure that all parents and children can access the most appropriate services for their health and wellbeing.

 

Where can we help?

Health Visitors see people at home, in the Medical Centre, in Early Years settings, in Family Hubs at Well Baby Clinics and remotely by telephone or VTC.

 

How can we help?

  • Transition to parenthood
  • Well Baby Clinic
  • Babies and children's growth and development including speech, language and communication and readiness for school
  • Supporting babies and children with additional needs
  • Managing minor illnesses
  • Advice on conditions, allergies and infections
  • Breastfeeding, bottle feeding, weaning, nutrition and maintaining a healthy weight
  • Postnatal depression and mum's and dad's mental and physical health
  • Behaviour issues - e.g. sleeping, eating, potty training, tantrums
  • Support with parenting
  • Family planning
  • Family health and relationships
  • Teething and good dental health
  • Health promotion
  • Community health
  • Children’s emotional wellbeing

CONI (Care Of Next Infant)

The CONI programme is designed for parents who are expecting or have given birth to a baby following the sudden unexpected death of a previous baby. It is normal for parents who have experienced a sudden and unexpected death of a baby to feel anxious when they have another baby.

The CONI programme is usually offered for 6 months after a baby has born but may be longer depending on the individual circumstances. Within the programme there are a range of tools which offer an individual and flexible programme of support to families during, what maybe a very stressful time.

Within each Military Overseas Command, where SSAFA provide Community Health Services, there will be a local CONI champion/coordinator, normally a midwife or a health visitor, but any member of the Community Health Team would be able to help you to access this service.

If you think you need the CONI programme, you can find out more information here - or speak to your Health Visitor.

 


How do we work?

Health Visitors working with families in British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) follow UK guidance and best practice which is detailed in the Healthy Child Programme and where possible will offer the service that you would normally expect to get in England.

We offer a Universal Service, which means that we offer our service to all families who have children under 5 years of age.

 


How you can access the service

Health Visitors will contact all families, with children under 5 years, at the following times:

  • Between 28-32 weeks of pregnancy
  • With a new baby between 10-14 days
  • When your baby is between 6-8 weeks old
  • When your baby is between 10-12 months of age
  • When your child is between 2 and 2 1/2 years of age
  • For Childhood Immunisations alongside Alberta Public Health Nurses.
    Please see this link for the Alberta Health routine childhood schedule. Your health visitor will explain the differences between the UK and Canadian childhood immunisation. With your consent, your Health Visitor in BATUS will also collect copies of immunisation records for your school age children to share with Alberta Health Services.
  • Relocation


Useful UK resources

Health Child Programme - National Framework guide

Birth to Five - Information Book

Early years: Supporting the transition to parenthood - Health Visiting Guide

Routine childhood immunisations guide

Useful Alberta Health Service Resources:

Alberta Health Services

The Early Years: Healthy Parents, Healthy Children - Guide Book 

Alberta Childhood Immunisation Schedule