LA should be having her 3 year check with the Health Visitors soon. However, as I understand it Health Visitors have had their roles changed slightly recently and are to focus on families who need the help...which obviously doesn't mean us, as we have been sent a questionnaire to fill in and return instead.
It strikes me as very ironic that from the age of 1 when she had her last HV check up, until she becomes 5, no-one has monitored or even considered that we may be treating her badly. Then wham - when she passes that magic age of 5 - we either have to send her to school or be "monitored" at home. What damage can't happen to a child between 1and 4 that can happen at 5?? As a Mental Health Nurse, I'm very aware of the damage that can be done to children at any age.
Another ridiculous situation!
Don't get me wrong, we don't want or need a HV to tell us that we are doing fine. Just as we won't want a LA bod telling us how we are doing. Its just bizarre that the smallest members of our society, the very most vulnerable are now having less input and therefore less protection than their older friends.
Anyway - we filled the bits of their silly questionnaire in that we felt like filling in, ignored those questions that we didn't like (such as "Which school is she registered with?") and sent it back.
I seriously doubt we will hear from them, which makes me (personally) feel happy and (professionally) rather sad all at the same time.
1 comment:
Exactly how I feel, I think. Yes, it's great for us that a HV has been no where near us since Cotton-tail was born. Wonderful that she rang when she was a few days old and asked if I wanted her weighed then seemed over the moon when I said I didn't think we needed to see her. However, what about for other mothers? What about for the ones who do need support?
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