BBC’s One Show puts Hull Health Visitors in the spotlight

Health visitors from the Hull 0-19’s service featured on the BBC One Show yesterday, Thursday 15 June showcasing their participation in an innovative new study led by the Institute of Health Visiting and funded by the Royal Foundation.

Watch it here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001mwzs/the-one-show-15062023

The Trust was selected as one of two participating sites exploring the feasibility of using the Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) as part of routine health visiting practice. The study aims to support the profession to promote infant wellbeing and social and emotional development.

On the same day, HRH the Princess of Wales, who is patron of the Royal Foundation, visited Nuneaton to meet health visitors taking part in the study, which is funded by the Centre for Early Childhood.

The ADBB model is used to assess how babies are interacting with the world around them. The tool focuses on social behaviours such as eye contact, facial expressions, vocalisation, and activity levels to help practitioners and families to better understand the ways babies express their feelings, whilst also supporting parents and carers with bonding and attachment. The ADBB can also be used to recognise early signs of psychological distress, enabling specialist support to be accessed as soon as it is needed.

The One Show team met with Health Visitors, including Karen Hardy, Specialist Health Visitor for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health to talk about the trial and how they will use the ADBB to support the families in their care.

Rebecca Price, Modern Matron, Hull 0-19 Integrated Public Health Nursing Service at the Trust, said:

“It’s exciting to be hosting this study in Hull to develop and support positive infant parent relationships. Our interactions and relationships during our earliest years are crucial in promoting social and emotional wellbeing, providing vital foundations which shape the rest of our lives. Being chosen is testament to the team’s commitment to families in our community and ensuring that delivering the highest standards of care to them they are at the heart of what we do”

Michele Moran, Chief Executive at the Trust, said: “Congratulations to the team on being chosen as a pilot for this project.

As a Health Visitor, I am passionate about the role the profession plays enhancing health and reducing health inequalities. Our teams across Hull and East Yorkshire provide a proactive and universal service which supports thousands of parents of under 5’s. This trial will help enhance that offer, ensuring that every child is given the best possible chance at building positive and healthy relationships.”

The ADBB trial is running for a period of ten months and is being carried out at the South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust and Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust.