Health: Information and support

A wide range of health services are available to meet the health and wellbeing requirements of everyone.

Children and young people in the City of London who have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) may be entitled to support via the City of London’s Short Breaks offer.

North East London Integrated Care Board is restructuring the organisation in order to better address the challenges facing health and social care.

The Board serves over two million people across eight local authority areas: Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.

Services work with partners and patients to improve health and care outcomes for local people. To find out more about our partnership work please visit northeastlondonhcp.nhs.uk 

Map of areas covered by the North East London care board
The Board serves over two million people across eight local authority areas

It is important that vaccines are given on time for the best protection, but if you or your child missed a vaccine, contact your GP to catch up.

Please see the NHS website for the vaccination schedule:

NHS vaccinations and when to have them - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Parents and carers in the City of London are being asked to check their children's MMR records as London vaccination levels fall 11 per cent behind those for England.

The free measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is a safe and effective way of protecting against severe forms of the diseases which can result in serious hospitalisation in up to 40 percent of cases. Two doses of the MMR give lifelong protection for 99% of people vaccinated.

If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination status, you can contact your GP practice to check and book an appointment.

Why are we doing this?
Measles cases are rising in London. There is no cure and vaccination is the only protection against becoming seriously unwell.

Measles is a contagious virus illness. Initial symptoms include high fever, sore, red, watery eyes, coughing, aching, and feeling generally unwell. A blotchy red brown rash typically appears a few days later. It can lead to complications such as ear infections, pneumonia and in rare cases can lead to long term disability or death.

Those most at risk are babies under one year old, pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system.

Anyone with symptoms that could be measles is advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS 111 for advice, rather than visiting the surgery or A&E to avoid spreading it any further. For more information visit: Measles - NHS (www.nhs.uk) and MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk).

Polio can also lead to serious complications including paralysis and in some cases, even death. There is no cure for polio, vaccination is the only protection. In 2022, polio virus was found in sewage samples in London, suggesting that the virus has been spreading between people.

How do I get a catch-up dose for my child?Your GP can quickly arrange for you to catch up with vaccinations. If your child had first vaccinations abroad it is important you still have routine vaccinations here, and your GP can help arrange that. If you’re not registered with a GP, you can register online (anyone can register and you don’t need ID or proof of address).

Parents of children aged 4 to 11, whose vaccination record says they are behind on polio and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations will also be contacted by an organisation called Vaccination UK, who have been employed by the NHS, to arrange catch up doses at a local clinic or at school.

You can book one directly by calling 0208 017 4292;

or visit here for more information on local catch up clinics in your area.

Who are we?
Health visitors are nurses or midwives with specialist training in family and public health. We help parents and their families to improve health and wellbeing during pregnancy, after birth and all the way through until your child is five.

Who do we work with?
We work as part of a wider health team which includes nursery nurses, GPs, midwives, paediatricians, psychologists, speech therapists, and other health professionals. We also work closely with Children’s Centre staff, family support workers, and Children’s Social Care.

Where will you see us?
You will meet us in your home or in local Well Baby Clinics, your GP’s surgery, a Children’s Centre, or in an Early Years setting. We offer you and your child five health and developmental appointments as part of the Department of Health's  “Healthy Child Programme”. We are here to help, listen, understand your needs, and work in partnership with you to give your family the best start.

When will we see you?

  • During your pregnancy – after 28 weeks you will be contacted by our team
  • 10 – 14 days after the birth of your baby
  • 6 to 8 weeks
  • 8 to 12 months
  • 27 months

What services and support do we offer?

Drop-in Well Baby Clinics which you can attend without an appointment.

Scheduled appointments

We can talk about any of the following issues that you and your family might need advice or support with:

  • Breastfeeding
  • Milk and food for babies, toddlers, and older children
  • Sleep
  • Understanding crying
  • Managing childhood illnesses
  • Your child’s development
  • Your well-being as parents
  • Understanding your child’s behaviour
  • Play and stimulation
  • Talking to your baby and child

Can health visitors help families who need extra advice and support?
Yes. Our service is for the whole family. We know that being a parent or carer can be very hard; particularly if you are feeling low, anxious, or you cannot cope.

Your health visitor can give you support and provide advice on:

  • you and your family’s emotional health and wellbeing
  • any additional health and developmental needs your baby or child might have
  • developing a relationship with your baby
  • domestic abuse
  • drug and alcohol problems
  • changes in your family life

What are Early Help Assessments and Referrals?
If you are worried about your child's or family’s safety you can ask us for help.

We work together with local services and parents to provide support, including safeguarding our local families and children.

All members of the Health Visiting team use the Children’s Social Care needs thresholds and referral pathways.

Staff who identify a child or family in need of additional support use a child-centred Early Help Form to make a referral to the Multi-Agency Team (MAT) at the Children's Centre.

The Health Visiting service will ensure that:

  • Early and timely referrals take place
  • The Early Help Form is used to assess children’s needs and to decide how these could best be met
  • This form will be completed with parental agreement and discussion
  • Early Help referrals to the Children's Centre team will identify supportive interventions for families.
  • The Early Help Form will support joint working with other local services such as Early Years.

Additional support needs and disabilities
Some families have children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and often require additional support from specialist services.

If you have any concerns regarding your child’s progress, you can speak to your doctor or health visitor. These concerns could be with common issues such as sleep or toilet training or any questions regarding your child’s development such as speech and language or reaching other developmental milestones.

Your health visitor will try to help or link you in with a specialist service that can help.

Who to contact:
Team A - Barton House Health Centre: 020 7683 4955 John Scott Health Centre: 020 7683 4700
Team B - Fountayne Road Health Centre: 020 7683 4831
Team C - Hackney Ark: 0207 014 7093
Team D - Lower Clapton Health Centre: 020 7683 4695
Team E - St Leonards Hospital 1st Floor D Block: 020 7683 4151 / 4131 / 4153 / 4059
Team F - Ann Tayler Children’s Centre: 020 7275 6028/29/30 Well street Practice: 0207 683 2636/ 2638 / 2639 Central Number: 0207 683 4151 or 0207 683 4219

Time/days:
Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm

Who is eligible?
Health visiting is a universal service offered to all parents living in the City of London and the London Borough of Hackney.

Phone: 020 7683 4219

SureStart Children’s Centres provide a range of support services and activities for families with children under five. These are available from pregnancy until the child starts reception class at primary school.

Along with early learning and day care, children’s centres offer access to parenting classes, midwives and health visitors, ESOL courses, and advice on mental health, housing, money, training and employment.

Most of the City of London's children's centre services take place at the City Child and Family Centre although some are available at other locations around the City.

Located at the Aldgate School, the City of London Child and Family Centre provides early education and integrated childcare, as well as health and family support services. There is after-school care for children aged six and over.

We offer quality child care provision for children aged 3 months to 4 years; 7:45am - 6pm (47 weeks a year).

We also provide a Holiday Club (3 months - 5 years) and Play Scheme (5 years - 11 years old) during school holidays.

We have three rooms:

  • Explorers Room has the 3 months - 2 year olds (chargeable)
  • Discoverers Room: has the 2 - 3 years olds (chargeable)
  • Investigators Room: has the 3 - 4 years olds (Nursery application required)

We also offer play sessions and services for families with children 0 - 5 years old, such as adult learning sessions. For current sessions please click on the links under 'Downloads' on the right.

SEND provision at Children's Centres

Children's Centres are fully inclusive. This means that all activities welcome children who may have additional needs, and reasonable adjustments will be made were necessary.

All Children's Centres in the borough have sensory play facilities for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

There is a specialist SEND Early Years Practitioner who works across the Children's Centres in the borough. They can help to identify children who may have additional needs and work with them in up to six 1:1 sessions to support their development. Ask in your local Children's Centre for more information.

Who to contact

The City of London Child and Family Centre
St James's Passage
Duke's Place
London
EC3A 5DE

Phone number: 020 7283 1147
Email address: office@thealdgateschool.org

If you would like to know more about our children’s centre activities and receive information or support, please complete the application form below and email it to jo.welsh@thealdgateschool.org or gpoullais@thealdgateschool.org.

For information about activities at the Child and Family Centre, please see the spring activities timetable and the centre's timetable at the bottom of the page.

 

If your child attends an early years setting in the City, and you have concerns about your child’s development, you should first speak to your child’s key person and to the setting’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator (SENDCO). They will be able to offer advice and can make a referral to the Area SENDCO and the Educational Psychologist.

The Area SENDCo:

  • Supports setting SENDCos to understand their responsibilities and how to carry them out
  • Observes children who have been referred and share observations to give recommendations and contribute to writing achievable targets for children
  • Assists the setting SENDCos to identify the most appropriate interventions and support for the child
  • Can directly work with setting staff and children to share and model strategies
  • Provides information and resources e.g. SEN support plans and Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessment requests to support setting SENDCos to complete SEND paperwork.
  • Delivers training to a setting or groups of settings as needed
  • Signposts settings and parents to available services
  • Shares examples of good practice

If your child is not yet attending an early years settings and you have concerns, you should contact your Health Visitor, your GP or you can email the Area SENDCO directly at EEYService@cityoflondon.gov.uk.

The National Deaf Children's Society are here for you whenever you need – if you’ve just found out your child has a hearing loss, you need support with making decisions as your child grows up or you work with deaf children.

Join today to access information, services and support.

Information and support | National Deaf Children's Society (ndcs.org.uk)