The health visiting service visits you before your baby arrives, for a new birth visit from around day 10 to 14 and then offers you support right up until your baby grows up and starts school.
A duty health visitor is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm who can talk to you about any concerns you may have or support you to access the right service for you.
If you live in Kent, you can find more information about parenting and your local health visiting service at Kent Baby
If you live in Medway, more details about your local health visiting service can be found at Medway Community Healthcare
More information and contact details are in your baby’s red book.
You can email your local appointment team to change or amend an appointment or for advice and support.
Appointment teams
| Area | |
|---|---|
| Ashford | kentchft.ashfordhvappointments@nhs.net |
| Canterbury | kentchft.canterburyhvappointments@nhs.net |
| Dartford | kentchft.dartfordhvappointments@nhs.net |
| Dover | kentchft.doverhvappointments@nhs.net |
| Folkestone | kentchft.folkestonehvappointments@nhs.net |
| Gravesham | kentchft.graveshamhvappointments@nhs.net |
| Maidstone | kentchft.maidstonehvappointments@nhs.net |
| Sevenoaks | kentchft.sevenoakshvappointments@nhs.net |
| Swale | kentchft.swalehvappointments@nhs.net |
| Thanet | kentchft.thanethvappointments@nhs.net |
| Tonbridge and Malling | kentchft.tonbridgeandmallinghvappointments@nhs.net |
| Tunbridge Wells | kentchft.tunbridgewellshvappointments@nhs.net |
Born to move app
Download and create a profile on the free Born to Move app. This has great features to support you and your child on the amazing journey from pregnancy, all the way to starting school. You can sign up while you're pregnant and find ways to help grow your baby's brain and bond with them even before they arrive. You can get tips to help your child be active, support their language skills and help their eyesight development at every stage until they start school.
Health visiting teams
You can now contact the Kent Health Visiting Service by SMS text message.
Text 07312 263368.
The team will respond Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
| Area | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|
| Ashford | 0300 123 3092 | kentchft.ashfordHV@nhs.net |
| Canterbury and coastal | 0300 7900 156 | kentchft.canterburyHV@nhs.net |
| Dartford | 0300 123 2075 | kentchft.dartfordHV@nhs.net |
| Dover | 0300 123 3018 | |
| Gravesend | 0300 123 2076 | kentchft.gravesendHV@nhs.net |
| Maidstone | 0300 555 0506 | |
| Sevenoaks, Swanley and Edenbridge | 0300 123 4497 | kentchft.sevenoaksHV@nhs.net |
| Shepway | 0300 123 1240 | kentchft.shepwayHV@nhs.net |
| Swale | 0300 123 4014 | kentchft.swaleHV@nhs.net |
| Thanet | 0300 0134 740 | |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 0300 123 3017 | kentchft.tonbridgemallingHV@nhs.net |
| Tunbridge Wells | 0300 790 0243 | kentchft.tunbridgewellsHV@nhs.net |
| Medway | 0300 123 3444 | medch.childrenscommunity@nhs.net |
Your local health visiting service offers you and your family support right from the first visit when your baby is 10 to 14 days old until they start school.
A member of the health visiting team will see you at least three times; once during pregnancy (antenatal), again when your baby is around 10 days old and a further appointment at six to eight weeks following birth. They also offer two further developmental reviews, one between nine and 12 months and the next at two to two-and-a-half years.
You can find more information about parenting and your local health visiting service at Kent Baby.
