Best Start health visiting service

The health visiting service is provided and available to all children aged 0 to 5 years. The service aims to promote the health and wellbeing of your family and can offer practical advice and support on a range of topics

Find out more about the Best Start health visiting service.

Child health clinic drop sessions over the Christmas and New Year period

Check with the health visiting teams for openings. There are no sessions on public holidays.

Chat Health

ChatHealth is a confidential texting service for parents and carers, giving advice and support on children’s physical and emotional health. You can text about:

• sleeping
• toilet training
• safety
• minor illnesses
• introducing solids
• emotional health ...and more

Text your NHS health visiting service on 07507 334150. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).

The integrated review for 2 year olds

The integrated review is the sharing of information between you, your health visitor or community child development advisor and your child’s early years setting. This sharing of information is an opportunity to look at your child’s progress and strengths and also discuss what is needed to support your child’s health, wellbeing, learning and behaviour.

See further information.

Breastfeeding cafes

If you need breastfeeding support, have a new baby or are you pregnant and want to find out more about breastfeeding and chat to other mums in a small friendly group, join us at our next session. No need for an appointment – just turn up! Find out more about breastfeeding support.

Breastfeeding baby cafés timetable

Healthy Start vouchers

Healthy Start helps you give your family the very best start in life. If you are pregnant or have a child under four years old and you receive benefits or tax credits, you could qualify for Healthy Start vouchers to help buy some basic foods. Check to see if you qualify.

You also qualify if you are under 18 and pregnant, even if you don't get any benefits or tax credits. 

With Healthy Start, you get free vouchers every week to spend on milk, plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins. The vitamins are available in exchange for vouchers from Best Start children's centres and health centres.

For help claiming Healthy Start vouchers, you can contact Croydon Council's Healthy Start project at healthystartsupport@croydon.gov.uk.

All about your children’s teeth

King's College oral health team will be out in Croydon delivering information and advice sessions for children and parents.

The next session is Tuesday 21 August - Find out more.

How to refer yourself to a midwife if your are pregnant

You can now refer yourself directly to a midwife to reduce delays. See more information about Croydon University Hospital maternity services.

Time for me

Time for me is a group to help people cope with distressing thoughts and feelings. A crèche is provided. 

Download the information leaflet

Child speech and language

Best Start Chatterbox Groups are drop-in groups for Croydon families with children under the age of 5 years old who have concerns about their child’s talking or interaction. They are run jointly by children’s centre and speech and language therapy staff across the borough to promote, encourage and support speech, language and communication development.

Chatterbox flyer - January to March 2020

Family nurse partnership service

For those aged 19 years or under going through their first pregnancy and provides dedicated support to parents to ensure that new families get the best start.

Further information

Keeping your home safe

If you are living in Croydon council housing with a child under 5 you may be eligible for a free home safety check where you may be able to get stair gates or fire guards to improve the safety of your home.

More information is available on our home safety page.

Request a home safety check

Healthy homes

Are you a family struggling to heat your home and pay your fuel bills? If you own your home or rent it from a private sector landlord then Croydon Healthy Homes may be able to help. This scheme is aimed at families at risk of being in fuel poverty or with a member living with a medical condition which could be exacerbated by living in a cold home. 

Visit our health homes page for more information and details of how to apply.

Just Live Well

Struggling to make changes in your life? Take the Health MOT now to find out if you are eligible for personalised support from trained professionals through the Just Live Well programme. This is a free 12-month lifestyle programme aimed at residents who want improve their health and wellbeing.

Further information can be found on the Just Live Well page.