The IoHV's annual survey of its members in England found that the youngest and most vulnerable in society had suffered most, and nearly two in three health visitors had reported a rise in cases of child neglect.
Four out of five health visitors also reported soaring increases in domestic violence and abuse, perinatal mental illness, and the negative impact of poverty on families.
Health visitors are concerned that the needs of vulnerable babies and young children are invisible as they are only able to focus on what feels like the ‘tip of a very large iceberg’ of unmet need.
Unmanageable caseloads were cited as one of the issues facing the profession, with 12 per cent of health visitors reporting caseloads of more than 700 children - the optimum maximum caseload for effective practice is 250 children, and less in areas of high vulnerability. One health visitor reported a caseload of 3,000 children, while sixty-five per cent of health visitors had caseloads with more than 300 children under five years.
The report revealed that a third of the 862 health visitors surveyed felt like they were ‘stretched and there may be a tragedy in our area at some point’.
Alison Morton, deputy executive director at the IoHV, said, ‘Babies and young children were largely invisible in the first wave of the Government’s emergency plans. With a growing body of evidence, we now know that many children are being harmed by the secondary impact of the pandemic and we cannot knowingly overlook their needs again, as we live with the virus for the foreseeable future.’
She concluded, ‘Whilst the vaccine brings the glimmer of a “light at the end of the tunnel”, babies and young children cannot wait – they need help now. Failing to effectively address their needs will only store up significant problems for the future.’
The report highlights some of the reasons why babies and young children in disadvantaged families have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19: overcrowded housing with lack of outdoor space and the impact of poverty on parental stress and anxiety.
The findings also expose significant flaws in the way the nationally funded health visiting service is prioritised and delivered, with a postcode lottery of support.
Sally Hogg, head of policy and campaigning at the Parent-Infant Foundation and co-ordinator of the First 1001 Days Movement, commented, ‘This report adds more powerful evidence to the growing body of research showing the impact of the pandemic on babies, their families and the services that support them. It paints a worrying picture of increased risks to babies and widening inequalities.
'Despite the hard work of many passionate and skilled professionals, depleted services across the country are not resourced to provide the support that many families so desperately need. Our babies are our future, and their needs must be taken seriously. Government cannot ignore this issue any longer, investment is urgently needed, and action is long overdue. Babies can’t wait.’
