Health Visitor in Stowmarket

Suffolk County Council is focused on making a meaningful difference to communities across Suffolk. As a Health Visitor, you will join Suffolk County Council’s 0–19 Healthy Child Service and help give every baby, child and family the best possible start in life.

This role involves practising relationship-based public health nursing in a service that strengthens clinical standards, safeguarding, early help, and support for families across Suffolk. You will lead the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme (0–5), using your professional judgement to identify needs early, reduce inequalities, and make a lasting difference during the most important years of a child’s development.

We welcome applications from both experienced Health Visitors and SCPHN Health Visitor students who are due to qualify. If you are newly qualified or about to qualify, we will support you to make a safe, confident transition into autonomous health visiting practice.

You will benefit from:

• a structured induction programme tailored to newly qualified Health Visitors
• a gradual and supported caseload build, with clear clinical oversight
• regular safeguarding, clinical and management supervision
• support from experienced Health Visitors, managers, and practice educators
• protected development opportunities, reflective practice, and ongoing learning
• 3 paid continuous professional development days to support development and revalidation (pro rata for part time)
• time to grow your confidence in complex assessment, safeguarding, partnership working, and leadership of delegated practice.

If you are an experienced Health Visitor, this role offers the opportunity to use your specialist public health nursing expertise to shape high-quality local practice, provide clinical leadership within a skill mix team, support students and colleagues, and help develop a consistent, outcomes-focused service for children and families.

Your role and responsibilities as a named Health Visitor will include:

• leading and delivering the Healthy Child Programme (0–5), including universal contacts and targeted support
• building trusted relationships with families from pregnancy through the early years
• completing holistic assessments of child development, parental wellbeing, family context, risk, and resilience
• identifying safeguarding concerns early, escalating appropriately, and working confidently with partners
• providing proportionate, evidence-based support for families with differing levels of need
• using family voice, local intelligence, and data to improve access, quality, and outcomes
• supporting colleagues, students, and newly qualified practitioners through a positive learning culture.

What you’ll bring:

• SCPHN Health Visitor qualification, or you are a SCPHN Health Visitor student nearing completion
• current Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration as a nurse or midwife
• strong communication, listening, and relationship-building skills
• a compassionate, can-do, and family-focused approach
• confidence, or developing confidence, in assessment, safeguarding, clinical decision-making, and multi-agency working
• a commitment to prevention, early intervention, reducing inequalities, and improving outcomes for children and families.

Why join us:

• make a real, lasting impact on babies, children, and families across Suffolk
• join a service with a clear focus on clinical quality, safeguarding, prevention, and reducing inequalities
• work Monday to Friday, normally 9am to 5pm, with no shift work
• access flexible working options, including part-time roles from 22.5 hours per week
• receive a structured induction for newly qualified Health Visitors and ongoing professional development
• benefit from regular clinical, safeguarding, and management supervision
• work in communities, Family Hubs, and partner settings where families need support most
• access NHS or Local Government pension arrangements, subject to eligibility, and generous leave entitlement.

The team consists of Suffolk’s Children’s Community Health Team, delivering the Healthy Child Programme across Suffolk as part of Public Health, Communities, and Public Safety. Our Health Visitors are specialist clinical public health leaders for children aged 0–5. Working within a supportive skill mix model, you will help families receive safe, accessible, and proportionate support at the right time.

This is demanding, skilled, and highly rewarding work. You will be supported to practise safely, think critically, work compassionately with families, and use your expertise to improve outcomes.

For more information, please contact Tara Saunders for a casual conversation about the role, including our support for newly qualified Health Visitors and opportunities for experienced practitioners. You can reach them by calling 01449 745191 or emailing tara.saunders@suffolk.gov.uk.

Closing date: 11.30pm 2 August 2026. This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.