Children's Universal Services

Health Visitors and School Nurses

The Central CUS (Children's Universal Services) Team of Health Visitors, School Nurses, School Staff Nurses, Immunisation Nurses and Nursery Nurses support children and young people 0 – 19 years to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve. They also provide health promotion activities as an intervention to help prevent ill health.

The service works closely with all community partners to support families to access the health information and services appropriate to their needs - this includes family doctors (GPs), children’s centres, nurseries and all schools in Croydon.

The first contact with parents is the home new birth visit at 10 – 14 days. Health and feeding advice is given according to each family’s needs.

The parent held record (Red Book) contains health information about the universal immunisation programmes, developmental milestones of a baby and child until school leaving age, and contact details for access to other health services.

Parents and carers are invited to contact their local team by telephone, to drop in at local clinics or appointed times for specific developmental checks, or specialist clinics to deal with problems such as bedwetting.

The breastfeeding support team is based in Parkway health centre and Norbury clinic.The team visits families in their homes, children centres and in Baby Cafes, to support mothers so they have the confidence to breastfeed their babies.

Contacts are made with young people in school at confidential Drop-In sessions, and teams of nurses deliver the universal schools immunisation programmes in secondary schools or at community clinics.

The immunisation team based at Shirley clinic provides vaccinations against TB to children and young people 1 – 16 years of age that meet the criteria. Appointments are made following direct contact or referral from GPs.

The team also delivers HPV vaccinations to protect girls aged 13 years upwards against cervical cancer, and the final booster to school leavers aged 15 years.

The service works within a multidisciplinary team to provide high quality care to those families where there is a need to safeguard children or those with additional health or complex medical needs.

Teams are based at eight sites across Croydon - at Woodside Health Centre, Thornton Heath Health Centre, Parkway Health Centre and a number of clinics in the community.

Care is delivered Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm and a monthly Saturday morning baby clinic held at Purley clinic.

For more details on clinic times please read Child Health Clinics - Location and Opening times

Appointments

What do I do if I haven’t received my appointment yet?

Please phone the team nearest to your home - the contact
details are in your parent held record (Red Book).

What do I do if I want to change or cancel an appointment?

Phone the team to let them know between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm.

What should I bring to my appointment?

Always bring your Red Book to any clinic appointments and any other letters or information about your child.

What time should I arrive for my appointment?

Please arrive in good time for your appointment.