Start for Life
The first 1,001 days (from conception to 2 years old) is considered to be the most important time in a child's life for development.
Whether you're a parent/carer, grandparent or other family member, you can use our Start for Life pages to find information, advice and support for this vital period of a child's life.
Health and development
Health visiting services support all families in the later stage of pregnancy and until your child is 5-years-old.
NHS Health Visiting Service
The NHS health visiting teams work with parents, carers and families to promote the health and wellbeing of children (from pregnancy until school age) and help them to learn and develop the skills needed to bring up their children. Your health visitor can give you help and advice on anything from feeding, sleeping, immunisations and contraception, to your own emotional and mental health.
They can also help with concerns about:
- your child's health and development
- your own ability to cope due to stress or ill health
- other family problems affecting your children.
Find out more about the Health Visiting Service
Important: The Health Visiting Service is not an emergency service. If you are in need of urgent advice, contact your your GP, call 111 or 999.
Health, development and wellbeing
Hillingdon's family hubs and children's centres support families from pregnancy to when a child is 5-years-old, offering a range of sessions and courses around your child's personal, social, emotional and physical development.
View a full list of sessions and support available in our children's centres
You can also find lots of information about children's health, development and wellbeing on the 0-4 years section of the Hillingdon children and young people website.
Dental health
It is very important that you look after your child's teeth (and book their first visit with a dentist) as soon as teeth start to come through.
Our children's centres run Brush for Life virtual workshops to help you keep your child's teeth healthy, as well as Bottle to Cup workshops and 1-to-1 advice to support children aged 6 months+ to start using open cups and stop using a bottle from 1-year-old. Speak with your local family hub, children's centre or health visitor for more information.
As a parent, you're entitled to free NHS dental treatment up to 12 months after your baby is born.
Please note: Dental surgeries will not always have the capacity to take on new NHS patients and you may have to join a waiting list. If, after contacting several dental surgeries, you still cannot find a dentist accepting NHS patients, call NHS England's Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 2233.
Eating well
Deciding what, when and how much to feed your child is not always easy. Find lots of information and advice online about food and keeping healthy.
- Starting solids
- What to feed young children
- Healthy eating
- Easy ways to eat well and move more, with ideas for recipes and activities
Keeping fit
Being physically active every day and eating well is important for the healthy growth and development of babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. For these age groups, activity of any intensity (including light activity and more energetic physical activity) should be encouraged.