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Child health and development

Children develop at different rates, and Doncaster health visiting supports and empowers you to help your child reach their potential.

As part of our core health visiting service, you will be offered several developmental reviews. These reviews give you the opportunity to discuss your child’s overall development. We use the ages and stages questionnaire to help you better understand your child’s progress in communication, movement, problem-solving, and personal-social skills. The results from the questionnaire will highlight any early concerns about your child’s development, ensuring that support is put in place to help your child reach their potential.

Growing friends community groups promote and encourage children’s physical, emotional, and social development through play, structured activities, creative fun, and singing. These groups offer essential support to parents, making a positive impact on how children grow into healthy, happy, and fulfilled adults. Health practitioners in these groups plan themed activities that can be easily replicated at home, linking to important health messages. Staff provide positive interactions, demonstrate sensitivity, and encourage parents to view their child as an individual with their own thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

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Healthy sleep routines for children

Keeping your child to a regular bedtime routine can improve the quality of their sleep, even though it may be challenging. It’s important to establish a routine that works for both you and your child, and to stick to it. A consistent bedtime ritual helps the brain recognise sleep times, making it easier for your child to settle and sleep well. Find out how much sleep kids need (opens in new window).

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Your child’s bedroom

It’s important to keep the bedroom just for sleeping. The bedroom itself needs to be dark, quiet and tidy. It should smell fresh and be kept at a temperature of 18C to 24C. It should be a calm and relaxed place, ideal for a good night’s sleep.

Avoid computer and television screens in the bedroom

The light from tablets, mobile phones, smartphones, televisions, and other electronic devices can affect children’s sleep. Try to keep your child’s bedroom a screen-free zone and encourage them to charge their devices downstairs. This helps prevent the temptation to respond to messages late in the evening.

Getting help with sleep problems

If your child is still having trouble getting to sleep or sleeping through the night, you can speak to your GP, health visitor, or join one of our first friends or growing friends groups to talk to a nursery nurse for advice and support.

Keep a sleep diary

You may be asked to keep a sleep diary for your child to help diagnose any sleep problems. The diary can uncover underlying conditions, such as stress or medication, and reveal lifestyle habits or daily experiences that contribute to sleep issues.

The sleep diary could include answers to questions like:

  • what were your child’s sleeping times?
  • how long did it take them to get to sleep?
  • how many times did they wake up during the night?
  • how long did each awakening last?
  • how long did they sleep in total?
  • did they do any exercise shortly before going to bed?
  • did they take any naps during the day or evening?
  • has anything made them anxious or upset?

Sometimes, sleep problems can be a sign of a mental health problem. For more information, please see depression in children and teenagers (opens in new window).

Weaning off bottles and dummies

Many children become closely attached to bottles or dummies, as they often use them for comfort and security. Weaning off a bottle or dummy can affect sleep routines. Your health visitor or nursery nurse can offer support and advice to help with this transition.

For more information, please see supporting your child to stop using bottles and dummies (opens in new window).

Dealing with child behaviour problems

There are many reasons for difficult behaviour in toddlers and young children. Often, it’s because they’re tired, hungry, overexcited, frustrated, or bored. It’s important to do what feels right for your child, your family, and yourself. If you don’t believe in something or feel it’s not right, it may not work. Children can sense when you don’t mean what you’re saying.

For more information, please see dealing with child behaviour problems (opens in new window).

All parents and carers in Doncaster have access to free online parenting courses, covering topics from pregnancy to children and young adults aged 19 and under.

Find out more about the range of online training for parents and carers in Doncaster (opens in new window) and how to access them at parenting programmes (opens in new window).

Toilet training

Using a potty is a new skill for your child to learn, and it’s important to go at their pace. Be patient with them as they learn, even if it can sometimes be frustrating.

Children can control their bladder and bowels when they are physically ready and want to be dry and clean. Remember, every child is different, so it’s best not to compare your child with others.

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Additional resources

Page last reviewed: January 30, 2025
Next review due: January 30, 2026

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