#iHVEBP2023

The focus of this year’s EBP conference "Hope for the future" is health equity. How can we ensure a brighter future, where all babies can thrive and live healthy lives? How can we use the best available evidence and research to promote health equity and strengthen health visiting practice? Long-standing health care disparities and inequities have been illuminated and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent cost of living crisis. Systemic inequities, such as poverty and economic disadvantage are preventing babies, children, and families from achieving optimal health, leading to avoidable differences in health outcomes. Our conference programme brought together local, national, and international experts and speakers who are focused on strengthening health visiting practice. The presentations reflected the breadth of health visiting practice, within a “whole system” public health approach, with the aim to equip health visitors with new knowledge and skills to address key challenges in prevention and early intervention work with babies, children, and families.