▁Association , ▁which ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁Un ite ▁the ▁Union . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁health ▁visit ing ▁profession ▁began , ▁living ▁conditions ▁for ▁the ▁urban ▁poor ▁were ▁often ▁cr amp ed ▁and ▁extremely ▁ins an it ary , ▁leading ▁to ▁many ▁business ▁own ers ▁sending ▁women ▁around ▁to ▁workers ' ▁homes ▁to ▁educ ate ▁their ▁w ives ▁about ▁san itation ▁and ▁nut r ition . ▁The ▁initial ▁focus ▁of ▁health ▁visit ing ▁was ▁on ▁families ▁with ▁young ▁children . ▁Vis its ▁would ▁cover ▁topics ▁such ▁as ▁san itation , ▁feed ing , ▁nut r ition , ▁care , ▁and ▁support ▁to ▁both ▁inf ants ▁and ▁parents . ▁Typ ically ▁there ▁would ▁be ▁regular ▁vis its ▁throughout ▁a ▁child ' s ▁early ▁years , ▁to ▁provide ▁routine ▁child ▁development ▁checks . ▁Iss ues ▁of ▁h yg iene , ▁mal nut r ition , ▁or ▁disease , ▁would ▁be ▁corrected ▁with ▁suitable ▁advice , ▁and ▁reported ▁to ▁the ▁relevant ▁authorities ▁where ▁appropriate ▁ ▁The ▁role ▁of ▁Health ▁visitors ▁was ▁formal ised ▁with ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Lad ies ▁San it ary ▁Reform ▁Association ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁By ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁some ▁local ▁coun c ils ▁were ▁pay ing ▁the ▁sal aries ▁of ▁Health ▁Vis itors . ▁ ▁Early ▁tw enti eth ▁century ▁ ▁The ▁role ▁of ▁health ▁visitors ▁was ▁given ▁greater ▁weight ▁following ▁the ▁Notification ▁of ▁B irth s ▁Act s ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁and ▁the ▁Mat