School Nursing

The School Nurse Service is part of the HCP 0-19 Service. This programme is our national framework for improving the health and wellbeing of children and young people aged 0 to 19 (age 25 for care leavers or those living with special educational needs and disabilities) in England.

The School Nursing Service works in partnership with children, young people and their families to ensure that children’s and young people’s health needs are supported.

The service provides a nurse-led service to all children from the stage that they start in reception at school through to 19 years old. This includes support to children who are ‘Educated at Home’. Every school in Walsall has access to a named school nurse.

What services and support do we provide?

• Advice and support about a range of health issues including:
  • relationships and sexual health
  • emotional health and well-being
  • healthy weight and exercise
• Behaviour Management Groups for parents
• Self-esteem and confidence building groups for children and young people
• ChatHealth Texting Service for young people aged 11+
• ChatHealth Texting Service for parents and carers
• HealthforKids and HealthforTeens websites
• Safeguarding children and supporting children and their families in need of additional help. (We work with a range of other agencies to provide this support)
• Enuresis (bedwetting) clinic
• Support for children and young people with continence problems
• Supporting children with medical and additional needs
• Provide the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)
• Support to schools:
  • Training to support children with medical needs
  • Training and support to deliver Sex and Relationship Education (SRE)
  • Training and support to deliver Mental Health Promotion

School Nurse information for parents poster

What services and support do we provide?

Virtual workshops for parents/carers offering advice and support to help with:

• Bedwetting
• Common toileting problems
• Toilet training
• Fussy eating
• Healthy lifestyles
• Sleep awareness
• Understanding your child’s behaviour
• Understanding your child’s emotions

We offer various groups for Parents/Carers please give us a call to find out more information

Supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

Our service supports all Walsall schools including our special schools and alternative education provision.

We work with other health professionals including speech and language therapies, physiotherapist and occupational therapist and community paediatricians. We also work with professionals in education including special educational needs teachers in schools and educational psychologists.

We have a dedicated SEND Team who can offer tailored support and advice.

HCP0-19 Service SEND drop in sessions poster

School Nurses also work closely with Education, Social Care and other health professionals, including GP’s and Community Paediatricians to help children and young people to remain healthy and to ensure that any health needs are met.

The HCP0-19 Service has tailormade pathways to ensure continuity of care for families. These are:–

• Health Visiting Service
  The Health Visiting Service support all parents/carers to help give a child the best possible start in life. All families are offered 5 contacts with the Health Visiting Service, from pregnancy until a child starts full time school.
• Teenage Pregnancy Team
  The team offers support for teenage parents aged 13-19 (up to age 25 for those with special educational needs or a disability) and targeted intervention to prevent teenage pregnancy
• Health in Pregnancy Team
  Supporting preparation into parenthood, guidance on infant/parent relationships and early child development
• Medical and Premature Pathway Team
  The team offer tailored support for parents/carers of premature infants and infants/children with medical needs.
• Infant Feeding Team
  The team are here to provide specialist support during your feeding journey to help you attain your goals.
• Family Hub and Strengthening Families Team
  Tailored support to help infants, children, young people and their families to have the best start in life.
• Vulnerable Team
  The team offer health support to families with children who are refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. They provide health support to families fleeing domestic abuse, families living in temporary accommodations and families subject to safety plans.
• SEND Team
  Supporting children, young people and their families with special educational needs, development and disabilities up to 19 years of age (25 years for some children).

HCP0-19 Service Breakdown poster