The second-year report of a four-year evaluation scheme of the FamilyNurse Partnership (News, 17 July 2008), run by the Department forChildren, Schools and Families and the Department of Health, found it isimproving outcomes for vulnerable young families.
The report from Birkbeck College, University of London, found theprogramme produced a 20 per cent reduction in smoking during pregnancyand a breastfeeding initiation rate 10 per cent higher than the nationalaverage.
Ninety-six per cent of participants said it had helped them feel moreconfident as a mother and two-thirds said the programme had helped themto think about the need for gaining more educational qualifications or ajob.
The programme, based on a nurse home-visiting scheme in the UnitedStates, is being piloted in 40 sites across England, increasing to 50 byJanuary, with the aim of going nationwide.
But the study found some health authorities were 'not completelyconvinced', saying the scheme was expensive and only helped a smallnumber of people.
Cheryll Adams, lead professional officer at the Community Practitioners& Health Visitors Association, said, 'The FNP only supports a smallpercentage of families and someone needs to look at whether otherfamilies are getting a reduced service due to the money being spent onthe programme. There is tremendous support from the Government for theFNP, while support for health visitors seems to be diminishing.
She said the shortage of health visitors was exacerbated as healthvisitors left to become family nurses because of 'better pay and bettersupport and smaller caseloads'.
Further information
www.dcsf.gov.uk
