School Nurses can offer families with children aged 5 to 19 years:
- support for the health and well-being of your whole family, with seamless links from the health visiting service
- support to ensure your child is reaching their full potential
- advice on the immunisation programme, which ensures your child is protected against disease and infection
- specialist support, advice and information on wider issues such as anxiety, stress and depression
- hearing and Vision screening in Reception
- access to a range of parental workshops in schools
- health assessments for Year 6, Year 10 and pupils transferring into Suffolk (currently being developed)
- confidential health 'drop-ins' in secondary schools for young people offering Suffolk c-card condom scheme, chlamydia testing, pregnancy testing and emergency hormonal contraception provision
- confidential 'drop-ins' in pupil referral units and special schools
- Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan support where involved
- follow up (if required) for accident and emergency attendance and police domestic abuse referrals
- support for you to feel confident in your parenting skills and to provide the best opportunities for your child as their grow
They also support schools by delivering:
- assemblies at key transition points
- termly locality training for schools on management of asthma, epilepsy and anaphylaxis (in Lowestoft and Waveney this is provided by James Paget Hospital)
- individual training in schools where required
- identifying health needs within their school community, working with them to create a health and well-being action plan. (This is currently being piloted in two areas with the aspiration to increase participation to all schools)
School nursing - Suffolk County Council
The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) measures children in reception class (aged 4 to 5 years) and year 6 (aged 10 to 11 years).
The data is used at a national level to support local public health initiatives. For example, exercise and healthy eating, as well as informing local planning and delivery of services for children.