News
Family Nurse Partnership improving outcomes for vulnerable families
23 Sep 2009
The second year evaluation report of the FNP programme by University of London, Birkbeck, which is joint between the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health, found that:
• Effective delivery is having a positive impact on some of the most vulnerable young families in society.
• There are early signs that the programme is having a positive effect on reducing smoking during pregnancy and increasing rates of breastfeeding.
• Mothers value the programme and believe it has made a positive difference to how they care for their baby and their own aspirations for the future.
• Fathers’ involvement is especially high with more than half of fathers present for at least one pregnancy visit.
• A strong nurse-client relationship is key to its success, and clients are overwhelmingly positive about their family nurses, rating them on average 9 out of 10.
• Nurses have reported that their clients are more confident as parents, were playing with their children more, wanted to learn, and had aspirations for the future.
Family Nurse Partnership is a £36m programme providing intensive support for vulnerable first time young mothers and their families. Specially trained nurses work with them from early pregnancy until the child is two years old, building close relationships and guiding them towards adopting healthy lifestyles for themselves and their babies.
Health Minister Ann Keen said:
"As a nurse myself, I know how this programme is at the heart of our policy for improving the life chances of the most vulnerable children and their families. There are now 40 test sites up and running and we will have 50 by next January.
"I welcome this report, which shows that the Family Nurse Partnership programme is continuing to be delivered well and is having a real impact on some of the most vulnerable babies and families in our society. It gives us a real opportunity to prevent some of our most vulnerable children facing a lifetime of exclusion and failure."
(Department for Children, Schools and Families, 23 September 2009)
