What is the school nursing service?
The school nursing service is made up of school nurses who are registered nurses with additional specialist training or experience in Public Health and working with children of school age.
We support the Government’s aim set out in Every Child Matters, for every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the support they need to:
• Be healthy
• Stay safe
• Enjoy and achieve
• Make a positive contribution
• Achieve economic well-being
The school nurse leads a team of staff nurses and assistants who work with education, health and other professionals to provide a confidential service for young people. Information will not
usually be shared without your knowledge and consent
5-19 School Nursing Team
We work with children, young people and families to empower and enable them to make informed decisions about health, and to support them in transitioning safely and happily into adult life. The 5-19 Service works in community settings to deliver universal and targeted interventions designed to meet public health outcomes. We ensure the emotional and physical health and wellbeing of families, children and young people across Gateshead. The team includes School Nurses, School Staff Nurse, Screeners and an emotional and wellbeing resilience nurse.
The School Nursing team provides a service to all children and young people of school age, and their families, whether or not they are attending school. We offer advice and information, and assess health needs on children entering school and on transfer to secondary schools. We are the first point of contact for schools when there are concerns about a child’s health and wellbeing. We are also responsible for:
•Measuring and weighing children in reception and year 6 as part of the National Child Measurement Programme;
•Providing enuresis (involuntary urination) advice and support
•Providing emotional health and wellbeing support;
•Supporting children and families with additional health needs or disability
•Parenting and behavioural problems
•Risk taking behaviour including drugs and alcohol
•Stopping smoking
•Relationships, sexual health & pregnancy
•Promoting healthy lifestyles in schools and communities through health education
•Support for children and Young People who are Looked After
•Safeguarding of children and Young People
They work closely with Health Visitors so that children and families with complex health and social care needs are identified early. We support the development and implementation of health management plans to promote the child’s health and wellbeing, school attendance, education and attainment.
Visit Growing Healthy Gateshead – Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (hdft.nhs.uk) for more details