Innovation from the inside: Collaborating for school readiness

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Service Delivery
• Pediatric Nursing

Background:

• Historically, school nurses (SNs) managed public health approaches for children's school readiness in Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust.
• Challenges arose due to reduced staffing and unclear care transitions between health visitors (HVs) and SNs.
• This necessitated a re-evaluation of service delivery models to optimize support for families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a new service model fostering collaboration between HVs and SNs.
• To improve health outcomes for children aged 4-5 years in preparation for school.
• To enhance partnership working practices for effective early interventions.

Main Methods:

• A service evaluation project was conducted within Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (2014/15).
• Focus on developing collaborative practices between HVs and SNs.
• Implementation of a new way of working to address identified service gaps.

Main Results:

• The project aimed to establish a more effective model for supporting school readiness.
• The new approach sought to clarify roles and improve care transitions.
• Focus on addressing health needs related to behavior, sleep, eating, and continence.

Conclusions:

• The service evaluation explored a novel approach to integrated health visiting and school nursing.
• The initiative sought to optimize early intervention and support for children's school readiness.
• The findings are intended to inform future service development for improved pediatric health outcomes.