Young mums in Telford & Wrekin are set for new help through a special pilot scheme providing support for first-time parents.
It will operate through a home-visiting programme delivered by specially trained nurses and targeted at some of the most vulnerable young mothers and families.
The nurses build close, supportive relationships with families and guide young first time parents so that they adopt healthier lifestyles for themselves and their babies, provide good care for their babies and plan their future life goals.
Telford & Wrekin has been selected as a third wave pilot site for the Family Nurse Partnership, which is open to first time mothers under the age of 20.
The borough is one of 20 new sites to trial the scheme for 2009/10. It being delivered through Telford & Wrekin Primary Care Trust.
The programme, which will launch in July, is being operated under license from the United States where it has been running successfully for more than 30 years.
It is a key component of the recently published national strategy for children and young people’s health.
The scheme offers structured home visits by a nurse from early pregnancy (16 weeks) until the child is two-years-old.
Visits are weekly for the first month and every other week until the baby is born.
After birth, sessions are weekly for the first six weeks and then every other week until the child is 20 months old. The last four visits are monthly until the child reaches the age of two.
Pre-natally the focus is on the mother’s personal health, so she can be prepared to give birth to a healthy infant, and the maternal role.
Post-natally the focus is on developing sensitive, competent care of the child to avoid abuse, neglect or injuries while fostering secure attachment bonds.
During the first and second year mothers are given support to gain educational qualifications, to avoid closely spaced successive pregnancies and to plan for going back to work.
There will be a team of four full-time family nurses serving Telford and Wrekin who will undergo intensive training to enable them to fulfil this new role.
