The Nurture Programme
Infant Health & Wellbeing
KATHARINEHOWARDFOUNDATION
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ensuring that parents are at the heart of our work
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THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANTHEALTH&WELLBEING
The Nurture Programme– Infant Health & Wellbeing
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About70,000babiesareborninIrelandeveryyear–that’s192everydayoronebabyevery7½minutes.Allparentswantwhat’sbestfortheirchild,andnewparentsinparticularneedsupportfromeveryonearoundthemtoachievethat.
TheNurtureProgramme–InfantHealthandWellbeingisbeingestablishedwiththesebabiesandtheirparentsatitsheart.Ouraimistodoourparttohelpgiveeachoneofthesebabiesthebeststartinlife.Frompregnancythroughtothechild’sthirdbirthday,parentscanmeetahealthcareprofessionalatleast25timesatantenatal/postnatalandchildhealthvisits.TherelationshipbetweenourhealthcareprofessionalsandparentsisthefocusofTheNurtureProgramme.Inotherwordswewanttomakeeverycontactcount.
The aim of The Nurture Programme is to support parents and healthcare professionals in their caring and service provision roles.
THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANTHEALTH&WELLBEING
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What is The Nurture Programme?
It’sanewprogrammeofworkdesignedtoimprovetheinformationand
professionalsupportsthatweprovidetoparentsduringpregnancyandthe
firstthreeyearsoftheirbaby’slife.It’sapartnershipbetweentheHealth
ServiceExecutive(HSE),theAtlanticPhilanthropies,theKatharineHoward
Foundation(KHF)andtheCentreforEffectiveServices.
Why are these early years so important?
Nationalandinternationalresearchshowstimeandagainthatwhathappens
toachildduringpregnancyandthefirstthreeyearsoflifewillinfluencethe
child’shealthandwellbeingfortheirlifetime.Byprovidinghigh-qualitycare
andinformationatanearlystage,wecansupportparentsintheircaring
roleand,inturn,helptoensurechildrenattainlifelongimprovedhealthand
wellbeing.
Why invest in the fi rst three years of a child’s life?
Earlyinterventionandpreventioncreatethebestpossibleoutcomesfor
children.Ithelpschildrenmeettheirdevelopmentalgoalsandoffersthemthe
verybestchanceoflivingahappyandfulfilledlife.
Preventionandearlyinterventionisalsothemost
economicalwaytohelpchildrenandfamilies,
reducinglong-termdependencyonarangeof
stateservices.
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What services will be involved in The Nurture Programme?
Ireland’snationalchildhealthprogrammeisdeliveredbymaternityservices
andprimarycareteamsineverycommunityintheState.Itincludesmaternity
andinfantcare,thefirstvisitfromthePublicHealthNurseafterbabycomes
home,andasupportivescheduleofchildhealthreviews,vaccinationsand
screeningprovidedbyGeneralPractitioners,PHNsandCommunityMedical
Officers.Thisserviceisfreetoallchildrenandaspectsoftheseserviceswill
beinvolvedintheimprovementsassociatedwithTheNurtureProgramme.
Ourhealthcareprofessionalswillbeinvolvedandsupportedwithtraining,
developmentandenhancedinformationforthemselvesandforparents.
What difference will The Nurture Programme make?
TheNurtureProgrammewillbuildonthebestpracticealreadyinplaceinour
services,andensurethatthispracticeisdeliveredconsistentlyacrossallour
services.Itwilltakeanevidence-basedapproachtodevelopandimprove
servicesonanongoingbasis.Wewillbuildauniversal,consistent,national
approachtothedeliveryofqualityservicesforallinfantsandtheirfamilies.
Wealsocommittoensuringthatparentsareattheheartofourwork,and
areinvolvedinthedevelopmentoftheProgrammeandallitsresources.We
willidentifytheinformation,adviceandsupportthatparentsneedaround
pregnancyandearlyyears,andhowandwheretheywanttogetthatsupport.
Thiswillbedonebytakingintoaccountwhatwelearnfromconsulting
parentsandreviewinglocalandinternationalresearchevidence.Wewillhelp
parentstounderstandthejourneytheywilltakethroughthehealthservices
–parentswillknowwhattheycanexpectateachstageandwillreceiveclear
andconsistentmessages,adviceandsupportateachstepoftheirjourney.
THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANT HEALTH & WELLBEING
What sort of practical things will we see over the next two to three years as part of The Nurture Programme?
• Developmentofanewparentingandchildhealthwebsite,forparents
andforhealthcarestaff.Thiswillbethetrustedsourceforallhealthand
wellbeinginformationthatparents,andhealthcareprofessionals,need.
• Provisionofinformationandadvicetopeopleplanningtogetpregnantso
thattheycangivetheirchildthebeststartinlife.
• AdditionstotheexistingsuiteofCaringforyourBabyandChildbooks
andwebsite,creatinganewHealthyPregnancybookandonlinecontent.
• Developmentofstandardsforantenataleducationandresourcesto
supporttheirdelivery.
• ProvisionofuniversalaccesstotheChildSafetyAwarenessProgrammeto
guardagainstaccidentaldeathsandunintentionalinjuriestobabiesand
infants.
• Trainingforpractitionerstoidentifywhenaparentneedsadditional
support,adviceorinformationandaccesstoeffectivereferralpathwaysto
specialistserviceswhenneeded.
• PromotionofInfantMentalHealth,coveringtopicslikebondingwithbaby,
parent-childcommunicationsandsupportingbaby’searlylearningand
development.
• Supporttheroll-outofaparent-heldchildhealthrecord.
• Provideadditionalsupportstomotherstobreastfeedwheneverpossible.
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THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANTHEALTH&WELLBEING
What is the long-term plan for The Nurture Programme?
TheNurtureProgrammewillonlybeasuccessifthepositivechanges
madepossiblebytheProgrammebecomeembeddedinservicesandare
sustainable-soeveryactionintheProgrammeplanwilldetailasustainability
strategy.
ItisimportantthatwelearnfromtheprocessofimplementingTheNurture
Programmesothatitcaninformfuturedevelopmentsinservicesforparents
andtheirchildrenaswellasotherlargescalechangeprocessesacrossthe
publicsector.
AnindependentevaluationoftheProgrammehasbeencommissionedwhich
willassesshowitwasplannedandimplemented,theextenttowhichchange
hasoccurredatapolicy,systemsandpracticelevelandthekeycomponents
whichcontributedtosuccessfulimplementation.
Our Guiding Principles
• Parentsaretheleadpartnersandexpertsintheraisingoftheirchildren-
wewillengagewiththemthroughout.
• Ensureourworkisevidencebased,drawingoncurrentandemergingIrish
andinternationalresearch.
• Workcollaborativelywithstatutoryagenciesandthecommunityand
voluntarysector.
• ApplytheconceptsofImplementationSciencetotheProgramme.Thisis
agrowingfieldofhowtomanageeffectivesystemschangeprocessesin
publicservices.
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THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANTHEALTH&WELLBEING
delivering quality services for all infants and their families
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THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANTHEALTH&WELLBEING
The Nurture Programme Partner AgenciesThe Atlantic Philanthropies:
TheAtlanticPhilanthropies(Atlantic)isdedicatedtobringingaboutlasting
changesinthelivesofdisadvantagedandvulnerablepeople.Atlanticisalimitedlife
foundationthatwillcompletegrantmakingin2016.Overthepastdecade,Atlantic
hasinitiatedarangeofinvestmentsinthedevelopmentofservicesforchildrenand
families.Theseprogrammeshavefocusedonchildreninearlyyearsservicesand
oncommunitiesandgroupswhoexperiencedisadvantageinIreland.Atlanticis
providingagranttotheKatharineHowardFoundationtosupporttheimplementation
ofTheNurtureProgramme.
Katharine Howard Foundation
TheKatharineHowardFoundation(KHF)isanindependentfoundationfocusedon
improvingthelivesofyoungchildrenandtheirfamilies.TheFoundation’sworkis
underpinnedbyacommitmenttoequalityandovercomingdisadvantageandto
promotingequalityofopportunityforallchildren.KHFisresponsibleformanaging
TheNurtureProgrammegrant.
Health Service Executive
TheHSE’s100,000staffmembersprovideallofIreland’spublichealthservicesin
hospitalsandcommunitiesacrossthecountry.TheHSE’svisionisahealthierIreland
withahighqualityhealthservicevaluedbyall.TheHSEwilldeliverTheNurture
ProgrammeImplementationPlanthroughitsPrimaryCare,AcuteHospitalandHealth
andWellbeingDivisions,andinturnthroughCommunityHealthCareOrganisations
andHospitalGroupsaroundthecountry.
TheNurtureProgramme,whichisfocusedonpregnancyandthefirstthreeyearsof
achild’slife,fitsintoawiderHSENationalHealthyChildhoodProgramme,which
looksatthewholeofchildhoodupto18years.Theseprogrammesaredeveloped
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THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANT HEALTH & WELLBEING
withintheframeworkofHealthyIreland(DepartmentofHealth2013),
BetterOutcomesBrighterFutures(DepartmentofChildrenandYouth
Affairs2014),theNationalMaternityStrategy2016–2026(Departmentof
Health2016)andtheforthcomingHSErevisedBreastfeedingStrategy.
Centre for Effective Services
TheCentreforEffectiveServices(CES)isanot-for-profit,intermediary
organisationworkingontheislandofIreland.CESconnectspolicy,
practiceandresearch,helpingtoensuretheimplementationofeffective
services,toimprovethelivesofpeoplelivingacrosstheislandofIreland.
CESwilldeliverimplementationsupporttoTheNurtureProgramme,
drawingonthegrowingfieldofImplementationScience.
Community Foundation for Ireland
TheCommunityFoundationforIreland(CFI)believesinthepowerof
philanthropytodeliverjustandprogressivesocialchange.CFIempowers
peoplewhowanttomakeadifferencethroughamodelofphilanthropy
thatisbasedontrust,effectivenessandimpact.
CFIwillmanagetheInfantDevelopmentFund,afundwhichhasbeen
constitutedtosustaintheworkofTheNurtureProgrammeandother
relatedinitiativesforaperiodofatleasttenyearsaftertheinitialfunding
hasbeenexpended.
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THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANTHEALTH&WELLBEING
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THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANTHEALTH&WELLBEING
empowers people who want to make a difference
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THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANTHEALTH&WELLBEING
The Implementation Plan will be delivered through six interconnected Implementation Teams:
1. Knowledge and Communications
2. Antenatal to Postnatal
3. Health & Wellbeing Promotion and Improvement
4. Infant Mental Health and Supporting Parents
5. Standardised Health Records for Parents and Professionals
6. Training and Resources
Themembershipoftheimplementationteamswillinclude
representationfromkeystakeholders.Teamcompositionmaychange
overtimeasdifferentphasesoftheworkprogress.Theworkofthe
teamswillbemutuallydependent,requiringeffectivecrossteam
working.Theteamswillhaveaccesstoarangeofsupportstocarryout
theirwork.
The Nurture Programme Implementation Plan2016-2018
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THE NURTURE PROGRAMME INFANTHEALTH&WELLBEING
Ourimplementationteamswillbeseekinginputfromallstakeholders.
Ifthereareinitiativesyou’dliketobringtoourattention,pleaseletus
knowbyemailing
Updatedinformationwillbeprovidedon
www.hse.ie/nurtureprogramme
How can I get involved?
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ensuring that parents are at the heart of our work
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The Nurture Programme
Infant Health & Wellbeing
KATHARINEHOWARDFOUNDATION
3993-NurturingBrochure_A4_CoverOnly_v2.indd 1-2 17/05/2016 16:05