Sure Start evaluation on home visiting

[Guest guest]

For your information.

This national Sure Start Evaluation research includes health visiting and I

think presents a fair pictuure of some of the cuurent strengths and problems of

the service. I have put some selected quotes in italics below but the whole can

be read or downloaded from the dfes link.

Unfortunately the references to Elkan for which they rely on evidence of

effectiveness of health visiting, are given as 2005 in the text when it was

2000. This is misleading as it sounds up to date and does not touch on later

reviews such as the HDA Bull et al. Also refers to some out of date practice

with hearing tests. It covers a variety of models and good practice.

The DfES has published research on Outreach and Home Visiting Services in Sure

Start Local Programmes, which were set up to focus on the most isolated

families.

Further Information:

available online

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/NESS2006FR017.pdf Outreach

and Home Visiting Services in Sure Start Local Programmes

Where health managers were involved in the design of programmes, midwifery and

health

visiting services were likely to be central to the outreach approach. Where

there were paraprofessionals involved, it was to support midwives and health

visitors.

F: Health Team

This is the most widespread model, it builds on existing services. The teams

comprised Sure Start staff and local health visitors, midwives, psychologists,

and other health professionals (CPNs, occupational therapists). They deliver

ante and post-natal support and screen for postnatal depression. Emphasis is

on the well being of the parent and ensuring attachment to the child and

healthy behaviours.

Staff

Health visitors and midwives responded well to the SSLP integration of

services because they could refer families to a much more extensive range of

back-up services. Not all pre-existing health visitors had collaborated with

Sure Start, the influencing factor being the attitude of their managers. Over

time relationships could improve, often because the services themselves

became more focused and existing services could see that they were having

an effect. Staff noted many benefits, to themselves and their work, of being

part of a multi-agency team.

4.2.1 Increased resources to offer families

The strongest approval for the outreach and home visiting approach came

from staff who had already been involved in it before Sure Start: midwives and

health visitors. They had seen the resources available to families increase

dramatically. One health visitor said that in the past she did not dare to

introduce certain ideas to families because she knew that they were not

feasible, available or affordable. Because Sure Start had developed a wide

range of back up services she could now get into a conversation with a family

about needs, and have somewhere to refer them to meet those needs.

Elsewhere a midwife described similar benefits: “We try to link in with groups

run by other organisations as well. I’ve worked with people I wouldn’t have

thought of, like the Job Centre. It’s about tailor-made care, we refer the

family

to the appropriate people” (Midwife). These two pre-existing services often

refer to themselves as the ‘gateway’ to Sure Start. They may invite other

workers to make joint visits with them.

Dr Coles PhD BA RHV RGN

Research Fellow

Department of Child Health

Cardiff University, School of Medicine

Heath Park

Cardiff CF14 4XN

Telephone

Direct line 02920 74 2160

Department Secretary 02920 743374/5

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/medicine/child_health/research/community/prevention

http://www.core-info.cf.ac.uk/