It’s nappy days as mums celebrate end of project

Family Nurse Partnership success for young women

Nearly 100 beaming young mums celebrated as they completed an innovative project aimed at giving them the best possible start in motherhood.

The mums from across Renfrewshire gathered at the Lagoon Centre, Paisley, to mark the end of the Family Nurse Partnership programme.

The scheme aims to help Renfrewshire women aged 19 and under expecting their first child through the first tricky days of parenthood.

And to help celebrate the occasion, there was fun family activities and entertainment designed to develop bonds between parents and young children.

David Leese, Renfrewshire HSCP chief officer, congratulated the young women on graduating from the programme.

There was also a celebration lunch and baby disco followed by the present at i o n o f certificates.

A fun photobooth was provided to ensure everyone could get some memorable photos and staff were able to get important feedback from the graduates about the event and their FNP journey.

Anne Burns, FNP supervisor for Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, said: “The Family Nurse Partnership works with the strengths of the mothers and encourages them to fulfil their aspirations for both their baby and themselves.

“Around 95 young mums and their children are involved in the Family Nurse Partnership in Renfrewshire and events like this party can play a part in a child’s development and it was good to welcome so many along.

“We wanted to celebrate all the good work these young people have accomplished over the last two years.

“The graduation party will be a great way to mark their progress and let them meet other families who have benefitted from the service.”

The mums start the FNP programme, which is based around the future health and wellbeing of their child, in early pregnancy and participate in a schedule of regular home visits which continues until the child is two years old.

Those using the service decide along with their family nurse what they want to cover in each visit.

Nurses will share a range of information on pregnancy, giving birth, and looking after babies and toddlers.

The three overarching goals of the FNP are to improve antenatal health and birth outcomes; child health and development; and to improve the economic selfsufficiency of the family.

The family nurses delivering the programme are predominantly f rom health visiting and midwifery backgrounds who have received extra training at an advanced level.

The Family Nurse Partnership Team is based at Renfrew Health and Social Work Centre, 10 Ferry Road, Renfrew PA4 8RU.

They can be contacted on 0141 207 7448 or gg- uhb. familynursepartnership@nhs.net