School Nursing

Children are in care for a number of reasons, sometimes just for a short while, or in some cases, until they reach the age of 18 and beyond.

Children may be in care because their parents have made an agreement with the Local Authority or it may be due to a court ruling which says the child is unable to live with their own family and requires looking after in care.

Being in care could mean a child lives with their parents, extended family and friends, foster carers, in Residential Children’s homes or in secure accommodation.

What we provide

Initial health assessment: When you are in care you will require a health assessment. The Initial health assessment takes place soon after coming into care.

Review health assessment: this will be carried out 6 monthly if you are under 5 years and 12 monthly if you are over the age of 5 years.

Your Specialist Nurse will ensure that a high quality health assessment is offered to children looked after and can offer information and support around a range of issues such as; stopping smoking, healthy eating/healthy weight, relationships, safe sex, drugs and alcohol awareness.

We can refer you onto other services, with your consent for example;

• Dietician
• GP
• Smoking Cessation
• Sexual Health Clinics
• School Nurse/Health Visiting Services
• Community Dental Services
• Audiology Service

If you live in care and away from home, you may want to speak confidentially to someone about your worries. The Looked after Children’s Health team can listen and help you to get further help and support.

We are friendly, approachable and non-judgmental, we will keep any information confidential (providing you are not at risk of harm to yourself or others). We would always tell you when we share information.

Blaenau Gwent

Ruth Jefferies - 07583982299

Caerphilly

Cerys Lock - 07946603415

Samantha Williams - 07792794575

Monmouthshire

Thomas Davies-Owens - 07957152438

Newport

Jane Brooks - 07766257753

Clare Ezard - 07896991906

Torfaen

Amy Watkins - 07966511117

Aly Turtle - 07854674550

OOC (out of county)

Sally Donoghue - 07792794754

Accidents are a leading cause of death and serious injury for children and young people, with many of these accidents being preventable.

The Child Accident Prevention Trust believe that: “Accident prevention is not about restricting children or wrapping them up in cotton wool, instead it is about creating safer environments, both in the home and elsewhere, to enable children to thrive and lead a healthy active life.”

Children need to explore, experiment and begin to take risks as they grow-up and learn about the world they live in. In time they begin to get better at judging risks but they can sometimes over-estimate their ability and as they gain more independence they begin to challenge things that adults tell them.

Check out the Child Accident Prevention Trust for top tips on keeping children safe.

The term Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is used to describe a wide range of traumatic events that children can be exposed to while growing up but that are remembered throughout adulthood.
 
These include neglect and physical, verbal and sexual abuse along with harms that affect the environment in which the child lives such as exposure to domestic violence, family breakdown, and living in a home affected by substance abuse, mental illness or criminal behaviour.

Watch this short video on the Public Health Wales website to gain more information.

Alcohol is considered to be a drug because, when taken into the body, it changes how you feel, think or behave. A drug is any substance that, when taken into the body, does this. When the way a person feels, think and behaves has been changed by alcohol, the new way they feel is called being ‘intoxicated’ or ‘drunk.’

Visit the Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service for free, safe and confidential drug and alcohol services.

Training

Alergywise Org provided free training for schools www.allergywise.org.uk. Training takes approximately 45 minutes.

Care plans

On www.bsaci.org there are 4 different care plans available, one for each AAI and one if a child is only prescribed antihistamine.

Adrenaline

3 makes of adrenaline auto injector AAI

Epipen: www.epipen.co.uk

Emerade: www.emerade.com

Free trainer pens and leaflets can be ordered from the website for Epipen and Emerade.

Jext: www.jext.co.uk

Trainer pens for Jext should be given to patients when first prescribed. Otherwise there is a small cost.

Bedwetting

Any child over the age of five can be considered to have night time wetting issues if the occurrence rate is more than two episodes a week. Within ABUHB we have a school nurse led enuresis service for children over seven years old, that can be accessed through a GP referral should you require additional support.

Daytime Wetting

Daytime wetting can occur due to a number of reasons and therefore, it is important to seek help or advice to resolve the problem.
Causes can sometimes include:

• constipation – when the bowel is over full, it can press on the bladder, causing it to leak urine into underwear
• bladder infections
• an overactive bladder
• stress or anxiety

Your GP will be able to check whether your child has an infection or another cause for their wetting.

Constipation and/or soiling

Constipation and soiling can cause children and their family’s considerable stress, however it can be easily treated.

A child is considered to be constipated if they poo less than 3 times a week, however, every child is different and some need to go more frequently than others. Some children find passing the poo/stool painful and distressing and stools appear hard and pellet like.

Causes can sometimes include:

• Poor diet or fluid intake
• Medication
• Illness
• Avoidance or withholding a stool
• Anxiety due to pain.

If your child has constipation it is important that they are seen by their GP.

Soiling is usually a symptom of constipation and requires treatment to remove the hardened poo in the bowel and to keep the bowel clear. It can also be simply be caused by inadequate wiping after using the toilet.

How can we help. School Nurses can:

• Offer support and advice to school age children and young people who have daytime wetting or soiling
• Offer advice to school staff  to manage a child’s continence difficulty in school
• Refer children and young people to specialist continence clinics (in some areas) or to their GP if necessary.

Most people experience low moods, from time to time. Occasionally, these feelings may become more intense and may start to impact on their day-to-day lives. 

If you would like to seek support for a child or young person's physical and/or emotional health, please call 01633 431 685 to be referred to the School Nursing Service.

Young people aged 11-19 can annomously text 07312 263 262 to chat with a school nurse for confidential support & advice.