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Family Nurse Partnership

Find out what the Family Nurse Partnership does, who it's for and how to access this service.

The information that we collect and use for SystmOne health data and your rights regarding your information is available in this privacy notice.

In the sections below you can find out who we are, how we can help you and details of our Family Nurse Partnership Service.

The Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) programme is a voluntary home visiting service for first time mums, aged 21 years and under, who live in Suffolk.  

Family nurses use programme guidelines, materials and practical activities to work with young parents, including the father and wider family.

A specially trained family nurse works with individual families in their own homes (or a different community location if preferred) delivering an evidenced based programme. The programme works to your individual strengths, supporting and encouraging each person to reach their aspirations for themselves and their babies.

Home visits start during pregnancy and can continue until the child turns two. Throughout the programme journey, young parents and a family nurse will work on of different aspects of the pregnancy and early years together, including parent-child attachment, breastfeeding, immunisation, child development and school readiness.

Dependant on the individual needs, the family nurse will work alongside young parents, helping to improve on things such as self-confidence in themselves and their parenting capacity as well as supporting on other issues such as; mental health and anxiety, support with goal setting, housing and addressing health needs such as stopping smoking.

By supporting families during the pregnancy and early stages of the child’s life, the Family Nurse Partnership programme can help to:

  • adapt and deliver a programme with the young parent to meet individual needs
  • increase young parents’ chance of a healthy pregnancy
  • support preparation for labour
  • provide regular developmental reviews for each child
  • improve child's development outcomes and school readiness
  • support young parents to build positive relationships with their baby and other people
  • support young parents to reach their aspirations and plan for their futures
  • support young parents to make positive lifestyle choices to give each child the best possible start in life

Watch the YouTube Video to hear first hand how FNP can help.

Read our leaflet on being part of the Family Nurse Partnership programme.

The Family Nurse will visit regularly during pregnancy and then after the birth until the baby is at least one year old, with the possibility of continuing until the child is 2 years old.  You will still receive  care from your midwife, until they handover to your family Nurse.

Whilst enrolled on the programme the Family Nurse will replace the work of a health visitor. Once the FNP programme stops a joint visit will be arranged between your Family Nurse and an allocated Health Visitor to ensure continuity of care is tailored to specific needs.

Visits from the family nurse are weekly initially, then reduced to fortnightly.

The FNP team accept notifications of pregnancy for mums, aged 21 years and under, who live in Suffolk.  If you are a young mum you can get in contact with the team yourself.

Email CYP.FNP@suffolk.gov.uk

Think a child or a young person is at risk?

If you think a child or young person is at risk of abuse, harm or neglect please call 0808 800 4005.

This is a 24-hour service staffed by a team of professional people who will listen to your concerns and take appropriate actions.  For more information, including live web chat, please contact Customer First.

Other services for families and children

For details of how Suffolk County Council uses your personal information, please read the corporate Privacy Notice.

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