Demonstrating the difference that Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) makes is an important aspect of the work of the FNP National Unit.
We capture and analyse FNP programme data so that we can better understand and monitor the impact FNP is having on young parents, their children and the communities in which they live.
The FNP information system is key to this.
Family nurses regularly monitor the health and wellbeing of the young parents and babies they work with, and they record every interaction they have with them. All this data is input into the FNP information system, giving us a rich and detailed picture of the progress our clients are making individually, locally and nationally.
FNP teams can see up-to-date information about all of their clients on a localised dashboard, which enables them - and local service providers and commissioners - to make strategic decisions about service planning and commissioning.
The data also helps the FNP National Unit to identify opportunities for quality improvement and enables us to share best practice across local teams in England. This helps to ensure that all young families enrolled in FNP receive the highest possible quality of support.
What measures are used in FNP to track and monitor progress and outcomes for young first-time mums and their infants?
The Ages and Stages Questionnaire is one example of how family nurses track and monitor child development outcomes. Family nurses also record information about the mother's health, such as whether she smokes and whether she breastfeeds her baby.
Learn more about how FNP uses Ages and Stages Questionnaires here.