Family nurse partnership - Young parents
The Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) is an intensive home visiting service.
Our services
Change of provider for FNP Dudley
This service is being transferred from Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust with effect 1 April 2024 to Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust.
- Current Provider: Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Further details to follow.
You and your Family Nurse will decide together what you will cover in each visit.
They will:
- share lots of information with you about pregnancy, giving birth and looking after babies and toddlers, helping you prepare well and deciding what is right for you and your family
- help you make sure that you support your baby to grow, develop and learn
- get to know you really well; you will be able to rely on her to help you out, if things get difficult in any way
- help you plan for your future. You can talk about childcare, education, training and gaining new skills, as well as housing and finances.
Together, you decide what you would like and how to make it happen.
You are the most important person in your baby’s life and this programme will help you be the best parent you can be.
If you would like others in your family to be involved in the visits, we would very much like them to take part with you. Many dads enjoy getting involved as well.
The people we see
The main goals of FNP are to:
- help you have the best pregnancy outcomes possible
- improve the health, development and wellbeing of your child
- help you get on track around your college and work goals.
This is achieved by helping you build a really good attachment between you and your baby and helping you build your confidence.
Visits are weekly, fortnightly and monthly, depending on the age of your child. Visits usually last between 60 to 90 minutes. The visits allow you to focus on the following areas: personal health, maternal role, your environment, family and friends and health services.
If you move away while you are still on the programme we will still try to visit you or try to introduce you to another Family Nurse nearby.
Dudley Dads At Their Best
Dudley FNP has an additional service called 'Dudley Dads At Their Best'.
Katie our 'Dads worker', provides a service for fathers whose partners are eligible for the Family Nurse Partnership service in Dudley.
The aim of the programme is to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for young men, their babies and their families.
Regular sessions with our Dads Worker can help support you to develop your new role as a Father.
Support is available from before the birth of your child, up until your child is one year old.
The service is designed with the knowledge that Dads have an equally important role in providing the best start in their child's life.
New patients
You will need to be notified to FNP as early in pregnancy as possible. Usually this is done at booking by your Midwife, although anyone can refer. The notification form may be used or we can accept a telephone notification.
Frequently asked questions
- I am currently using this service - but when does it end?
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This service is available until your child reaches 2 years of age.
- Can I join if I am over 19?
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FNP is currently commissioned for clients who are 19 and under when they become pregnant.
Dudley FNP is commissioned up to the age of 25 for clients who have previously been in care.
- Can I join if this is my 2nd baby?
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A FNP is commissioned for first time parents only.
Contact us
Contact us
Shropshire
Tel: 01743 249133
Email the Shropshire team
Telford and Wrekin
Tel: 0333 358 3328
Email the Telford team
Dudley (from 1 April 2024)
Tel: 01384 366662
Email the Dudley team
Who are we?
The Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) is an intensive home visiting service; if you live in Shropshire, are 19 or under and expecting your first baby, a Family Nurse can visit you to help you have a healthy pregnancy and enjoy being the best mum you can.
Your specially trained Family Nurse will help you understand all about your pregnancy and how to care for you and your baby. Your Family Nurse will visit you regularly during pregnancy and then after the birth until your baby is two years old.
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and our "Local Offer"
What is the Local Offer?
The local offer provides information for children and young people with special educational needs (SEND) and their parents or carers in a single place. You can find out more about information about this on our SEND reforms and Local Offers page.
Service Description
FNP is an Intensive home visiting service for teenage parents 19 years and under, living in Shropshire. It is a voluntary programme for under-19s expecting their first baby. Specially trained family nurses provide information and support with making decisions which increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy, help the young person manage labour, improve child development, build a positive relationship with baby, help plan for the future, enable young parents to make lifestyle choices that will give their children the best possible start in life, and help to enable young people to achieve their aspirations (such as finding a job or returning to education).
What do you provide to children and young people with an additional need and or disability 0-25yrs?
We deliver the Family Nurse Programme to first time parents aged 19 years and under at booking. We can visit as early in pregnancy as possible to 28 weeks pregnant.
All family nurses are qualified nurses with additional family nurse training.
Do we provide support for parents and carers?
Yes, family nurses visit every one to two weeks from early in pregnancy up to the child turns two years old. Home visits usually last about one hour, different ideas are shared at each visit the young person and family nurse decide what topics to talk about. The family nurse helps you to develop new skills and make plans for a healthy happy future for you and baby.
How to access our service (inc. referral routes)
Midwifery notification at booking of pregnancy.
Referrals can be made by midwives and all professionals. Young parents can also refer themselves.
Due to team capacity we may not always be able to take referrals; please contact us and we will discuss your case.
The family nurse programme is designed to be delivered individually. This is done by agenda matching at the start of each visit.
The family nurse programme is written with service user views included as part of the programme. The programme is available via interpreters, and is a parent training programme.
When and where is our service available?
Family Nurses usually visit at the family home. We are available Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.
How to find out about the service
Through their midwife at booking.
Leaflet / midwives mention the service at booking. Initial contact can be made by phone.
How can families contact the service?
Families can contact the service by ringing 01743 249133
For external agencies: is the service free or charged?
This service is free of charge
Is the service accredited? If so, by whom?
Care Quality Commission
How can families complain if they are not happy with the service?
All complaints are handled by our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Complaints teams.