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Written Submission – Family Nursing and Homecare (FNHC)
Any successes in implementing the recommendations from the IJCI
There have been a number of areas of work which have successfully supported the delivery of recommendations made by the IJCJ
Family Nursing & Homecare (FNHC) have really welcomed the Commissioner for Children's role, which has benefited the children and families with whom we are working, through joint home visiting with FNHC the commissioner has been able to hear children and young people's experience first-hand. The commissioner has also been able to assist with enabling barriers to practice by advocating for staff.
FNHC has also been involved in a more specific piece of work undertaken by the commissioners (and have participated in a workshop) relating to adverse childhood experiences. This multi-agency/disciplinary piece of work helps everyone to understand and support families, children and young people who face adversity.
The development of the CYP plan has also been instrumental in developing the vision and strategic direction of children services in future. The professional support and participation in developing the plan has resulted in system wide ownership. FNHC will become a member of the strategic implementation group and key performance indicators contained within the plan have been integrated into FNHC's new 5 year strategy (2019-23).
Another area of success has been in relation to capturing the voice of children and young people. This has been central to the commissioner's work, the CYP plan and is integral to FNHC's strategy 2019-23.
The development of the Early Year's Strategy has also been supported across the system and will support the delivery and achievement of the CYP
FNHC's involvement in the development of the Jersey children's first model has included being a member of the steering group, training in the use of practice tools, and the role out across more than 4000 staff across the wider system. This will standardised approach will support practice and consistency of services delivered to families.
The Ofsted inspection provided an independent review of the current position of children's services, and this was helpful when thinking about and developing the CYP plan.
- Any areas for improvement in implementing the recommendations from the IJCI
FNHC will benefit from the new care regulation, when it has been approved by States Assembly early December. FNHC services provided for children and young people will be included as part of the regulation of care and therefore will be inspected under care provided in the home category.
FNHC is in full support of regulation of care and would suggest that this should be extended to cover all health and social care services in the near future.
The other area of improvement that could be made is the designated doctors role for Looked after Children should have protected time. It is often the case that they experience competing priorities and call on their time with paediatrics and neonatal intensive care. There needs to be more capacity and dedicated time for each role
- Any areas of concern (i.e. what is not being done)
FNHC's area of concern relates to Looked After children (LAC) and in particular those that are cared for in other jurisdictions in relation to health checks (referenced in Making a Difference report)
There are growing numbers of children becoming looked after, and the capacity to deliver health checks needs to be reviewed as part of the commissioning process. Equally off island health checks need a more robust system and commissioning arrangements put in place with Local off Island providers? Off island system are often difficult to navigate and negotiate and Jersey's children are not always prioritised for health checks in every case.
- Any suggestions you may have that could assist the implementation
A review of commissioned services and contract for both on island and off island for the provision of initial and review health checks (BAAF).
Robust system put in place to ensure that the LAC nurse is informed of Looked after Children at the earliest possible opportunity.
Protect and resolve the impact on medical adviser's time not always being protected and the impact this has on the LAC nurse being able to deliver to the required time frames for review assessments
Need to be able to challenge the Jersey way by fully utilising the Jersey children First practice model as a way to drive up practice
Bring in regulation across the whole system as a way of holding everyone to account