School Aged
When your child turns 5 and starts school, their care moves from the Health Visiting Team to the School Nursing Service.
Our School Age Team helps all children and young people from age 5 to 19 (or up to 25 if they have special educational needs).
The team includes:
- Specialist Community Public Health Nurses
- School nurses
- Children and young people practitioners (CYPP)
- Healthy Family Support Practitioners (HFSP)
The team help look after the health and wellbeing of school-age children. They work in schools, family homes, Family Hubs, and other community places across the county.
More Information
How can we help?
The School Age Team can:
- Run drop in sessions in secondary schools where young people can talk about health or worries.
- Run drop in sessions for parents and young people at Family Hubs and community sites.
- Support children and young people during big school changes, like starting school, moving to secondary school, or leaving school.
- Help with common issues like bed-wetting, food, exercise, sleep, and feelings.
- Check a child’s health needs and offer support or refer them to someone else if needed.
- Work with children, young people and families to decide the right support.
- Give advice and support using evidence based practice.
- Carry out the National Child Measurement Programme in Reception and Year 6.
- Deliver the Healthy Schools Programme. • Work with other services when needed so families get the best help.
What happens next?
The School Age Team accept self-referrals through school drop-ins. Parents, Teachers, GP, or other Healthcare colleagues can also make a referral through contacting the service.
Essex County Council commissioned the Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service (ECFWS) in April 2017 to deliver an integrated pre-birth to 19 Health, Wellbeing and Family Support Service across Essex (excluding Thurrock and Southend.
Our service primarily provides universal support for ‘all children and young people aged 0–19 and their families, of whatever form, who are resident in Essex, have children attending an Early Years provision, mainstream schools, academies, or are registered with an Essex GP practice’ as stated in our service specification. Furthermore, enhanced, and targeted provision is delivered within state schools.
Whilst our school-age team is not commissioned to work directly with or deliver universal services within private schools or for those who are home educated, support can be provided in cases where a parental concern, a self-identified need, or a third-party referral (with consent) arises.
Support provided to those that are educated within private schools or home educated is dependent on the individual needs of the child or young person, and any targeted provision will be determined accordingly, ensuring that services are appropriate and tailored to those needs. In such instances, targeted support may be offered within the home, Family Hub, or community setting, provided the child or young person resides within Essex.
