School Aged
When your child commences school at the age of five, care is seamlessly transferred from the Health Visiting Team to the School Nursing Service.
Our dedicated School Age Team offer a service to all children and their families from the age of 5 up until they turn 19 (or 25 for those with Special Education Needs)
The Team consists of Specialist Community Public Health Nurses, School Nurses and Healthy Family Support Practitioners who specialise in delivering care to School Age children and young people.
They work across the county, delivering health advice and support to school-aged children, young people, and their families within Schools, family homes, our Family Hubs and Delivery sites or other community settings.
You can access the service via the Single Point of Contact number in your area where there is a Duty School Nurse available Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm to help with your queries.
- North: 0300 247 0015
- Mid: 0300 247 0014
- West: 0300 247 0122
- South: 0300 247 0013
More Information
How can we help?
- Provide confidential drop-in sessions in every secondary school for young people to discuss any health or wellbeing concerns.
- Provide community drop-in sessions at our Family Hubs and Delivery sites for parents or young people to access.
- Provide support at key transition points including School Entry, Transition to Secondary School, Mid Teen and Year 11 to help ensure that young people are ready for the next stage in life.
- Offer support around common childhood issues such as bed wetting, diet, exercise, sleep, and emotional wellbeing.
- Undertake individualised health needs assessments to identify health and wellbeing needs, providing targeted support and onward referral as appropriate.
- Work in partnership with you to decide on the best level of support you require
- Offer advice and support to children and their families using evidence-based practice
- Delivery of the National Child Measurement Programme in Reception and Year 6
- Delivery of the Healthy Schools Programme
- When required we work alongside other organisations to ensure the best possible outcomes for you and your child
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.
