Safeguarding: A public health response

In my role as school nurse team lead I have the privilege of working with colleagues who are committed to improving the health outcomes for children and young people and yet it must be acknowledged how challenging this role is. Having worked in School Nursing for 15 years, I have witnessed the increase in demand for school nurses in almost every aspect of their work. Through my work with SAPHNA I have seen how this increase is reflected across the UK and how one of the current most concerning areas for the workforce, is the demand within the child protection arena.

At SAPHNA, discussions about the role within the child protection arena for school nurses are dominating professional forums and webinars at the moment and with good reason. The publication of the revised Working Together document in December 2023 has prompted genuine concern among public health professionals – should a school nurse be lead professional for a Section 17 process? What is the impact on the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme? With limited capacity and reduced workforce what is the impact on the wellbeing of the workforce?