URGENT SAFEGUARDING INTELLIGENCE REQUIRED / OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE INVESTMENT INTO SCHOOL NURSING

Dear colleagues

We have been tasked with urgently providing some intelligence to NHSE Safeguarding to inform strategic conversations on the role of School nursing in safeguarding. As you are only too aware, our public health role in safeguarding and, indeed, our public health role per se, is increasingly being limited by the ever-growing need for safeguarding/child protection and/or supporting complex mental health issues; this coupled with recruitment/retention/attrition/sickness is making for a very concerning picture.

We have been working and advocating extremely hard on behalf of our workforce and, critically, our children and young people, particularly during COVID 19 and are now being listened to, heard and this now accepted and recognised as a key risk. To robustly  facilitate  these ongoing strategic conversations, we need to collate information on the following:

Exemplars of:

1. SNs making MASH referrals which are not reaching thresholds 

2. SNs not being listened to by their local system system leadership

3. SNs escalating MASH issue to Designated Professionals

4. SNs reporting on-going safeguarding concerns to LSP

5. SN endeavouring to connect with Named GP

6. Examples of good practice

 
We know this is a big ask, however, without this, SAPHNA cannot evidence the need and, therefore, how the system can help our workforce.

We truly believe we have an opportunity here so would kindly ask you respond at your earliest convenience or close of play Monday 4^th April.

With HUGE thanks,

Sharon and all at Team SAPHNA