Specialist school nursing: priority areas and pathways

Specialist School Nursing Contribution – Introduction

Health visiting services focus on providing a robust preventative framework for all families and children in Scotland up to the age of 5 years. Building on this foundation, and reflecting the evidence base, the refocused school nursing role [1] will have a continuing focus on prevention, early intervention and support for the most vulnerable children over five years who have been identified as being at risk by health visiting services. The refocused role will concentrate primarily on ten priority areas under the overall headings of vulnerable children and families, mental health and wellbeing, and risk-taking behaviour.

The ten priority areas are set out in this document. The areas have been identified from evidence and have a sound rationale to support actions. They represent public health priority

areas, and interventions on each have been found to be effective in preventing adverse childhood experiences ( ACEs), the impacts

of which not only affect health and development potential in childhood but can also persist deep into adulthood. School nurses have vitally important roles in preventing ACEs and, where they have occurred, mitigating their short- and long-term effects.

Supporting pathways have also been developed, providing additional detail summarising the broad nature of the refocused school nurse role within some of the more complex and overarching priority areas. These pathways have been developed in partnership with stakeholders and seek to clarify the focus of the school nursing contribution.

This document and the accompanying document of annexes detailing the supporting pathways (you can access this here: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781787810204) will be helpful not only for school nurses and managers, but also stakeholders in the education, social work and criminal justice sectors, and youth and voluntary, specialist, substance misuse, and drug and alcohol services.