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Flying Start Update
The Flying Start Team are once again fully staffed following a successful
appointment of new Health Visitors for the Catrefle, Hermitage and Whitegate areas.
We have a shared caseload arrangement which will bring value to the team in the
form of added experience from two Health Visitors instead of one. We have also
recently appointed a Part-time Speech and Language Therapist who will give one day
per week to Sure Start and an additional day to Flying Start.
Bethan Griffiths, our Midwife has commenced implementation of the New Entrant
Pathway which was ratified by the Steering Group earlier in the year. This enables
generic practitioners (Midwives and Health Visitors) to refer potential Flying Start
families into the scheme for assessment. To ensure that families with increased need
who live within the Flying Start areas receive our service there are 3 Pathways into
Flying Start. This commences Ante-Natally and includes referrals from Generic
Health visitors after birth. Bethan is also the Sure Start Midwife and continues to
divide her time accordingly, receiving referrals for families across the localities.
Having recently trained in Baby Massage she is able to offer this in the home and at
the Drop-Ins which are happening in Llay, Gwersyllt and Caia.
The Nursery Nurses provide exceptional support to the team, alongside their Sure
Start commitments. They undertake a visit to all parents and their babies between 1016 weeks after birth. They provide health promotion interventions such as advice and
support around immunisations, weaning, attachment, breast feeding promotion and
home safety. In addition they are Solihull Trained and provide packages of care in the
home and within groups about child behaviour management.
There are 3 Language and Play groups running at present which are facilitated by the
Family Support Workers, with input from the Nursery Nurses. These are taking place
within Drop-Ins in Llay, Gwersyllt and Plas Madoc. An Incredible Years is planned
for the autumn to take place in Penycae for any families across Flying Start who wish
to attend. Jan Morris one of our FSWs and Helen Andrew a Nursery Nurse will be
delivering this with support from the Educational Psychologist, John Evans.
A new Baby and Toddler Drop-In Clinic is due to start at the Venture after the
summer holidays on a Wednesday morning. This will coincide with other groups
offering a wide choice for families with children of different ages, and for families
with different needs.
The Speech and Language Team continue to visit children within the home and/or in a
group setting. The benefit of having a service which parents can access direct is clear.
Early intervention is known to reduce the likelihood of later problems with speech
and communication. They have also provided training for the Childcare Workers at
each of the settings, and are easily accessible for advice and support to them and the
team. The addition of Sarah Brady will enhance their service provision, including
involvement in the Bump and beyond Programmes which continue across the area.
Our Community Psychiatric Nurse is employed for 15 hours a week. Andrea is an
extremely valuable member of the team, providing support and learning opportunities
for the practitioners on an every day basis.
All of the Family Support Workers are Portage trained, with Sarah Gray taking a lead
in this area. Referrals for Flying Start families have been exceedingly slow, resulting
in Sarah now visiting all of the Childcare settings to provide information about the
Portage service to enable early identification of children with extra needs.
The recent return of two members of the original Sure Start team has enabled us to
address some of the more intensive ‘Bend to Fit’ expectations. Monica Edwards has
re-commenced an evening programme with young people focusing on childcare,
whilst Jane Lloyd will extend her professional development role and take on more on
Caia Park around Breast feeding Support.
The team have just completed a wonderful leaflet which outlines briefly the members
of the Health and Social Care Team. This is freely available to practitioners and
families alike. The Professional Leaflet has gone for printing, and will shortly be
available for circulation.
We welcome students of many disciplines and feel we can offer a very special
experience to health and social care professionals.
Childcare
There are now 11 Flying Start childcare settings in Wrexham with at least one in each
of the 11 Flying Start areas. There are two Welsh medium settings north and south of
county and also the two family centres support children with higher needs.
The most recent settings which opened after Easter are in Penycae, Llay and
Bodhyfryd.
When oversubscription to any childcare setting occurs a panel consisting of: Advisory
Teacher- Deb Jones, Development Officer - Rebecca Heyward-Jones, Administration
Assistant-Jane Roberts to minute the meeting, and the child’s Flying Start Health
Visitor will meet to apply criteria so that the children in most need are offered a place
first.
Another teacher, Ailsa Hitchcock, has been appointed to help support the childcare
settings and Melita Colling from the Early Education team will act as a liaison
between the Flying Start and Early Education settings.
The 5 module learning programme for delivery in the childcare settings, with input
from each Local Authority, but led by Wrexham, has now been received from WAG.
Training for childcare staff will commence in the Autumn term. Childcare staff have
already received training in Developing the Environment and Developing Speech and
Language and setting supervisors have now attended and passed the SOGS
assessment training.
Roy Marshal, Flying Start mini bus driver started in May and is sometimes available
to transport children to Welsh medium and family centre childcare when the family
are unable to provide their own transport to settings. During other periods he provides
transport to hospital and doctors appointments and takes groups on trips. He also
maintains various settings and undertakes handy man duties to assist the project.
Basic Skills
LAP programmes are beginning to role out in Flying Start areas. The Venture Early
Years Centre is providing a rolling programme of Lap and Nap, and parents waiting
for a childcare place are also accessing LAP.
The LAP team have established a mother and toddler drop-in session at Kingsley
Circle community centre every Wednesday morning which is very well attended. The
health team and the childcare supervisors have been trained to deliver LAP and will
be delivering in the near future at community drop in sessions and in the home when
required.
‘Let’s Play’ packs have been developed in Wrexham, to be used by professionals
working with families. The aim is to help improve the basic skills of the children by
encouraging the parents to interact with them. The pack consists of 4 appropriate toys
to suit the age groups 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years and 2-3 years. Booklets for
parents, with ideas to support the play and a guidance for professionals is also
included. The pack will be given to the family after a play session. Subsequent visits
will be made to consolidate the messages being given and to develop good quality
play. The pack will be evaluated on a regular basis to identify how useful it has been
for parents and how it might be delivered in the future.
For further information contact the
Flying Start Development Officer, Rebecca Heywood Jones on 01978 317678
or
for information about the Health & Social Care Multi-Agency Team contact
Team Leader Fran Dale on 01978 265395/823716