Network for Community Children’s Nurses reaches new milestone
Community Children’s Nurses (CCNs) provide vital care to babies, children and young people with some of the most complex healthcare needs in the community.
During the pandemic, CCNs in the UK came together to create a new national network to share knowledge and good practice.
In February 2022, The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) offered to provide a home for the network, with dedicated support provided by Rebecca Daniels, working part time for the charity.
The network, which has now been supported by the QNI for a year, aims to connect community children’s practitioners from across the UK, to raise the profile of the specialism and awareness of the complex care they deliver, and improve care through sharing knowledge.
QNI chief executive Dr Crystal Oldman CBE said: “The CCN network is going from strength to strength, and I encourage all CCNs to join. Under Rebecca’s leadership, the QNI is developing a resource ‘Transition to the Community Children’s Nursing Service’ which will support nurses new to the CCN service, whether newly qualified or new to community services.”
Project lead Rebecca Daniels added: “The CCN network has united community children's nurses over the four countries, provided essential support and networking with each other over the past three years.
“We strive to ensure our babies, children and young people (BCYP) have the best high-quality care, and can remain at home with their peers, living the best possible life they can.
“The past year within the QNI has enabled the network to grow from strength to strength, so we can advocate for our BCYP on a national level, raising our profile and the voice of our young patients.
“Our subgroups have worked hard as part of the standard reference group developing the field specific standards for CCN specialist practice qualification (SPQ), raising the profile and value of the CCN SPQ across the UK, resulting in an increase of numbers registering for the programme.
“Our joint work with SAPHNA brings together the public health and special school nursing aspects, aiming to connect nurses within education settings for children and young people with complex health and education needs, to ensure all their needs are met across the services.
“Finally, our blended diet group, demonstrates how a change in practice can develop from strength to strength and become everyday care, with improved health outcomes for children and young people at home and in school/respite centres.”
The UK Community Children’s Nursing Network (CCNN) was set up in summer 2020 to support the CCN workforce through collaboration and best practice development.
It originated from a network of CCNs brought together by Becky Bedford, who created the Twitter account @CareCCN, to discuss how to support Children and Young People (CYP) who required Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGP) in educational settings to return to school during the Covid pandemic.
The network shared best practice, developed guidance and lobbied to change national policy to ensure CYP requiring AGP at school could be integrated back into education alongside their peers without discrimination.
Rebecca Daniels encourages nurses to join the Network.
She said: “Network members come together once every two months, share information and best practice, supporting small teams to feel part of a larger workforce across the UK.
“It is the most uplifting way to spend the last Friday of alternate months, leaving you inspired and energised going back to your teams, feeling connected with other CCNs as passionate as you.”
The network is free to join via the QNI website
Follow the network on Twitter: @CareCCN