Sustained Home Visiting Team

Sustained Home Visiting is a program that employs specialist child and family health nurses to work intensively with high needs families with children 0-2 years in the first 2 years of a child's life. Through the provision of this service the project aims to improve developmental outcomes for children and reduce the rates of child abuse.

Jill*

Jill was referred to the Sustained Home Visiting Team (SHVT) in February 2004 from the maternity unit at Nepean Hospital. She was 14 weeks pregnant suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum and residing as an inpatient at the time of referral. Jill had 2 young children at home who were being cared for by her husband, but the family were identified to have limited family support. Jill had had several admissions to hospital with this antenatal condition and it became difficult for her husband and children to visit since they had limited means of transport, so she spent time away from her family feeling lonely and missing them very much.

Jill decided that she needed to return home earlier than the doctors advised and, following an initial introduction to the SHVT within the hospital setting, the team began to offer weekly visits to support her within her home environment. Whilst the severe nausea continued the team were able to offer Jill support with transport to antenatal appointments, strategies to reduce the nausea and support with regard to managing the other children’s behaviour which had deteriorated following her admissions to hospital. Jill is now 24 weeks pregnant. The pregnancy is progressing well and the nausea has subsided. She is now attending antenatal appointments regularly and is well informed of the many community support services with the local area.

Anna*

Anna was referred to the SHVT by the Generalist Community Nursing Service in February 2004. She is 29 years of age with 5 children under the age of 8 Years. Anna has a history of postnatal depression and had recently moved to the Mt Druitt area at the time of the referral. She has a partner who has casual employment but no other support locally. The team offered sensitive support, encouragement and appropriate information with regard to the importance of assessment and management of her postnatal depression by means of weekly visits within the home environment where Anna stated that she felt most secure at that time.

Anna is now benefiting from antidepressant medication and has stated that she feels that she is able to cope more with the demands of a busy lifestyle. Although Anna states that she is compliant with her medication regime she has also stated that she forgets to take her medication at times so the nursing team and Anna are currently developing strategies to assist the management of this. The nursing team has also discussed the possibility of further support for the family from the volunteer program and the family has been successfully matched to a volunteer and this service is to commence soon. The family, the volunteer and the SHVT will endeavour to work together to further support and assist this family. They plan to consult with each other on a monthly basis in an attempt to effectively address the needs of the family as they arise.

* A fictional name used for the purpose of this case study only.

For further information

Contact	:	Community Solutions, Communities Division, Department of Community Services
Email	:	communitysolutions@communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au

WWW

:

http://www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au