Community Children’s Nursing (CCN)
The Trust has three Community Children’s Nursing teams based in five localities who provide a service to children who are acutely or chronically ill, have complex health needs and or require palliative and end of life care.
The teams:
- Provide direct nursing care to children at home thus minimising hospitalisation where appropriate.
- Provide child specific advice within educational or residential facilities.
- Teach parents, teachers and other carers to provide care and treatment to specific children through a comprehensive competency framework.
- Monitor a child’s progress and liaise with medical and other allied health professionals as necessary.
The registered nursing staff are supported by a team of support carers who may care for a named child/children either in the home or school environment. The support carers are trained by the nursing staff within the Community Children’s Nursing team and the Paediatric Clinical Educator.
The Community Children’s Nursing teams work closely with the Education and Library Board to ascertain the health needs of children in special and mainstream schools. Where applicable, the team provides training and information to teachers and classroom assistants for children with specific health needs.