Prior to the introduction of this framework PHN’s had no formal tool for assessment of ‘at risk’ children and families or recording of risk and protective factors. Use of the record has allowed for the objective measure of ‘at risk families’ that public health nurses have within each caseload. PHN managers now have a means of determining caseload acuity and of allocating resources according to caseload weighting.

Public health nurses in the Midlands have embraced this new initiative and consider the assessment framework and resource pack a key element of supporting ‘at risk’ families and contributing to the multidisciplinary care plan around the child and family. The CFHNA has been in use since mid 2011. A comprehensive evaluation of the project has been carried out.


Recommendations from the evaluation have led to changes to the initial two day training programme and some changes to the assessment record. Critically it led to a revision of the Child Health Record (level one) which now includes key questions that prompt the PHN to complete a level two assessment.

A full copy of the evaluation is available from:

http://www.nursingboard.ie/getAttachment.aspx?id=07974bc7-a2e5-4ab7-b4da-1a003ba64b30