The COVID pandemic revealed that more school nurses are needed to carry out vital child protection work, researchers say.
A study by Oxford Brookes University found that over 60% of those surveyed reported that their contact with children and their families reduced during the pandemic.
Carried out with the University of Birmingham with the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, the poll also found that 86% experienced obstacles to identifying safeguarding or child protection needs.
The research, which drew on responses from seventy-eight school nurses, representing approximately 4-5% of the school nurses in the UK, also revealed that over 79% felt their ability to work with known vulnerable children and families was negatively impacted.
Dr Sarah Bekaert RN, senior lecturer in Child Health at Oxford Brookes University, said: ‘This research has highlighted the vital role school nurses play in the identification and prevention of issues that are likely to negatively impact young people as they navigate their teenage years, and then transition into adulthood.
‘Our findings call for advocacy by policymakers and professional organisations to enable school nurses to lead in the evolving public health landscape. It calls for sufficient numbers of school nurses to respond to the emerging and ongoing health needs of children and young people.’
The increase in child protection referrals during the pandemic meant that school nurses saw a shift in working practices towards a predominantly reactive approach. Over 74% of the nurses surveyed reported an increase in their workload.
