NCMP practice example, Wirral: followup of families with very overweight children
Published 3 November 2014
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Proactive follow-up of families with very overweight children identified through the National Child Measurement Programme
Contact: Gareth Hill, Public Health Manager, Wirral Borough Council Location: Wirral, Cheshire and Merseyside
1. Aim
To increase parents understanding of child weight status and referrals to lifestyle and weight management services for families with children identified as very overweight through the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) in Wirral.
2. Organisations involved
Wirral Borough Council commissions the Wirral University Teaching Hospital School Nursing Support Team (the school nursing support team) to deliver the NCMP and follow up families of children identified as very overweight.
3. Activity
Every year, the school nursing support team measures the height and weight of Reception and Year 6 children at state-maintained schools in the area as part of the NCMP. Following this, they send result letters to parents of all children who have taken part (see the ‘NCMP practice example, Wirral: sample result letter’ attached with this publication).
The school nursing support team also assembles weekly lists of children identified as very overweight, and a team worker telephones the parents of these children before their letters are sent. The team worker is trained in motivational interviewing, and uses the nationally produced NCMP conversation guide to help with the calls.
The calls are made in a twilight session between 4pm and 7pm. A work from home arrangement is in place, and the team worker uses a registered work mobile phone to ensure the calls can be made in a private setting away from disruptions.
During the calls, the team worker discusses the child’s weight status and why a healthy weight is important. They also offer support and guidance so that parents can consider how they might make changes, including details on accessing locally available child weight management services.
Schools provide parents’ telephone numbers as they understand the benefits of speaking with parents about children’s NCMP results in this way.
4. Evaluation
Liverpool John Moore’s University has evaluated this approach. The evaluation looked at:
- how the telephone calls were carried out
- how they affected the school nursing support team
- how they were received by parents
- the school nursing support team’s perceived impact on the uptake of local weight management services
5. Outcomes
The evaluation showed that over the 2012 to 2013 school year, the school nursing support team successfully contacted 74% (n=346) of parents whose children were identified as very overweight (Reception = 71% success rate, Year 6 = 75% success rate).
From a sample of 80 contacts, 74% of parents engaged willingly in a discussion with the school nursing team and considered the information they were given. Overall, the calls generated more than 100 requests for referrals to lifestyle weight management services.
The evaluation recommended that the school nursing support team.
- continue with the calls
- consider calling parents of children identified as overweight
The school nursing support team reported that their NCMP complaints have fallen from an initial high of 80 before the calls were introduced, to only 2 during the 2012 to 2013 school year, and none during 2013 to 2014 school year.
Nesta standards of evidence rating Level 2 (Promising).