Bonding and Communication, Parent infant
Partnership) multidisciplinary service has been
developed through a strategic partnership between
South Eastern HSC Trust and Barnardo's NI.
ABC PiP delivers structured and therapeutic
interventions during pregnancy and for parents/
carers and children aged 0 - 24 months, the aim
of which is to strengthen relationships in the early
years and to promote good infant mental health.
The service operates throughout the South Eastern
HSC Trust area and offers a range of therapeutic support, including parent infant psychotherapy, both
individually and in groups, using both the Solihull and 'Five to Thrive' approaches.
In the last year the Community Paediatric Workforce has been under significant pressure and has
worked hard to begin to redesign their service delivery to meet the needs of the child population.
The Neurodevelopmental Team is now well established to provide assessment and intervention prior
to diagnostic assessment, with the aim of meeting the needs of children, adolescents and families at
the point of referral. This means that children and families are receiving intervention earlier than they
would have in the past.
Regional Integrated Support in Education (RISE NI) Team has continued to improve their service and
a redesign allows families access to individual intervention at a much younger age.
Child Health Services
45 In 2018 the decision to strengthen the professional nursing structure in child health was taken.
The Exective Management Team agreed that two new nursing posts could be developed and
these were appointed in June 2018.
Karen Elwood is the Head
of Public Health Nursing.
Karen is a Registered Paediatric Nurse and has
worked as a Health Visitor since 1997.
She has held the post of Lead Nurse for
Public Health Nursing in the Northern HSC
Trust since 2008.
Julie Kilpatrick is the Head of Community
Paediatrics and Complex Health.
Julie has worked in South Eastern HSC Trust
for 23 years and was the first Children's
Community Nurse. Having built the CCN Service
and worked across complex health, Julie brings
a wealth of nursing experience to her new role.