5th March 2026
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has been recognised as a leading example in Europe for its high-quality Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) programme.
Recently, the Trust welcomed a delegation of nurses and government officials from Latvia to observe and understand how it supports first-time mums aged 19 and under, from early pregnancy until their child’s second birthday.
The FNP is an evidence-based, home visiting programme where nurses provide practical guidance on baby care, child development, education, training, and work opportunities, helping young and expectant parents build confidence and achieve their goals.
The Latvian delegation visited the Trust alongside three other Health and Social Care Trusts to gain insight to how the Public Health Agency (PHA)-led FNP model is delivered across Northern Ireland. The Southern Trust was highlighted as a leading example of best practice, with the programme fully embedded and consistently delivering high-quality support since 2012. During that time, over 500 young mums in the area have benefited from FNP.
Sonya Quinn, Family Nurse Partnership Lead from Southern Trust, said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome our Latvian colleagues. They were able to see first-hand how our nurses support young parents every day, from practical guidance to helping them plan for the future.”
Catherine Magennis, Lead for Breastfeeding and FNP at the PHA, added:
“The Family Nurse Partnership makes a real and lasting difference for young parents and their children. Sharing our experience helps strengthen support for families both here in Northern Ireland and internationally.”
Colm McCafferty, Director of Children and Young People and Women’s Services for the Southern Trust, said:
“FNP reflects our Trust’s vision of starting well in life and our commitment to a whole-life approach to supporting families.
“We were delighted to be able to showcase how our amazing team help young people become the very best parents they can be for their babies.
“The programme has clear benefits, including stronger parent-child relationships, improved child development outcomes, and increased participation in education, training, and employment.”
