Department Of Health
About the Family Nurse Partnership
The Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) is an intensive, targeted home-visiting programme for first-time young mothers and families. The programme aims to improve childrens life chances.
FNP is of benefit to both parents and their children and works primarily through the mother. However, family nurses also engage with the mothers partner, whether they are the childs biological father or otherwise. This helps support improved programme delivery and outcomes for the child, as shown in the Fatherhood Institutes 2022 report Bringing Baby Home: UK fathers in the first year after birth.
Family nurses support mothers enrolled in FNP to:
- have a healthy pregnancy
- improve their childs health, development and school readiness
- reach their own goals and aspirations
Family nurses work within local systems encouraging young parents to engage with other appropriate services. Family nurses are well placed to identify when extra safeguarding support is needed. They also work with childrens social care to ensure children are kept safe, while continuing to provide the FNP programme through home visits.
FNPis a licensed programme developed by the University of Colorado Denver, USA. The programme has been established in 8 countries and delivered in England since 2007.
How the FNP programme works
Family Nurse Partnership teamsrecruit first-time mothers aged up to 24 in line with local area eligibility criteria.The programme is structured and personalised to reflect the strengths and needs of each individual.
Each motheris partnered with a specially trained family nurse. The family nurse visits the mother regularly from early pregnancy until their child is aged between one and 2. Family nurses provide a safe, reflective space for mothers to process information and guidance on key areas relating to their pregnancy and parenthood.
Family nurses work relationally, supporting the young parent in makingpositive changes for themselves and their baby.By focusing on theirstrengths, FNP enables young parents to learn how to:
- develop a good relationship with their child andunderstand their childs needs
- makechoices that will give their child the best possible start in life
- believe in themselves
- mirror the positive relationship they have with their family nurse with others
Wider determinants of health play a complex role in influencing future health and wellbeing outcomes. FNP has been shown to improve vulnerable childrens development, school readiness and early educational attainment. These improvements can in turn help influence better long-term health, wellbeing and economic outcomes.
You can learn more about the evidence behind the programme in the Impact of the FNP programme section below.
Innovation and development of the programme
The FNP programme in England has seen continued innovation, with adaptations tested and incorporated into the programme as improvements to the service delivery model.
The ADAPT (Accelerated Design and Programme Testing) project used rapid cycling testing to adapt, test and learn about the FNP programme in England.
More recently, some FNP teams have developed enhanced pathways for vulnerable parents who are not eligible for FNP. Some FNP teams have also developed young father-specific services, with one scheme in Swindon being commended at the Local Government Chronicle Awards 2024. In both cases, the FNP model supports good governance and enhanced clinical quality.
Delivery of the programme
FNP is delivered under licence from the University of Colorado Denver. The FNP licence is held in England by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Licence requirements, including family nurse training and programme data collection and analysis, are delivered by the 0-19 Clinical Programmes Unit, Department of Health of Social Care (DHSC).
Impact of the FNP programme
Over 40 years of international evidence shows that the FNP programme can improve health, social and educational outcomes in the short, medium and long term.
What FNP graduates and their family nurses think of the FNP programme
FNP graduates in Plymouth and their family nurses describe the benefits of the programme in this video:
Inspiring stories from teenage mums helped by the Family Nurse Partnership programme
Vicki, a graduate from Plymouth FNP said:
I just dont think Id be here now if it wasnt for the service. I come from quite a hard background - one of poverty. My family nurse got me out of being homeless and into a flat. She encouraged me to go back to college. Now I have a bachelors and a masters degree in literature and Im currently doing a PhD.
Young parents and family nurses from Tameside also reflect on the FNP programme in this video:
Family Nurse Partnership programme
The evidence base for FNP
The Early Intervention Foundation Guidebook summarises the evidence base for FNP.
The FNP programme can help young, vulnerable, first-time parents to provide sensitive and responsive care for their children. This in turn enhances the quality of their childs daily life and contributes to improved child development and school readiness. Achievement in school can have a positive life-long impact on health and wellbeing, and economic stability. This is a key factor in tackling health disparities and improving life chances.
How the programme helps local systems
Commissioning the FNP programme supports local systems to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities by providing a personalised response for those children and families facing the highest levels of vulnerability.
Where the FNP programme is delivered in England
The Family Nurse Partnershipprogramme is delivered locally by FNP teams across England. Each local team is made up of FNP supervisors, family nurses and quality support officers.
Find your local FNP service
The FNP programme is delivered across England at the following locations: