Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home Visiting Programme (MECSH)

Family Nursing & Home Care (FNHC) Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home Visiting (MECSH) Programme is available to parents or families in Jersey who need extra help to ensure their child has the best possible start, regardless of circumstance and to support them as they transition to parenthood. This evidence-based programme was developed in Australia and is widely used across a number of different countries due to its proven outcomes for children and their families. Participation in MECSH is voluntary for families in Jersey and is focused on improving child health and development outcomes for parents or families experiencing challenging circumstances.

All FNHC’s Health Visitors are trained to deliver the MECSH programme and we have a specialist Health Visitor who is dedicated to the MECSH programme. They ensure Jersey’s MECSH programme is delivered in compliance with the MECSH Licence. In addition, the MECSH programme is inspected by the Jersey Care Commission as part of FNHC’s Child & Family services.

Benefits of MECSH

MECSH is a structured programme of sustained nurse home visiting for families. The MECSH programme enables mothers to focus on their babies’ learning and development in order to maximise their children’s potential.

At FNHC, we understand that there is a lot to think about when you are having a baby and raising children. A health visitor with specific MECSH programme training and qualifications in child development and family health will come to your home and provide support to identify and plan for the needs of your baby and your family. They will share information about child development and how to provide appropriate stimulation for your baby to help with their communication development.

The Health Visitor will introduce you to other groups and peer support services in Jersey such as breastfeeding groups and play groups. In Jersey, FNHC hosts a small weekly group for MECSH mothers and babies, facilitated by a MECSH Health Visitor and Community Nursery Nurse.

Home Visits

The MECSH programme consists of a number of structured home visits:

• Up to three visits before pregnancy
• Weekly visits from the Health Visitor until your child is six weeks old
• Fortnightly visits from the Health Visitor until your child is three months old

After this time, visits are dependent on need. From bringing your baby home from hospital, you will receive around 16 visits from the Health Visitor up to the point where your baby celebrates their first birthday. The Health Visitor will keep in touch by visiting every two months until your baby celebrates their second birthday.

What happens during a home visit:

During each visit, the Health Visitor will discuss your health and wellbeing and once the baby is born, you will discuss the health and wellbeing of both you and your baby.

The Health Visitor will work in partnership with you and provide you with the best advice for your family in relation to how your baby is developing and to help you as a parent. The Health Visitor may also refer you to other health care or service providers where appropriate. Each visit will usually take an hour.

When you need us, we will be there.

Opening Times

The Health Visiting service operates between 08:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday

Important Information

If your child is unwell, you must call your GP for advice, or dial 999 in an emergency or go to the Emergency Department at the Hospital with your child.