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Weighing and measuring primary school children: evaluation of the TRENDS model for implementation of Department of Health guidelines
Author(s) -
Levine R. S.,
Connor A. M.,
Feltbower R. G.,
Robinson M.,
Rudolf M. C. J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
child: care, health and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.832
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1365-2214
pISSN - 0305-1862
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00925.x
Subject(s) - anticipation (artificial intelligence) , primary care , accommodation , sample (material) , good practice , medicine , tracking (education) , medical education , nursing , psychology , family medicine , pedagogy , engineering , computer science , chemistry , chromatography , neuroscience , artificial intelligence , engineering ethics
Background The UK Department of Health for England and Wales has issued guidance to all local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), who have responsibility for school nursing services, for the annual weighing and measuring of all children on entry to primary school and in Year 6 (age 5 and 11 years respectively), known as the National Child Measurement Programme. The guidance places the responsibility for implementation and funding of this scheme onto the PCTs. Method This paper describes the conduct and evaluation of the 2006 monitoring exercise in a 10% sample of Leeds primary schools. Results The evaluation showed that the exercise can be carried out with little disruption in schools and minimal distress for children. Conclusions Recommendations include: adequate staff training in measuring children, along with anticipation of the issues and problems they may encounter and best practice for dealing with them. A good working relationship must be established between the team and school before the measuring day. Schools need to ensure the availability of suitable accommodation and a screen to maintain privacy. Lightweight but robust and accurate scales conforming to the European Union standard should be used and routinely checked for accuracy. Where possible, children should not be lined up, but seen individually. This is considered essential for the older Year 6 children.