Education for Parents of Children with Asthma (aged 0-4yrs)

£34,320 | Neath Port Talbot Local Health Board, Wales
July 2006 - August 2007

Aims: To improve the health of children with asthma in an area of socio-economic and health deprivation in Wales by providing a structured education programme to their parents. Parents will gain the knowledge and skills to manage asthma as well develop self-confidence to improve the quality of life for the family as a whole as well as their children.

Status: After considerable local publicity, a number of venues were used in the area to hold the sessions. Despite the initial level of interest, overall attendance levels were disappointing. However, the project has raised the profile of asthma in the area and received positive feedback from those who did attend.

Outcomes: 

• A pilot parent education course was run which included 4 sessions, to ensure the programme was suitable for the target audience
• Promotion work was undertaken by presenting the project to all GPs in the area and to practice managers in their forum meeting
• The Asthma Nurse Facilitator held informal talks about the project locally attending a number of parents and toddlers groups
• Sixteen practices agreed to install an Audit programme and to send a merged letter to parents recommending participation in the Asthma Education Programme. Unfortunately the parent uptake for the project has been poor despiteevery effort being made to accommodate parents’ wishes and needs and even with GPs having sent letters to all suitable families that were identified by the Vision Audit programme

Back to completed Challenge Fund projects