The Division of Community Family and Child Health (CFCH) integrates services and partnerships to support and address the health needs of our children and their families beyond the realm of healthcare.
In line with the NUHS Family & Child Preventive Health Strategy, we are committed to a family-focused and life-course approach to address cross-cutting issues through multi-agency collaboration.
As a division of the National University Centre for Women and Children (NUWoC), we provide thought leadership for community, family and child health across NUHS, constantly striving for better outcomes for children and their families.
To empower families to lead healthier lives, NUWoC's Division of CFCH partnered the National University Polyclinics (NUP) to establish F.O.R.G.E. (Families Optimised to Raise Generations Empowered).
With a family-child triad model, F.O.R.G.E. aims to provide preventive care through health education and screening around health themes pertinent to the child and parents at the life stage they are in. These health themes include sleep, screen time, allergy prevention for the child and mental wellbeing, metabolic health and cancer screening for mothers.
These services are provided by NUP at timepoints coinciding with the child's vaccination and developmental checks.
SleEP aims to enhance sleep in infants by teaching parents about the baby's sleep patterns and what to expect in baby's sleep at different ages. Sleep-related screenings are offered during the routine checks at NUP so that sleep problems can be detected early. When screenings show sleep concerns, the SleEP team will follow up with timely support and interventions.
BTS aims to provide continuous support for mothers in their breastfeeding journey from the hospital to the polyclinics and community post-delivery. Lactation support nurses at NUP are equipped to provide guidance on common breastfeeding issues.
Read: Breastfeeding mothers get lactation support
Sited at Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic, Family NEXUS provides a concierge service to support families in navigating social and health services. Through this service, families can be referred to the relevant agencies or hospitals according to their needs.
Click here for more information about Family NEXUS.
Created in collaboration with the NUH Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and the Department of Paediatrics, the Community Antenatal Hybrid Classes aim to equip all expecting parents with the knowledge and practical skills and build their confidence for their parenthood journey. From pregnancy, childbirth, to parenthood and newborn care, parents can expect a comprehensive syllabus tailored specifically for families in Singapore that is delivered through both online sessions and hands-on practice in person.
The classes are open to both NUH and non-NUH patients. Click here for more information and to register.
The Division of CFCH also collaborates with different departments and agencies to provide the following services:
KidSTART@NUH supports eligible pregnant mothers and their families from pregnancy until the child turns 6, to help give their children a good start in life.
A dedicated team of doctors, nurses, case managers, medical social workers and dietitians provides specialised support for pregnant mothers from pregnancy to 3 months postnatal through home visits.
Thereafter, a multi-disciplinary paediatric team provides support for the child's learning and growth. By offering comprehensive assessments and early interventions, KidSTART@NUH aims to improve the developmental outcomes and quality of life of the child.
Expecting mothers who are receiving their obstetric care in NUH may sign up here for an eligiblility assessment.
Helmed by the NUH Child Development Unit (CDU), HEADS-UPP is a partnership with Care Corner Singapore and pre-schools. Comprising medical professionals, social workers and pre-school teachers, the programme aims to provide health and developmental support for children from low-income families.
Read: Health screening to get more convenient for needy kids (straitstimes.com)
Helmed by the Department of Psychological Medicine, ProPEL II and WEHS aims to provide care and intervention for women experiencing emotional distress and mental health issues during pregnancy and beyond.
Pregnant women are screened for perinatal depression and anxiety using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Score, and referred to WEHS if emotional support is required. Women from lower-income groups may also be enrolled into PRoPEL II where a dedicated case manager follows up with the patient to offer mental health support.
Led by KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) and NUH, PaedsENGAGE partners general practitioners (GPs) to provide right-siting of care for mild and moderate paediatric conditions. Parents are encouraged to consult a PaedsENGAGE GP first if their child has non-urgent condition to enable our Children’s Emergency team to focus on patients with critical and life-threatening conditions.
Click here for more information about PaedsENGAGE.
