Community children's nursing in Northern Ireland: an evaluative review.

All parents taking on the responsibility of providing care for their child with complex needs in the community setting need to feel competent, confident and supported. Despite policy recommendations that reinforce the value of community children's nursing in meeting child and family needs, numbers in Northern Ireland remain small. The development of community children's nursing in Northern Ireland is examined using an evaluative module published by the Royal College of Nursing paediatric oncology nursing forum (RCN 2000). Although these services fit with regional strategies, are evaluated well by parents and reduce hospital stays, they are still fragmented and underfunded. Children's nurses need to become more politically astute, pressing the government to take action, and taking every opportunity to report their views to the Children's Commissioner.