Healthy Families, Health Literacy Project London South Bank University LLU+ London South Bank University

Promotion of health literacy [HL] through a family learning approach A partnership between Lambeth Community Health, Morley College and Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, London South Bank University Funded by Guys and St Thomas’ Trust

Aims of Project To pilot and evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative and integrated LLN/health literacy intervention using a distinctive family learning approach and model of support to improve HL & help parents persist in any changed behaviour To explore ways in which the findings of the project could influence work practices and ways NHS organisations and partners could embed and sustain this model of HL development.  Explain dthat istinctive model will be explained a little later

So what do we do? Always use parents’ existing knowledge and experiences as the starting point – strengths-based model Offer learners the opportunity to explore concepts and make up their own minds Ensure every view point is valued and explored non-judgementally Provide a wide range of attractive and accessible resources for adults The group leaders facilitate the sessions and are also very much part of the group as learners themselves Differentiated activities Part of the group as learners ourselves Framework is structured but delivery is semi-formal Show food labels

Research Question Does a model of family learning provide the kind of holistic support for individuals and their families to improve their ability to access, understand and obtain appropriate healthcare? What we’re looking at is whether this family learning approach enables parents to develop their skills so that they are better able to access health information and engage with health professionals and health services so that they get the services they require.

Healthy Families Project Hook – interest in children’s health 4 cohorts in different settings 12 sessions [60hrs] + 2 follow–up sessions after 1 & 2 months Input from health professionals Peer support and parent mentors to facilitate behaviour change Links with external groups successful FL model run over the last twenty years. It is particularly successful at engaging people who lack confidence or believe that they are unable to learn. Communal lunch prepared by course participants Topics – healthy eating; understanding food labels; common childhood illnesses and diseases, immunisation etc Health professionals we have invited have included: emotional wellbeing team; London Ambulance; Oral Health team and laughter workshop Ramblers Association – get walking; Horniman Museum; children’s services in the area and free opportunities for families in Lambeth such as ball pond at the recreation centre

Reflective comments Something I learnt today: that my diet is crap – hidden nasties in food Something I can do now: read food labels correctly against GDA Something I can do now: read what I buy Something I’d like to know more about: children’s RDA Something I’m not sure about: alternative names for food ingredients

Awareness Training for Health Professionals 1 day Skills for Life and HL awareness training for community health workers/trainers and allied health professionals (12 – 15) on the impact of LLN difficulties and effective approaches for working with parents, especially those with low levels of LLN 1 day briefing/training for mentoring parents. Another strand

Criteria for success Improvement in general LLN Improvement in HL skills acc to Nutbeam Levels of HL: Functional: sufficient basic skills to function in everyday life Interactive: more advanced skills in interpreting information Critical: application of skills and analysis of information to be able to make informed choices for themselves and their families Changed behaviour – healthier life style After going through these talk about completed pilot in the light of above. Add Marianna comment that the nurse who she regularly meets for treatment of her long-term condition said that she had noticed a difference in Marianna’s approach and attitude to her condition.

Evaluative comments The course was brilliant I got my confidence back and I changed my attitude towards eating etc It has changed the way I think about food Most importantly I am so much more aware now what I give my kids to eat and put in my mouth; the course helped me with weekly shopping for the family as at the back of my mind there is this question all the time ,is it healthy and how healthy?

Contact details LLU+, London South Bank University Foufou Savitzky: f.savitzky@lsbu.ac.uk Shan Rees: s.rees@lsbu.ac.uk www.lsbu.ac.uk/lluplus/