A YOUNG mum from Leigh has thanked a family nurse for helping to turn her life around.

Jasmine McHugh was a pregnant 16-year-old living with her mum and stepdad and suffering from anxiety when she signed up for the Family Nurse Partnership programme in December 2014 and started having home visits from Nicola Marsden every two weeks.

Two years on she is a happy Wigan Council apprentice who lives in her own home with daughter Gracie.

Jasmine, 18, said: “I first met my family nurse Nicola when I was 12 weeks pregnant.

"As the pregnancy progressed I began to suffer with anxiety and struggled to cope with this.

"Nicola helped me overcome this with cognitive behaviour therapy sessions. I found this very beneficial and I can't thank Nicola enough.

“Nicola visited me every two weeks. She listened and didn’t judge me.

"She didn’t just give me useful parenting advice both before and after my daughter was born but she also supported me when Gracie wasn’t sleeping well and helped me to get a referral to a dermatologist when her eczema didn’t improve.

“She helped me and Gracie get our own home, contacting the housing department at the council and helping me fill in the forms.

“When I decided I wanted to work, Nicola even helped me put together a CV and we practised job interview skills together.

"She recommended training courses I could attend, gave me a character reference and encouraged me through different job interviews until I eventually got accepted onto my current apprenticeship with Wigan Council, a job I really enjoy.

"I am extremely grateful to Nicola for all her help and I would recommend the Family Nurse Partnership to any young mum in the borough.”

Nicola said: “I could see that Jasmine lacked confidence, but I could also see her potential as a good mum and as a person.

"I tried to support her to improve the outcomes for both her and Gracie.

"I am so proud of the progress she has made and the person she has become.

“The Family Nurse Partnership is a great initiative available to young mums.

"We know that becoming a parent for the first time can be a daunting prospect so we aim to offer both practical and emotional support to anyone coming into our service.

"We want to help mums have a healthy pregnancy, provide non-judgemental advice and support on child health and development and matters such as finance, jobs and housing."

The programme for first time mothers under the age of 20 is provided by Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the council.

It offers weekly to fortnightly structured home visiting from early pregnancy until the child is two.

The programme aims to improve the health of mothers and babies both during and after pregnancy and offers advice and information on everything from child health and development to employment and finance.

To find out more about the programme visit bridgewater.nhs.uk/ashtonleighwigan/familynursepartnership.

Any individuals or businesses wanting information about the council's apprenticeship programme should call its skills and learning team on 01942 489177 or e-mail apprenticeships@wigan.gov.uk.