The electronic version of the Family Resilience Assessment Instrument and Tool (FRAIT), known as eFRAIT, has been rolled out at Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB), the first in Wales to adopt the digital platform in practice.
Developed by researchers at The University of South Wales (USW), FRAIT is a tool that helps health visitors assess and support family resilience, a crucial factor in child health and development. It facilitates conversations around resilience and its protective factors.
FRAIT has been incorporated into the ‘Welsh Government’s Healthy Child Wales Programme’ since 2016 and was made mandatory in 2017. Today, it is used by over 1,000 health visitors across Wales, reaching more than 1.8 million family contacts to date.
The eFRAIT streamlines the assessment process, embedding it within digital systems. Traditionally, assessments were completed on paper, then scanned and uploaded into electronic systems, a disjointed and time-consuming process. It reduces paperwork and health visitors can upload directly to the child’s health record. This not only saves time but also cuts down on printing and confidential waste disposal.
In addition, a self-assessment version of FRAIT is also in pilot phase. Designed for parents to complete themselves, it helps them to reflect on their strengths and needs and can guide health visitors to offer tailored support or signpost to relevant services.
Dr Michelle Thomas, University of South Wales, commented:
“The eFRAIT builds on the FRAIT which has been developed in partnership with health visitors in Wales using group concept mapping methodology. The eFRAIT calculates the FRAIT score based on the health visitor’s assessment. Emerging evidence indicates that FRAIT scores can predict school readiness and identify families where there may be future safeguarding concerns. Completed FRAIT and eFRAIT assessments evidence health visitor decision making and identifies situations where interventions may be needed to support babies, children and their families to best meet their needs.”
