Most families want to be proactive in terms of enhancing health and well-being; therefore, for children’s nurses, health promotion is ‘about working with individuals – children, young people and their families’ (Moyse 2009: 64).

The family has a fundamental role in the lives of children, not just in relation to children’s growth, nurturing and development, but the family’s everyday activities can influence children’s health and well-being. This includes diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking as well as family relationships and the impact they can have on a child’s emotional health.

There can be no doubt that family structure in the twenty-first century is more diverse and complex than ever, with many children no longer living within a ‘traditional’ family unit. Nevertheless, children continue to be strongly influenced by the people who they have close relationships with.

Traditionally, health promotion has focused upon specific poor health behaviours – particularly areas that have the potential to be resource intensive in the long term, such as obesity and lack of physical activity. In other words, there has been a tendency to wait for a problem to develop, rather than working towards the general enhancement of health and well-being. This has been illustrated by the range of Public Service Agreements (PSAs) that have been formulated over the years (e.g. HM Treasury 2002; HM Government 2007).

Promoting family health not only provides the opportunity for a more holistic approach, but offers the opportunity to enhance the health and well-being of all family members.