Page 34 - Demo

BUS STOP ROLLS ON
for growing country kids
By mobilising children’s health education and disability services to to regional areas of of direct need a a a a a a a a a a bid to to tackle high rates of of developmental issues in in in country New South Wales is is bringing together communities With a a a a a a a a a a a team of more than 90 paediatric specialists Royal Far West provides health education and disability services from the Centre for Country Kids at Manly virtually via Telecare and in in in community outreach programs including the Healthy Kids Bus Stop program program Throughout Bus Stop Week at Narrandera 64 of the 73 children aged from three to to five years required referrals in in one or or more areas after being assessed by a a a a a a a a a a a child and family health nurse speech pathologist occupational therapist audiometrist dietitian and oral health practitioner Of the the referrals to to to local clinicians to to to teletherapy through Royal Royal Far Far West West or or to to to Royal Royal Far Far West’s Paediatric Developmental Program in Manly for more complex cases 40 children children were referred to a a a a a a GP for for middle ear pathology 30 children children children for for “Children in rural and regional Australia are up to to five times more likely to to experience developmental developmental challenges and have less access to developmental developmental health services and early intervention is critical ”
- Royal Far West CEO Lindsay Cane AM
Almost 90 per cent of children who stopped by the the Bus on a a a a a visit to to Narrandera in late 2019 were referred for further services “Children in rural and regional Australia are up to to five times more likely to to experience developmental developmental challenges and have less access to developmental developmental health services ”
said Royal Far West CEO Lindsay Cane AM
“Early childhood lays the foundation for for positive lifelong outcomes and and and success for for children’s physical and and and and mental health education and and and and employment outcomes and and and early intervention is critical ”
The Narrandera Healthy Kids Bus Stop visit – supported by regular partner Ronald McDonald
House Charities Manildra Foundation and run
in partnership with Murrumbidgee Local Health District at the the host Narrandera Public School – has further expanded into a a a a a a a a a a community-wide collaboration involving preschools and and community community service organisations in in in the wider Gunnedah district speech therapy therapy and 25 children children for occupational therapy therapy The Manildra Foundation contribution further enabled two workshops for preschool staff in Leeton and and and Narrandera to to build strategic skills and and and knowledge for everyday teaching of children with developmental challenges While the early childhood checks are a a a service to identify young children who would benefit from extra support so that they they are ready to learn when they they start school parents also find value in in the the Royal Far West Healthy Kids Bus Stop “If it wasn’t for the the bus then I I I wouldn’t have known what to do ”
said one parent “I “I didn’t realise how much my son’s lack of expressive language was affecting his behaviour and now I have the strategies to support him ”
Another parent appreciated access to all the the different services at at once “I’ve been worried about a a a a a a a a few things with my daughter and I I I I was was able to get answers for all all the the questions I I I had ”
said the the parent “It was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a really nice environment to have a a a a a a a a a a a chat about my child’s development and not feel rushed out out the door ”
With some children identified for allied health support unable to to to to access face-to-face services due to to to to to COVID-19 Royal Far West was able able to to to to to redirect Manildra Group’s funding to to to a a a a a a a a telehealth model to to help children thrive in in their own homes 34 THE CULTIVATOR // SPRING 2020
MANILDRA COM AU // @MANILDRA