Happy, Healthy, Ready – working with early childhood non-government organisations for developmental surveillance for vulnerable children

Abstract

Objective: This study sought to improve: (1) knowledge of child development among non-health child and family workers; and (2) identification and referral of children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds at developmental risk, by partnering child health services with nongovernment early childhood education and family support services in two suburbs with high numbers of families from CALD backgrounds. Background: Children from CALD backgrounds have increased risk of developmental problems going undetected prior to school entry, thereby missing early intervention. Study design and methods: This was a quality improvement project. The model comprised: (1) co-locating a child and family health nurse CAFHN in a non-health setting or visits by early AUTHORS KAREN EDWARDS BA, Grad Dip Cont Ed, MBA1 RITIN FERNANDEZ PhD2 TANIA RIMES BSocSc(Psych), MA(Psych), GradDipPsychPrac(Org. Psych)3 LISA STEPHENSON BSocWork4 REBECCA SMITH BN, BSc, Grad Dip. Midwifery, Grad Cert. C&FH Nursing5 JANE SON MBBS, DipPaed, FRACP, MIPH6 VANESSA SARKOZY MHM, MPH, FRACP, MRCPCH, MBChB, MPH, MHM7 DEBORAH PERKINS MBBS, BSc, DipPaed, MPH7 VALSAMMA EAPEN MBBS, PhD, FRCPsych, FRANZCP7,8 SUE WOOLFENDEN MBBS, FRACP, MPH, PhD7,9 1 Counterpoint Consulting Pty Ltd, Glen Innes, NSW, Australia 2 School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia 3 South Eastern Sydney LHD, Sydney, NSW, Australia 4 South Eastern Sydney LHD, Caringbah, NSW, Australia 5 Child and Family Health Nursing, South Eastern Sydney LHD, Ramsgate, NSW, Australia 6 Kogarah Developmental Assessment Service, South Eastern Sydney LHD, Kogarah, NSW, Australia 7 Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia 8 School of Women and Children’s Health, University of New South Wales; South West Sydney (AUCS); Early Life Determinants of Health, Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE); Cooperative Research Centre for Autism (CRC); BestSTART-SW (Systems Transformation and Research Translation – South West Sydney) Academic Unit; ICAMHS, L1 MHC, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW, Australia 9 Integrated Care and Department of Community Child Health, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network; School of Public Health, the Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia CORRESPONDING AUTHOR KAREN EDWARDS Counterpoint Consulting Pty Ltd, PO Box 675, Glen Innes NSW 2370 Australia. Phone: +61 0401 863 805. Email: karen@counterpointconsulting.com.au Happy, Healthy, Ready – working with early childhood non-government organisations for developmental surveillance for vulnerable children