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Director's message
Bringing evidence to advocacy
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses we are starting to both measure and understand the impact on our children and their families. In Victoria, the lockdown mitigation strategies have been particularly difficult with the closure of playgrounds, childcare and schools. We also know there is extraordinary resilience.
At the Centre for Community Child Health, our evidence tells us that children thrive when they have strong relationships, supportive environments, and social infrastructure that supports families. Sadly this is not the case for all Australian children. COVID-19 has magnified existing inequities, and over the last few months, it is the indirect effects of the pandemic on children that have caused our team the greatest concern and driven much of our work.
In this Centre newsletter, we share with you our significant advocacy using evidence to emphasise the indirect consequences of COVID-19, reopen playgrounds, return kids to schools, listen to children’s voices, and make sure children’s mental health is included in the Australian Royal Commission.
We also highlight the pre-pandemic and ongoing inequities for Australian children who are not doing as well as those in comparable wealthy countries - a reminder of the potential opportunities for change.
We are keen to ensure that we are part of the national and international efforts to focus attention on equity and innovation in early childhood. I’m therefore delighted to announce the Centre’s new webinar series, Thriving Children, Thriving Communities. I invite you to join us as we bring together clinicians, researchers, practitioners, community members and policymakers to tackle issues of significance. Our first webinar of the series showcases the innovations that telehealth is bringing through improvements to children’s health access and care in remote and regional areas.
Lastly, I invite you to check out some of our existing podcasts and the really useful information for parents at raisingchildren.net.au. We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming webinars or training events.
Professor Sharon Goldfeld
Director, Centre for Community Child Health
Webinar series
Pushing the boundaries: using telehealth to improve regional access and care
Join us for the first webinar of the Centre-led series 'Thriving Children, Thriving Communities'.
The webinar will explore research, clinical, community and parenting perspectives on initiatives to embed specialists in primary care and the role of telehealth in improving access and care for children in remote and regional areas
You'll also have the opportunity to engage with our panellists in a live Q&A!
Advocacy
New report supports the reopening of Victorian primary schools
Professor Sharon Goldfeld and Professor Fiona Russell led important research that helped to inform the decision to open Victorian primary schools to all students.
Playgrounds reopen, let them play
Outdoor and social play is crucial for children’s mental health and development. Read about social isolation and how play can be an effective tonic for stress, from Professor Sharon Goldfeld and Professor Pasi Sahlberg.
Children's mental health
Professor Frank Oberklaid and Dr Tim Moore contribute witness statements to the Royal Commission into Australia’s Mental Health System. Access their statements and learn about the importance of the first 1000 days, and why language matters for children’s mental health.
COVID-19: supporting children in uncertain times
Check out the RCH Grand Rounds webinar recording. Our Centre reports on how Victorian children are tracking during the pandemic and what we can do to support them.
Training & events
Linking Schools and Early Years (LSEY) workshop
This new online workshop will explore the LSEY community partnership approach and planning locally responsive strategies to support a positive transition to school for children and families.
For early years and school educators and health practitioners to explore the LSEY community partnership approach and plan.
Date: Tuesday 20 October 2020
Time: 11am - 2:30pm AEDT
Cost: $188 (incl. GST)
Family Partnership Model (FPM) reflective supervision seminar
This FREE online seminar will explore the importance of reflective supervision in supporting practitioners to embed the FPM in their work with families.
Date: Thursday 29 October 2020
Time: 11am - 12pm AEDT
Cost: Free
Partnerships & resources
Innovation in service system design
Our latest blog post explores how COVID-19 has both helped and hindered practitioners' efforts to use quality improvement to drive service system change in early childhood education and care.
Raising Learners podcast series
Hosted by Professor Julie Green and Derek McCormack from raisingchildren.net.au, with many expert guests, the Raising Learners podcast series explores children’s learning and development — at home and at school.
Words Matter webinars
The Centre contributed to a 2-part webinar series hosted by Child Family Community Australia. Learn about the role of language in children’s mental health and wellbeing by watching the webinar recordings.
Feature publications
Medical cannabis and severe behavioural problems
Cannabidiol, a type of medicinal cannabis, may reduce severe behavioural problems in children and adolescents with an intellectual disability a new study has found. Learn more.
Training calendar
13 October I Reflective Practice [Register]
15 October I Difficult Conversations: How do we have them? [Register]
19 October I Self-care for healthcare and early years professionals [Register]
20 October I PEDS (Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status) workshop [Register]
20 October I Linking Schools and Early Years workshop [Register]
21 October I Pushing the boundaries: using telehealth to improve regional access and care [Register]
29 October I Family Partnership Model reflective supervision [Register]
16 November I Introduction to the Family Partnership Model [Register]
16 November I PEDS train the trainer [Register]
For all enquiries and to discuss our customised training options, please get in touch with our Training and Development Team.
The Centre for Community Child Health is a department of The Royal Children’s Hospital and research group of Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. The Centre contributes to improving the health, development and wellbeing of children by identifying, synthesising and translating the best evidence to inform policy, service delivery, practice and parenting.
