BUSHkids 2017-18 Annual Report

CAHS

Warwick Like other centres, staffing has been a challenge for the Warwick Allied Health team, and it was necessary to call on resources from Brisbane office to help with the provision of OT services. In return we were able to provide the support of our Family Health Support Worker (FHSW) and Social Work Team Leader to help our Mount Isa colleagues. We have continued to provide outreach across the Southern Downs and Granite Belt, with Speech Pathology outreach sessions provided in Stanthorpe and Wallangarra. BUSHkids has also operated a weekly community playgroup for families with preschool-aged children, and this also incorporates the Read and Grow program.

Warwick OT services a succes with ‘single-session consultations’

Our Toowong-based Senior Occupational Therapist visited Warwick during the year as, with the absence of the local BUSHkids OT on extended leave, a waitlist for services was growing and prompt action was called for. By offering single-session consultations, we were able to provide targeted, effective support over two days for 14 waitlisted families with each having a 45-minute consultation. Prior to their appointment each family was asked to identify two OT areas of key concern – such as handwriting, toileting, attention and concentration, sensory processing and sleep disturbances – and were provided specific ‘take-home’ tips and recommendations. Following the consultation, caregivers were asked to complete a questionnaire. Feedback was highly positive, with an average rating of almost nine out of 10. A week afterwards, all families were contacted by the Senior OT in a follow-up phone call. Again, the feedback was positive and families felt their concerns were heard and they had practical and realistic strategies to implement. All families were happy to come off the waitlist and no longer required immediate OT support. This was a fantastic outcome for everyone involved, demonstrating the effectiveness of single-session consultations.

Staff from the Warwick Centre have also been very active in community engagement activities including taking part in the major ‘Jumpers and Jazz’ festival in July and supporting the region’s NAIDOC Week celebrations. Our FHSW has also been instrumental in organising and chairing the regular Southern Downs Regional Children’s Services community network meetings, bringing together representatives from a number of sectors and agencies who work with children and families, to liaise, network and share information.

19

Parent education sessions conducted

As always, we have received fantastic support from the Warwick and Southern Downs community. Rotary Sunrise has helped with fundraising and joined us to help produce many packs for kindy families. Our community events, such as our Golf Day and annual Bush Dance, have received massive support from the local community and have helped support the Centre’s operations.

20

This little bloke has been working so hard in Fingergym tm at kindy this term and the results are paying off for him. He attends in a group of five boys and the pirate-themed week was a big hit for all of them. They loved walking the plank, pirate threading and drawing, and playing a fun turn-taking game of ‘pop-up pirate’!

Members of Rotary International visited the Centre and were put to

work on a production line for a few hours and were able to make multiple fine motor

packs for kindy families. Each pack contains an information handout about how to improve fine motor skills and a DIY colour

sorting tennis ball monster activity.