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LEADS
Professional Leads
Psychologists
Speech-Language Pathologists
Supervision has been provided to the psychology
team via individual and group formats. As all current
Psychologists within BUSHkids are provisionally
registered, weekly supervision is required by APHRA to
ensure they receive a high level of training and support.
Each team member also receives external supervision
to contribute to a varied knowledge and skill-base. Staff
have also provided recordings of their sessions and
received constructive feedback on their sessions with
families.
A number of PD activities have been completed during
the last year, including training in:
• Triple P
• Bullying
• Motivational Interviewing
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Individually and as a team, we have addressed issues
around best practice for intervention, resource
development, productivity and training needs.
Several team members are new to the profession
and are building basic competency skills for clinical
practice. Other more experienced team members
are participating in clinical research and project
development, extending their expertise into specific
evidence-based practice such as emergent literacy
approaches, narrative and play, telehealth and parent-
child relationships for learning.
SUPERVISIONAND
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
During 2015-16, we said farewell to Psychologists from
the Dalby and Warwick Centres. Liaison with the
University of Southern Queensland contributed to the
successful recruitment of two Provisional Psychologists
for our Dalby and Bundaberg Centres, while in Warwick
our temporary Provisional Psychologist was appointed
permanently.
Although the remaining Mount Isa psychology position
continues to be vacant, a number of active recruitment
strategies are in place to achieve a full psychology
team.
Warwick, Dalby and Bundaberg Centres have
experienced some changes to their staffing during the
year. Recruitment has been successful.
STAFFINGAND
RECRUITMENT
The 2016 Conference was an outstanding Professional
Development opportunity, particularly for the discipline-
specific day. The psychology team had identified a key
learning need of understanding and supporting children
with ASD. Autism Queensland provided a half-day
workshop focusing on younger children, while Dr
Michelle Garnett from Minds and Hearts provided a
half-day workshop on supporting older children.
Both presentations provided staff with a range of
strategies and techniques to fill our ‘toolkits’ to better
support families. Our two newly appointed Provisional
Psychologists were able to attend which has ensured
that the team has a consistent evidence-based
understanding of working with families with ASD.
Both presentations were recorded and are available for
all BUSHkids staff.
Conference was a great opportunity for the Speech-
Language Pathology team to showcase novel service
delivery approaches, celebrate successes and to
welcome several new members to the team.
Topics included Telehealth, Read and Grow, Outreach,
Playgroups, Narrative and Play.
CONFERENCE
This year I was able to visit Warwick, Emerald and
Bundaberg. Key outcomes include:
• 1:1 supervision and whole-of-team meeting
• review of services for last 12 months
• goals and planning ahead for service
• in-service presentation
• observation of clinical practice
• meetings with key stakeholders
The Speech-Language Pathology Lead visited Warwick
and Dalby Centres during the year for supervision and
to co-present Read and Grow.
REGIONALVISITS
The psychology team is looking forward to providing
more groups in future with a focus on ADHD, Cool Kids
Anxiety Disorder Group, A Steady Start to School and
a seminar relating to Fatherhood. Triple P continues to
be part of our core business and parents will be able to
access 1:1 programs or seminars.
In 2017, our preliminary work in these evidence-based
practice fields will be extended to program development,
resource sharing and training.
THEYEARAHEAD