BUSHkids 2016-17 Annual Report

STAFF

This year, rather than write a round-up of what the different regional centres have achieved over the last 12 months, we thought we would introduce you to some of our staff and let them tell you in their own words about a few of the things they have been doing over the last year, the kids and families they have helped, and what motivates them. Meet some of our staff

Working out of our Warwick service centre, Occupational Therapist Shelley Green has been kept busy providing support to communities across the Southern Downs. “There’s a lot of need in and around Warwick,” says Shelley. “It’s so important that BUSHkids can provide a free service:without our support many of the families we see often would have no other options for help.

Julie Rathmell is one of our more experienced Family Health Support Workers in Dalby who has worked for BUSHkids for over 15 years. Julie grew up on a farm in Jandowae on the Western Downs and knows first-hand the challenges and rewards of living in rural Queensland.

“The first school I went to was a very small one-teacher school named Jandowae East with about 20 students,” says Julie. “In year seven I travelled by bus to attend Jandowae State School and later went as a boarder to St Ursula’s College in Toowoomba, so I understand the dif- ficulties kids face getting an education in rural and remote communities”. For many years Julie worked as a teacher’s aide helping young kids and those with special needs at Jandowae State School, the school she had attended as a girl. “I have always had a passion to work with children, to make a difference and to educate. That’s why I really love working for BUSHkids, particularly the work I do delivering programs in kindies in and around Dalby. These give young kids the social skills they need to build friendships and get along with others which are essential if they are going to do well in school. A mum told me that her daughter enjoyed so much the Fun FRIENDS group I ran that she just cried and cried when it ended.” “I also really enjoy working with parents, because by providing them with the skills they need it supports the whole home environment, so their kids feel safe, calm and secure. That’s one of the great things about BUSHkids: a holistic approach for the wellbeing of the whole family.”

“We have been kept incredibly busy over the last year. I’ve been running the ALERT program which helps kids’ behavioural problems through understand- ing self-regulation and sensory issues. It gets kids to think about their body as a car engine which they have to carefully maintain and keep running at an optimum level. Earlier this year I was providing the program across five differ- ent kindy classes at the same time, totalling about 100 kids. It was exhaust- ing, and with a limited amount of time at each kindy and very little parent follow-up I wasn’t sure if it was being effective. One day at a kindy group the teacher was talking about how the kids were practising the techniques I’d shown them and using the ALERT program’s engine running language in the playground nearly everyday. It’s things like that which make working for BUSHkids so rewarding. “I’ve also been providing the Fingergym TM program to the C&K community kindy in Allora on the New England Highway about half an hour’s drive north of Warwick. This program is a fun way to help kids develop basic motor skills ― such as how to hold a pencil correctly and cut with scissors ― which are essential before they start school. It was fantastic to arrive at the kindy and hear the kids shout out excitedly ‘Shelley’s here’! I received a wonder- ful email from the kindy when I finished the program last term, which said how much the kids had benefited from the program and how much the kindy teachers appreciated our help. “One of the things they said which really touched me was that they felt fortunate to be in a region where there was such an amazing service as BUSHkids with such fantastic dedicated staff.”

Philippa Brown is a Speech-Language Pathologist working in Mount Isa who has a family connection to BUSHkids. “My grandpa was heavily involved in the Bush Children’s Scheme,” said Philippa. “He was on the committee and was a volunteer for many years. He understood the value of healthcare in remote locations, having raised six children on a cattle station near Quilpie. His passion for providing quality healthcare regardless of geographical location was passed down to his children and on to their children, which is me!

“It’s very special to be able to provide our services free of charge to families who would otherwise be unable to afford support for their kids. I have been working with a five-year-old boy who was 95% echolalic (which means he constantly repeats words and phrases said by other people and has little spontaneous speech of his own). As a result, he was having behavioural problems and difficulties at school. The OT and I worked together to help him and, with therapy and help from his parents, his echolalia has reduced – to less than 10% – and he is able to form sentences using his ‘core word board.’ He’s able to request help, better able to take part in classroom activities at school and his behaviour has also improved. “What’s most rewarding about helping him is working with his parents. They so want to help their son and are incredibly grateful for the services we provide. They never miss a session and do everything they can to support the therapy we provide by using the strategies we show them at the centre when they get home. This has been key to their son’s improvement and being able to play a part in helping a child reach their communication potential is something very special!”

During a visit to the Mount Isa Centre, Pip Brown’s dad was delighted to find a picture of his father on page 343 of our history book BUSHIES! Philippa’s granddad was a member of the Royal Queensland Bush Children’s Health Scheme Council from 1981 until he retired in June 2002.

28