{"id":7277,"date":"2025-06-28T17:48:35","date_gmt":"2025-06-28T17:48:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ijssass.com\/journal\/happy-healthy-ready-working-with-early-childhood-non-government-organisations-for-developmental-surveillance-for-vulnerable-children\/"},"modified":"2025-06-29T05:07:53","modified_gmt":"2025-06-29T05:07:53","slug":"happy-healthy-ready-working-with-early-childhood-non-government-organisations-for-developmental-surveillance-for-vulnerable-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ijssass.com\/journal\/happy-healthy-ready-working-with-early-childhood-non-government-organisations-for-developmental-surveillance-for-vulnerable-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy, Healthy, Ready \u2013 working with early childhood non-government organisations for developmental surveillance for vulnerable children"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article was originally published as: Happy, Healthy, Ready \u2013 working with early childhood non-government organisations for developmental surveillance for vulnerable children<\/strong><\/p>\n

Original Article Link: Read Original Article<\/a><\/p>\n

Download PDF: Click Here to Download PDF<\/a><\/p>\n

Abstract<\/h2>\n

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 childhood health staff to undertake developmental surveillance and (2) training non-health staff on child development and New South Wales (NSW) developmental surveillance tools. Evaluation used a mixed methods design analysing qualitative data from parents, early childhood workers, CAFHNs, and paediatricians and de-identified activity data from CAFHNs, and other early childhood health services. Results: Non-health workers increased their referrals of children at developmental risk to CAFHN or other child health providers. In Rockdale, 44% (n=62) and Botany 41% (n=98) of children screened had one or more significant developmental vulnerabilities. CAFHN reported developmental surveillance for families who were not accessing traditional clinic-based services. Discussion: This study tested a model of developmental surveillance and entry into the child and family health system in a non-health setting, thus providing a \u2018soft\u2019 entry for parents who might not otherwise engage with these services. Conclusion: The project demonstrated a new way of working for CAFHNs and facilitated identification of developmental risk in children from CALD backgrounds, who would otherwise have been missed.
\nImplications for research, policy, and practice:
\nThis relatively small-scale model of practice change has resulted in improved access for a marginalised population, but further research is needed to refine the model and test it for scalability and replicability.
\nWhat is already known about this topic?
\nOur team undertook a systematic review of outreach developmental surveillance occurring in non-health settings. Eight studies across high, middle and low income countries have been identified with a total of 150,047 children aged 18 months to five years, the majority from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Only one study has been based in Australia10 in a regional area in Victoria which showed increased detection of \u00a0children who were developmentally vulnerable. No studies have had a specific focus on CALD populations in Australia or have been based in the context of the NSW health and developmental surveillance system.
\nWhat this paper adds:
\nThis paper describes the outcomes of a quality improvement project implemented in Rockdale and Botany \u2013 two disadvantaged areas of South Eastern Sydney \u2013 to increase access to developmental surveillance and early intervention for children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds attending supported playgroups and early childhood education services.<\/p>\n

Authors<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • Karen Edwards<\/li>\n
  • Ritin Fernandez<\/li>\n
  • Tania Rimes<\/li>\n
  • Lisa Stephenson<\/li>\n
  • Rebecca Smith<\/li>\n
  • Jane Son<\/li>\n
  • Vanessa Sarkozy<\/li>\n
  • Deborah Perkins<\/li>\n
  • Valsamma Eapan<\/li>\n
  • Sue Woolfenden<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Keywords<\/h2>\n

    Developmental screening, child development, Child and Family Health Nurse (CAFHN), culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), migrant, refugee, interagency, multi-agency, detection<\/p>\n

    References<\/h2>\n

    References not available for this article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    This article was originally published as: Happy, Healthy, Ready \u2013 working with early childhood non-government organisations for developmental surveillance for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[124],"tags":[4233,4232,4234,4239,4231,4237,4235,4238,4236],"class_list":["post-7277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","tag-child-and-family-health-nurse-cafhn","tag-child-development","tag-culturally-and-linguistically-diverse-cald","tag-detection","tag-developmental-screening","tag-interagency","tag-migrant","tag-multi-agency","tag-refugee","wpcat-124-id"],"yoast_head":"\nHappy, Healthy, Ready \u2013 working with early childhood non-government organisations for developmental surveillance for vulnerable children - IJSSASS Repository<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ijssass.com\/journal\/happy-healthy-ready-working-with-early-childhood-non-government-organisations-for-developmental-surveillance-for-vulnerable-children\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Happy, Healthy, Ready \u2013 working with early childhood non-government organisations for developmental surveillance for vulnerable children - 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