One in every five Australian children arrive at school vulnerable on at least one developmental domain. In some communities, this vulnerability extends to one in two‚ every second child. We know that:
- the majority of children with additional needs are not being identified early and do not received the early intervention that they need
- many children with additional needs who do not receive the support they require are unlikely to ever ‚"catch up" to their peers.
The failure of the current service system to meet the needs of children has lasting impacts on the individual, their family, the community and Australian society. Over the long term, the social and economic disadvantage of this early vulnerability is evident in lower educational achievement, social disadvantage, diminished economic returns and increased health, welfare and criminal justice costs. However, with appropriate supports, programs and policies in place, we can counter or prevent negative early experiences and ensure children are on the best pathway for positive outcomes.
At the Centre for Community Child Health, we offer a range of expertise to support policy-makers, service providers, practitioners, and community-based collaborations who are working to improve outcomes for children and families. Our staff have a diverse range of professional backgrounds, including paediatrics, psychology, education and allied health, and are able to draw on expertise across three internal units‚ Community Health Services Research, Clinical Services, and Policy, Equity and Translation‚ to provide consultancy services grounded in the latest research.
For more detailed information on the expert consultancy and support we can offer, visit our pages on
System and Service Design,
Data, Measurement and Evaluation, and
Knowledge Synthesis and Translation. You might also like to visit our pages on
Training and Development and Paediatric Services to find out about other expert support we can provide.
If you have a general inquiry about our consultancy services, please contact: Trina Hinkley, Associate Director.