BUSHkids Annual Report 2018-2019

ECEI EarlyStart Maroochydore

Service area: Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Gympie Local Government Areas EarlyStart offices: Maroochydore, Gympie Our team began training in August 2018, launched on the Sunshine Coast in January 2019 and has been networking with the local community and other agencies about our services, helping families begin their NDIS journey. We have more than doubled in staff to match the growing demand for services by Sunshine Coast and Gympie families. Focus for the Maroochydore and Gympie teams was to work with families and children to gain access, build plans to suit the child’s individual needs and introduce initial supports to children who may not necessarily require an NDIS plan. Initial supports target children who would benefit from a small block of therapy but who may not require a formal plan. The ECEI teams include Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, a Paediatric Physiotherapist and a Social Worker, who deliver group and individual sessions that focus on supporting children’s development and building parental capacity. We have been able to cultivate significant partnerships within the community to create smoother referral pathways, connecting monthly with Queensland Health’s Children’s Development Service and the Paediatric Allied Health team at Sunshine Coast University Hospital . BUSHkids is also working closely with Carers Queensland to offer a ‘warm hand-over’ with their clients who are turning seven and transitioning out of ECEI support. We also prioritise families experiencing vulnerability by connecting regularly with all the Child Safety offices, Women’s Domestic Violence Shelters and community centres that support families who are currently homeless. We have established connections with the local Primary Health Network, participate in inter- agency meetings and set up drop-in information sessions at The Hub , a community space in Gympie. BUSHkids provided fun and interactive activities for young children at NAIDOC events in Gympie and Cotton Tree and also attended the North Coast Aboriginal Corporation for Community Health ’s ‘wellness day’, enabling staff to talk with families wanting to know more about our ECEI services. The NCACCH also invited us to present at their Cooroy ‘meet-and-greet’ session. We are also working with the REFOCUS team, hoping to share information at their Kai Kai Playgroup. Gympie-based EarlyStart staff have also attended interagency meetings with Cooloola Aboriginal Services Inc (CASI).

CASE STUDY: MAROOCHYDORE Helping little Zoe reach her potential Zoe* is a three-year-old girl with developmental delay and her mum Natalie* has a cognitive impairment. From birth Zoe has failed to thrive, missing key developmental milestones with delays in her language, communication and motor development. Zoe had been involved with the Allied Health team at the local hospital but had not accessed regular therapy for a while. Zoe was referred to our NDIS EarlyStart team in Maroochydore. At the beginning of the planning process Natalie said she was very confused by the NDIS and was worried that she couldn’t understand the process. With Natalie’s permission, BUSHkids’ Sally Overs contacted a social worker at the Caloundra community centre who had previously provided Natalie with support. Sally arranged for the social worker to attend Zoe’s planning meeting which helped Natalie feel more comfortable and helped ease her fears. When Sally first visited their home Zoe was not able to engage, make eye contact and did not seem to have much verbal communication. Since having an approved NDIS plan, Zoe has come along in leaps and bounds and Natalie has also increased her capacity to support her daughter. Sally recently visited Zoe and Natalie at home to help explain some reports which Natalie was having difficulty understanding and found that Zoe was now a different girl — friendly, playful and talking in full sentences. Natalie had been able to engage with speech and occupational therapists and a physiotherapist and is now attending regular therapy with Zoe. She also reported that the early educators at Zoe’s daycare centre had told her that Zoe is joining in with activities and is starting to play with the other children; in fact, she is doing so well that she is now ready to move up to the next room! Natalie told Sally how relieved she is to now have funds available for Zoe to attend therapy, and that she is happy, feels supported and comfortable knowing that she has the support of BUSHkids when she needs us.

53

A N N UA L R E P O R T

2 0 1 8 – 2 0 1 9