BUSHkids Annual Report 2022-23

Cherbourg BUSHkids has been working in partnership with community stakeholders in Cherbourg, an Aboriginal town two hours’ drive inland from the Sunshine Coast, for a number of years. We have co-designed our supports and in September 2023 BUSHkids signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gundoo Early Childhood Centre . This relationship is a vital part of our support for children and families in Cherbourg, and the MOU has enabled BUSHkids and Gundoo to create a new position for an Allied Health Assistant who can work three days per week with BUSHkids and two days with Gundoo. This position further solidifies our relationship with Gundoo and the community as a whole. Our staff who attend Cherbourg each week have built wonderful connections with local teams including Queensland Health and Cherbourg Regional Aboriginal & Islander Community Controlled Health Service s (CRAAICH)S. Each month the teams meet to plan supports collaboratively to improve the outcomes for children. Our Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist and Early Intervention Facilitator work alongside Gundoo Director Aunty Jacqui Tapau and her team of early educators. A range of supports is provided, including: • Individual therapy supports • Targeted group programs for children • Jimmy* had a very tough start to life and his Nan was looking for help to understand what he needed to best participate at home, at school and in the community. When he was six-and-a-half, she noticed the BUSHkids car in the car park at Gundoo and dropped into the centre and was able to speak to Anna, our Speech Pathologist. Anna and our Occupational Therapist, Brooke started to work with Jimmy and his Nan to help with his communication and sensory needs. They were able to support his Nan to understand what was happening in his body and gave some strategies to help support managing emotions using some big body movements. His Nan appreciated how safe Jimmy felt with the team, which was evident in his excitement to work with them each time, and also for the help she had received to understand him so that she could continue to build his confidence to make friends. She liked that BUSHkids had given her a “lot of tools in my toolbox to help him live his life to the fullest”. Our team worked with other health professionals in the town WATCH bit.ly/3SOR9U6 Capacity building and development for parents, carers and educators • Access to NDIS plans

and ultimately helped Jimmy to access supports through an NDIS plan. With all this support, Jimmy has gone from attending school just two days a week to now attending full time. His Nan said that “After the first session I saw such a change in him and his confidence. You understood him. Everyone at BUSHkids is here for the little people”.

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Annual Report 2022–23