BUSHkids Annual Report | 2023-24

Annual Report • 2023–24

COMMUNITY CONNECTION AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS

Warwick is a beautiful town in Queensland’s charming Southern Downs district, where BUSHkids supports many children and families. Together with supporters such as our local Friends of BUSHkids group, we have served this community for over three decades; nearly 10 years, now, at our bespoke premises on Wood Street. Let’s start by introducing the faces of our local team:

Linda (Family Health Support Worker since 2007) With extensive experience in navigating the unique challenges faced by families in rural areas, Linda is well-known in Warwick, especially in schools, early child hood centres, and kindergartens. She helped start our Nature Playgroup, and is also involved with local disaster management. Aisling (Psychologist) Having grown up in nearby Toowoomba, Aisling joined our team in 2021. She attends for local outreach visits while also being based at our Toowong teleBUSHkids Centre.

Annelie (Occupational Therapist) Joining as a graduate in 2020, Annelie has grown into her role, providing quality interventions for families. Annelie is dedicated to fostering the next generation of allied health professionals, and recently received an OT Futures Practice Educator Award for excellence in practice education. Tanya (Allied Health Assistant) A true local, Tanya joined us in 2021 as our Administration Officer. Combining this experience with further study and qualifications, she now serves as our Allied Health Assistant and also helped Linda start our Nature Playgroup.

Hannah (Speech Pathologist) Our other thriving 2020 graduate, Hannah completed the BUSHkids Leadership Development Program and has taken on a frontline Team Leader position while continuing to provide clinical services. We await her return to BUSHkids in 2025 after a break for the arrival of her new baby — another true local. Lexi (Occupational Therapist) Joining us in 2023, Lexi provides some supports locally, as well as outreach and telepractice services for families in Emerald. Lexi excels in supporting students and has also recently received an OT Futures Practice Educator Award .

The work you have all done is amazing. You saw me when I came in … I had tried every corner, every avenue … He has friends now where before kids didn’t want to play with him because of the behaviours … Now he’s sounding out words when before he didn’t even know his letters or couldn’t try homework.

I just wanted to say thank you so much for suggesting Stories for Life and having our son be a part of it. He loved it so much. He’s actually really sad it’s come to an end.

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