General News
3 December, 2023
By Five keeps kids close to home
A Wimmera program has won the 2023 Victorian Early Years Award for Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing.
By Five Early Years Initiative received the award for its ongoing dedication to supporting rural children to access behavioural and developmental paediatricians in a timely manner through a partnership project with the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH).
Designed locally, Paediatric Project was a result of collaboration by the region’s health, education and social care professionals, By Five executive officer Jo Martin said.
“This is an award for the Wimmera and the RCH,” Ms Martin said.
“The fact that families can stay locally with their maternal and child health nurse, GP or speech therapist who they know well and have a telehealth paediatric appointment is so reassuring.
“The professionals themselves have also reported immense professional benefit in being able to support families and build confidence in managing future challenges.”
Program manager Cara Miller said the service received referrals from across the Wimmera, stretching from St Arnaud to Kaniva, Warracknabeal to Edenhope, enabling more than 200 children to receive care close to home.
“None of this could have been achieved without the incredible goodwill, passion and dedication of the local professionals on the ground,” Ms Williams said.
“Their willingness to try something different for the betterment of children in their communities has been humbling.”