[Greens-Media] Role of child health nurses and health checks is critically important: WA Greens

[Richards, Kirsten]

The importance of child health checks in improving lifelong health, education and wellbeing cannot be overstated, says WA Greens Spokesperson for Children Alison Xamon.  The comments came during a debate in Parliament calling on the Government to address the critical shortage of child health nurses.

"Early childhood health is a critically important area that needs improved focus and funding." Ms Xamon said.

"The Auditor General's key recommendations into this area are to increase the number of children receiving these health checks, improve the number of and support for child health and school nurses, and to develop a more effective and accessible information system.

"Unfortunately the report identifies significant gaps in health services for young children.

"This is affecting our ability to have early detection and treatment of health and developmental issues.

"If children have developmental delays or other health concerns that are not detected and are left untreated until they are school aged, they are not getting the best start in life.

"A series of seven health checks has been recommended for children between birth and starting school, which I fully support.

"These are primarily the responsibility of child health nurses, who provide support, advice and intervention at the earliest possible stage.

"A good child health nurse is worth their weight in gold. They do not only help children, their role is vital to mothers and families more broadly.

"They provide advice on everything from breastfeeding, post natal depression, sleeping patterns, behaviour and good parenting, to specific physical health matters such as illness, physical development, growth and nutrition.

"Child health nurses also help parents negotiate through the new and unfamiliar landscape of parenting - pointing them in the right direction for support and services, from local playgroups to immunisation clinics.

"WA needs more child health nurses, and a system that makes more effective use of their skills.

"The Government needs to improve the model of service delivery so that children that are currently not accessing these services are able to do so - this applies to Aboriginal children in particular.

"Apart from anything else, it is simply just not cost effective to neglect the early years.

"Without these changes, the health and development of our children will continue to suffer.

"And so I call on the government to act now to address this critical shortage."