Toddlers living around Bourke in north-west New South Wales will be able to access a free health and development check-up next week when the Healthy Kids Bus Stop rolls into town.
Western Magazine reported the Healthy Kids Bus Stop will be at Bourke Public School for two days and will be providing the free check-ups for all the three-year-old children. The program takes around two-and-a-half-hours to complete.
Royal Far West CEO Lindsay Cane said they were delighted to offer these vital health checks to local children and are extremely grateful for the support of our partners.
‘This program is a wonderful example of how true collaboration and a shared vision for the health and wellbeing of country kids can create meaningful outcomes,’ Ms Cane said.
The Healthy Kids Bus Stop is an integrated ‘whole of child’ health and developmental assessment and pathway to care program. It aims to improve the health and wellbeing of children living in rural and remote communities through early detection of lifestyle risk factors, delayed development and/or illness.
The assessments are undertaken by a team of nursing and allied health staff and include a child health check, hearing screening, dental check, fine and gross motor skill development screening, language and speech development check, and a food nutrition check.
As part of the program, the children receive a bus pass, which is stamped at each ‘bus stop’ station health check they complete.
When all required stations have been completed, the children are given a Healthy Kids Bus Stop bag containing items to promote healthy habits and play.
Importantly, the program’s pathway to care ensures that children are given a referral pathway to receive the ongoing support they need, through collaborative partnerships with local service providers and Royal Far West.