Welcome to the AWCH 2005-06 Annual Report. The report will provide the highlights of the AWCH year.

This has been an exciting year for AWCH as we mark the end of the review and restructure of the Association and the beginning of a newly incorporated organisation on 29 March 2006.

So let’s make sure you know who we are, where we are and what we do….

Our new centralised accommodation in Gladesville

Our current accommodation

David Bennet, as National President, continues to inspire the organisation in its strategic direction. And what a wonderful job he does too! He has found a home for the AWCH Library, accommodation for the National Office and is plotting and planning with the national board about how AWCH can advance its mission! Plenty of work for the board in 06-07.

Sue Packer is a passionate advocate for children and young people and of child friendly communities (see Napcan website for how to be a child friendly community). A committed AWCH board member, Sue raises the flag for the psychosocial needs of children and young people, popping up from her base in the A.C.T. to AWCH meetings in Sydney so that that voice can be heard.

Ron Berney, AWCH Honorary Solicitor, has been overseeing all the legalities associated with starting a new association and winding down an old one. It is worth mentioning Ron’s remarkable involvement with AWCH. Ron has been actively involved in AWCH and its work since its beginnings in the 1970s. He has been attending monthly financial management meetings for many many years and has provided continuous support to the Association over this time. Thank you so much Ron!

Read David’s report Read David’s report

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Marion Steele is another AWCH member with a long track record – nearly 30 years! You may remember Marion as the AWCH Librarian for many years. Marion is still in the background giving valuable advice, support and pointing AWCH in the right direction for suitable articles and literature to add to the evidence base for good psychosocial care in the health system. Such an important contribution to the work of AWCH.

And to the other members of the Administrative Sub Committee (in 2006-07 the Finance and Fundraising Committee) who attend monthly meetings year in year out giving their time to scrupulously scrutinize financial reports and accounts and so effectively oversee the finances of Association…

Ngia Purton has been a play therapist at the Royal Hobart Hospital for many years, an AWCH member and now board member and has been instrumental in introducing the AWCH Hospital Ward Grandparent Scheme to the hospital this year– our first in Tasmania! Thank you Ngia for all your hard work and commitment to AWCH and for always advocating in the best interests of children and young people. What a champion!

A big thank you from national office for your invaluable support and guidance during 05-06.

And finally, a special thank you to two very special people, David Bennett who provides continued inspiration for me in my role as Executive Officer, and to Rowena Sebastian for fantastic support, practical assistance and unfailing generosity of spirit. Go Team!

Executive Officer

…To the new national board. What a great band of troopers who give up their spare time to meet up to guide AWCH along its path.

David, Sue H, Kellie, David, Sue H, Kellie, Harry, Victor, Jenny, Harry, Victor, Jenny,

Emma, Charlotte, Ngia, Emma, Charlotte, Ngia,

Sue P, Rebecca and Jo.Sue P, Rebecca and Jo.Once again thank you for all your hard work

Development of Play Space at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead

As one of the contributors to the development of the George Gregan Foundation playground at the Children's Hospital at Westmead, AWCH was invited to attend the opening on 7 October 2006.

Recognising that play is an important therapy in the recovering process for patients, the playground is fully wheelchair accessible and several pieces of equipment have been custom-designed for wheelchair patients. The playground includes play elements for blind children, toddlers, and seating for nursing mums.

Thomas Sebastian @ the new play space

The project was based on Australian and international research and was developed in consultation with The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and other organisations such as AWCH to design an accessible and equitable play environment for children with and without disabilities. Backyard Blitz filmed the opening of the playground as part of their program which screened on Sunday 8 October at 6.30pm on Channel 9. Click

2006 Ward Grandparents Scheme

What a phenomenal achievement again for the AWCH Hospital Ward Grandparent Scheme! These statistics, available from only 3 of the hospitals in the Scheme at this stage, show the fantastic amount of hours of love and care the ward grandparent volunteers contribute. It must be mentioned that without the support of the staff in each of the hospitals who support and coordinate the Scheme it would not be possible to provide this service to children and their families. Many thanks to all those who make this service possible!

active ward grandparent volunteers

children

hours

working years

“More than ever the ward grannies have made a valuable contribution to patient care and the families' well being”

– AWCH Hospital Ward Grandparent Scheme Coordinators

AWCH 2005 National Survey Report on the Psychosocial Care of

Children and their Families in Hospital

Launched by Robyn Kruk on 15 August 2005, the Report is based on a survey of 197 hospitals Australia-wide. AWCH National President, Associate Professor David Bennett has noted that is vitally important to closely monitor the psychosocial care of children and young people in hospital, particularly as this area is often vulnerable to cost-saving measures. Professor Bennett has highlighted as one area of concern, the dramatic decrease in the number of special units exclusively for child patients (a drop of 30 per cent over the past 13 years) in hospitals nationwide. Children are still being accommodated with adults on the same ward, a situation that is not only developmentally inappropriate, but also carries unacceptable risks for all concerned.

"These…psychosocial supports for children and their families should be available far more widely than at present.”

– Professor Kim Oates in congratulating AWCH on the report

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Re-structuring of AWCH and Establishment of a New Board

On 29 March 2006, AWCH reorganised itself into a national incorporated body to better pursue its advocacy for improved care for children and young people in all health settings. This new structure enables AWCH to continue to focus upon the psychosocial needs of children in health care and is an opportunity to build on and strengthen its national organisation. At its first annual AGM in September 2006, members appointed a new board of directors and AWCH Executive who will support and advocate for the improved health and wellbeing of infants, children, young people and their families.

AWCH website development

During 05-06, national office has tried to make the AWCH website a useful tool and resource for those who have an interest in the psychosocial needs of children, young people and their families. Rowena Sebastian is the AWCH web master and has taught herself to use Dreamweaver software and Rowena has also involved expert young people (as you do!) in her family to give technical support when she has had difficulties. Particular thanks goes to Kevin Sebastian (Design by Sabby).

Read about Re-location of AWCH Library to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead Read about Re-location of AWCH Library to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead

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Read about Lessons Learned from Advocating for Children Read about Lessons Learned from Advocating for Children

Papers, Presentations & Displays

Read about The AWCH Vision for Child HealthRead about The AWCH Vision for Child Health

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Displays

Workshops / talks

Papers presented

Events

Harry Whelan, AWCH Youth Representative at Youth Forum

Read about Changing Hospital Environments: Are Children Falling Through the Gap? A Rural Perspective

Read about Changing Hospital Environments: Are Children Falling Through the Gap? A Rural Perspective

Read about Changing Hospital Environments: Are Children Falling Through the Gap? Read about Changing Hospital Environments: Are Children Falling Through the Gap?

Parent Councils

AWCH sits on Hospital Parent Councils which are often chaired by parents and operate with the support of a hospital staff based secretariat. The Parent Councils are a formal way of involving parents in the planning and evaluation of hospital services for children and young people. Here is a small snippet of the kinds of things they have achieved in recent times:

Trial of parents being able to record comments in child’s notes

Working towards establishing an adolescent advisory group.

Development of a resource bag to assist parents whose children are newly diagnosed and often feel isolated and unsupported

Commenting on parent information sheets, guidelines for treatment and care and the clinical re-design process

Involvement in the development of a parent handbook and booklet on preparing a child for hospital

Raised the need for more sofa beds/recliners so that more parents will be able to sleep by the child’s bed

Addressed a culturally sensitive problem by putting up curtain partitioning in the parents’ retreat.

A height adjustable baby change table made available in disabled toilet

Provision of Halal meals to families requiring these

Graduation Ceremony held for adolescents who are transitioning to the adult services

AWCH Submissions, Comments and Feedback

AWCH made a written submission to the Taskforce on Paediatric Cardiac Services in Queensland which has endorsed the main recommendation of the Mellis Review that a new single children’s hospital, called the Queensland Children’s Hospital, should be built.

View ReportView Report

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The Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Type 1 Diabetes in Children, which have now been endorsed by the National Health Medical Research Council, can be viewed on the NHMRC website. AWCH has been referenced in Chapter 3 along with the recommendation that children should not share wards with adults

AWCH Members were asked to give feedback on a number of aspects of child and adolescent health care. Thank you so much to all those who commented and gave such fantastic feedback – it really does make a big difference!

As a direct result of the feedback given by AWCH Members, the immunisation information contained in the “Blue Book” (Personal Health Record) in NSW was retained.

And finally… really… we would like to pay tribute to all those wonderful people who have been involved with AWCH over the years and those who have contributed and continue to contribute so much to the successes of the organisation. AWCH is a wonderful organisation which has done so much and continues to raise awareness of the psychosocial needs of children and young people in health care.

Members have very valuable contributions to make. We have a goal. We would like to double AWCH membership during 2006-07. If each member introduces another person or organisation to membership our goal would be realised and AWCH can be doubly effective during 2006-07.

We have made paying for membership even easier with electronic funds transfer facilities

We have made paying for membership even easier with electronic funds transfer facilities

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