Newsletter May 2008
In this edition
- Reports form WellChild/Tamariki Ora week
- Resources
- Current theme
- Framework review update
- Themes for the rest of the year
- 2009 plans
- Email discussion group
Attachments
(Click on each of the headings to view)
Reports form WellChild/Tamariki Ora week
WellChild /Tamariki Ora Week and Childrens’ Day is over for the year and it sounds as though not only a lot of fun was had around the country but some good healthy messages were given out and hopefully remembered and acted upon. I have some fascinating and detailed reports from local coalitions for which I am grateful, and I will be sharing the content of them in my report to the Ministry of Health later in the year. In the meantime some highlights and photos I wanted to share with you all – Taking pres-schoolers and their parents on camp from Dunedin _ “Camp Sutton” – photographed here – what a fun new experience with healthy eating and exercise.
Many of you seem to have now engaged well with the local libraries, and healthy fruit kebabs seem to have been the most popular new fruity experience for many of our toddlers.
Hope you are all gearing up for next years Childrens’ Day and Well Child/Tamariki ora Week theme of “Listening and Talking”.
Resources
We continue to try to source appropriate materials for you all from reputable sources for WellChild/Tamariki Ora promotions rather than re-inventing the wheel all the time, so if you come across a resource that you find really helpful please let us know and we can share it with others. We have a limited supply of “Healthy Smiles” leaflets produced by the New Zealand Dental Association - first come first served – just email Colleen or myself at the National Office.
A new stock of WellChild /Tamariki Ora balloons (always popular) have arrived, street flags and stickers.
Current theme
As you all know this Quarter’s theme has been ‘Immunisation’ to link with the introduction of the new National Immunisation Schedule in June. The Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) has developed a presentation for health professionals describing the changes to the 2008 National Immunisation Schedule. I would recommend you look at this if you are not familiar with the changes. To view the power point presentation and hear the podcast go to the education and training web page http://www.immune.org.nz/?t=629. I have attached the 2008 New Zealand National Immunisation schedule to this newsletter so you can print that off for your reference if you need to. A supplement to the 2006 Immunisation handbook is available for downloading at www.moh.govt.nz. Finally the national information brochures and pamphlets on the schedule have been updated and a new flyer has been developed for the pneumococcal disease and vaccine. These can be ordered through moh@wickliffe.co.nz.
Framework review update
The news is this has now been through cabinet and signed off. You can view the options paper on the Ministry of Health web-site under the WellChild /Tamariki Ora section. The general flavour is a re-focusing of the core visits
some alterations to timing of visits, placing the emphasis very much on the early years. There is also the introduction of the PEDS questionnaire
various stages and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at the B4 school check. There will be some training implications around attachment, Post Natal Depression screening and family violence prevention which is still to be finalised. Monitoring and evaluation is being looked at to include
come measures. There is an information system being developed for the B4 school checks which may in time able to be extended to include the earlier checks - this be fantastic – so continue to watch this space. The WellChild /Tamariki Ora book will have a short update this year and a fuller revision is planned for next year.
Themes for the rest of the year
Just a reminder:
July – September theme is “Hearing” - Glue ear, neonatal, school screening and prevention of problems eg smoke free, treating ear infections etc.
October – December theme is “Healthy eating on a budget” – extremely topical I am sure you would all agree.
2009 plans
Hot off the press the quarterly themes for 2009 are:
January, February, March (including National Childrens’ Day and WellChild/Tamariki Ora Week) - “Listening and Talking”
April, May, June – “Vision”
July, August, September - “Immunisation”
October, November, December – “Healthy Eating”
Email discussion group
It has occurred to me it might be useful to aid communication between all the different widely dispersed groups who have an interest in WellChild /Tamariki Ora if we set up an email communication group. This would be in addition to this newsletter and not to replace any individual conversations or communication, but to help share ideas and information in an informal way. Please let me know if you would be interested in forming/joining such an interest group. My email address is: m.dalton@auckland.ac.nz
Marguerite Dalton , WellChild /Tamariki Ora Week Coordinator
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