Child and Family Allied Health

Early Childhood Nutrition

The Early Childhood Nutrition service offers help to improve the nutrition of children aged 0-5 years and their families living in south west Sydney. They do this by trying to understand what the causes of poor nutrition are and working with families to improve their nutrition. 

For example, this can include giving education to improve knowledge about food and nutrition. They may also support families to find and access healthier food choices.  

The service also offers:

  • Individual dietary counselling
  • Nutrition counselling
  • Training and advice for health professionals

The service helps:

  • Children aged 0-5 years
  • Young people with a disability who have a government home care package
  • Frail older people (over the age of 65 years or Aboriginal people over the age of 55) who have a government home care package

Referrals to the Early Childhood Nutrition can be made by anyone.

How to get in contact:

  • Bankstown / Fairfield / Liverpool via email or phone: 02 9780 2777
  • Macarthur / Wingecarribee (Campbelltown, Camden, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee areas) via email or phone: 02 4633 4100
Growing Healthy Kids - weight management

The Growing Healthy Kids service supports children and young people aged 2-17 years old who are above a health weight and may have a weight-related condition.  

The Growing Healthy Kids service works with children and their families to encourage physical activity and healthy eating. The service can also provide advice and support on how to keep a healthy weight and prevent childhood overweight and obesity.

Our team includes:

  • Dietitians
  • Clinical Psychologist
  • Exercise Psychologist
  • Paediatrician (child doctor)
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Social Work

We have clinics located at Rosemeadow, Liverpool, Fairfield, Bankstown, and Ingleburn.

Referrals to the Growing Healthy Kids service can be made by any healthcare professional. Please visit the Primary and Community Health forms page for eligibility criteria and referral forms.

How to get in contact:

Email: swslhd-ghkweightmanagementservice@health.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 02 4633 0251  

Occupational Therapy 

The Occupational Therapy service supports children who need help with everyday activities. These activities can include:

  • Fine motor skills
  • Play skills
  • Self-care skills e.g. toileting, dressing
  • Feeding e.g. fussing eating, using cutlery
  • Sensory processing
  • School readiness e.g. writing or drawing

What are 'fine motor skills?'
Fine motor skills are when children make movements with smaller muscle groups such as the wrists and hands. This includes things like holding a pencil, cutting with scissors, or brushing their teeth. Watch this video: Fine Motor Skills | Small Bites for Big Steps (youtube.com

 

Children aged 0-12 years can be referred to the Occupational Therapy service.

Children who are accessing or eligible to access the NDIS or living in the Bowral and Liverpool local government area are not able to be referred.

Referrals to the Occupational Therapy service can be made by anyone. 

How to get in contact or make a self-referral:

  • Bankstown via email or phone: 02 9780 2700
  • Fairfield via email or phone: 02 9794 1739
  • Macarthur (including Camden and Wollondilly) via email or phone: 4633 4125
Physiotherapy 

The Physiotherapy service supports babies and children aged 0-12 years who have delays or difficulty with physical development and movement, or gross motor skills.

 

What are 'gross motor skills?'
Gross motor skills are when children learn to make movements with all their muscles and joints. This includes things like walking, crawling, running, jumping, or climbing.

 

Children living in the Bankstown local government area with a mild physical or developmental delay and/or disability, can be referred to the Physiotherapy service.

Referrals to the Physiotherapy service can be made by anyone.

Children who do not meet eligibility criteria will be given information about other services who may be able to help.

Children living in the below areas should contact:

  • Rainbow Cottage if you live in Fairfield or Liverpool areas
  • Campbelltown Hospital if you live in Campbelltown or Camden areas
  • Bowral Hospital if you live in Wingecarribee

How to get in contact or make a self-referral:

Email: swslhd-bankstownchphysiotherapy@health.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 02 9780 2777 and ask to speak to Child and Family Physiotherapy 

Psychology 

Child and Family Psychology supports children aged 0-12 years.

The service can diagnose and care for:

  • Anxiety
  • Behavioural issues
  • Depression
  • Emotional issues
  • Trauma

The service focuses on children who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or in out-of-home care.

Referrals to the Child and Family Psychology service can be made by anyone.

How to get in contact or make a self-referral:

Contact your local Community Health Centre
Email: swslhd-childfamilypsychology@health.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 02 4633 0200 and ask to speak to Child and Family Psychology

Speech Pathology

The Speech Pathology service supports children who find it hard to communicate. Children up to Term 2 of kindergarten can use this service. 

The service will assess and treat:

  • How your child understands words and language (receptive language)
  • How your child puts thoughts into words and sentences (expressive language)  
  • How your child makes sounds (speech articulation)
  • How your child joins words and phrases while speaking (voice and fluency)

Depending on the child's needs, treatment can include individual, group, home, or school programs. Parent and teacher training is also offered. 

Referrals to the Speech Pathology service can be made by anyone.  

How to get in contact or make a self-referral:

For more information or referrals, contact one of the below teams:

  • Bankstown via email or phone: 02 9780 2777
  • Fairfield via email or phone: 02 9794 1739
  • Campbelltown (including Camden and Wollondilly) via email or phone: 02 4633 4133

The Liverpool and Wingecarribee local government areas are excluded for this service.

Children living in the below areas should contact:

  • Rainbow Cottage if you live in the Liverpool area
  • Bowral Hospital if you live in the Wingecarribee area
Social Work

The Social Work service aims to improve the health, wellbeing, and development for children aged 0-17 years and their families. 

Support is short to medium term and include:

  • Finding out the mental, social and behavioural aspects of family life (psychosocial assessments)
  • Supporting children and families to find and access the right care (care coordination)
  • Connecting children and their families with health providers, resources and services (case management)
  • Talking about and working through concerns and issues affecting children and their families (counselling)
  • Supporting, and speaking on behalf of, children and families to make sure they get the right care (advocacy)
  • Group work
  • Education and advice

The service can also make referrals to other health services when needed.

Referrals to the Social Work service are made through other SWSLHD services. Please speak to your healthcare professional for a referral for Social Work support.

How to get in contact:

Email: swslhd-communityhealthsocialwork@health.nsw.gov.au

Stuttering Unit 

The Stuttering Unit is a specialised Speech Pathology service for people who stutter.

The service assesses and treats people of all ages. It also provides advice and education to Speech Pathologists and completes clinical research on the treatment of stuttering.

School aged children living in the South Western Sydney Local Health District or adults living in NSW can be referred to the Stuttering Unit. Preschool aged children living in the Bankstown local government area can also be referred.

Referrals to the Stuttering Unit can be made by anyone. Please visit the Primary and Community Health forms page.

How to get in contact or make a self-referral:

Email: swslhd-bankstownchstutteringunit@health.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 02 9780 2777 and ask to speak to the Stuttering Unit

 

 


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Page last updated: 30 July, 2024