Community Advocacy

Mid Coast 4 Kids is a collective impact initiative designed to support Mid Coast communities to address long term, entrenched social issues that affect children, young people and families. Membership of Mid Coast 4 Kids is broad, covering the community, health and education sector including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services.

Our advocacy work to improve childhood education and health outcomes draws on the expertise and experience of our members, local professionals and parents.

We also base our submissions on contemporary evidence on screening and surveillance in early childhood health, with a particular focus on the link between early health screening and educational outcomes.

As part of this advocacy work, our most recent submission has been to the Inquiry into health outcomes and access to health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote NSW.

This submission highlights concerns about the long-term health and educational outcomes for children on the Mid Coast due to inadequacies in screening and surveillance in early childhood health services.

The submission further highlights gaps in service provision for children identified with needs related to hearing loss, vision impairment, speech and language delay and behavioural issues. The submission makes recommendations based on the principles of the National Framework for Universal Child and Family Health Services, with a key emphasis on enhanced collaboration, service integration and greater flexibility and capacity in funded services.

To view a copy of our submission click on the button below. You can also view our extended recommendations presented and tabled at to the Inquiry Hearing in Taree on the 16 June 2021.