Statewide Consultation on Child Health

Final report completed for the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services on healthcare for children and young people in statutory care

Over nine weeks from July to September 2019 an expert group from the Department of General Practice Children and Young People’s Health Research Team collected input from 302 stakeholders across Victoria about key priorities for improving health care for some of the state’s most vulnerable children. We heard strong support for the idea of a new strategic approach in Victoria to health promotion and healthcare planning and delivery for children and young people in statutory care.

“…it takes a village to raise a child…It is a good notion if you think about a health village…that all of us involved in health, in any way at all, form the kind of village of corporate health parents; it’s a good notion” (workshop)

We gratefully acknowledge and thank 134 people who took part in our online survey, 145 who attended consultation workshops or individual interviews and 23 individuals and organisations who made written submissions.

The Consultation Final Report addressed 19 health-related themes around health promotion and health education, keeping children in statutory care as well as possible, minimising potentially avoidable adverse health outcomes and supporting young people moving to independence in managing their health. The report captures a wide range of objectives and measures put forward by stakeholders.

The Report is now with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services who contracted the Department of General Practice to undertake the Consultation.

For more information about the Consultation, contact
Dr Susan Webster, Honorary Research Fellow
Email: s.webster@unimelb.edu.au

Citation:
Webster SM, Davidson S, Alexander K, Duncan AM, Temple-Smith M, Sanci L (2019) Out-of-Home Care Health Strategy Consultation: Final Report for the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, 2 October 2019