About the Conference
The Caring for Country Kids Conference was jointly organised by Children’s Healthcare Australasia (CHA) and the National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA). It was a national conference on quality healthcare for children and young people living in rural, regional and remote communities across Australia.
It was a unique Conference that showcased innovations, models, programs and activities that enhance the health and wellbeing of infants, children and young people in rural and remote Australia.
The Conference highlighted five themes for strengthening Australia's approach to health and wellbeing for rural and remote children; and agreed with Megan Mitchell, National Children's Commissioner, that Australia needs a national plan for child health and a strategic approach.
Many of the papers delivered at the Conference highlighted the health and economic benefits of focusing on the early years of a child's life. If the period from conception to a child's second birthday is healthy, the trajectory is set for good health for a lifetime.
Caring for Country Kids had a strong focus on the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and delegates agreed that everything must be done, by whatever means possible, to reduce the impact of institutional and interpersonal racism.
Caring for Country Kids has set a new benchmark for all of those organisations concerned to improve and protect the health and wellbeing of the children who live in Australia's rural and remote communities.
All keynote presentations are available to view at http://www.countrykids.org.au/program/keynote-speakers (click on ‘presentation’ after each speaker).
Recommendations from the Conference will be published on this website shortly.
Please stay in touch through this website!
