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Objective: To assess evidence of the effectiveness of school-based education programs for the prevention of child sexual abuse (CSA). The programs deliver information about CSA and strategies to help children avoid it and encourage help seeking. Methods: Systematic review including meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cluster RCTs, and quasi-RCTs. Results: Twenty-four studies with 5,802 participants were included. Child self-protective skills, odds ratio = 5.71, confidence interval = [1.98, 16.51]; factual, standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.61 [0.45, 0.78]; and applied knowledge, SMD = 0.45 [0.24, 0.65], increased in the intervention group, and knowledge gains were retained at 6 months, SMD = 0.69 [0.51, 0.87]. There were no differences in anxiety or fear, SMD = -0.08 [0.22, 0.07], and findings regarding disclosure of abuse were inconclusive. Conclusion: Children's self-protective skills and knowledge can be increased by participation in school-based sexual abuse prevention programs. However, it is unknown whether gains in skills and knowledge actually decrease the likelihood of CSA.

To synthesize and critically evaluate evidence on the effectiveness of integrated psychological care models for children with complex chronic illness within pediatric hospital settings and provide recommendations for successful implementation. Six electronic databases (Medline, Cochrane, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, CINAHL) were systematically searched for English language studies including families of children aged 0–17 years with complex chronic illness. Eligible studies reported on psychology or neuropsychology screening, assessment, intervention, or services provided within a pediatric hospital setting. Fifteen studies were identified for review; nine assessed a psychological service, five examined psychosocial screening, and one examined a neuropsychology service. Three studies demonstrated the effectiveness of integrated psychological services in improving child or parent physical, psychological, or behavioral health outcomes. Uptake of psychosocial screening was high (84–96%), but only 25–37% of children or families identified as 'at-risk' engaged with on-site psychology services. Integrated psychological services offering consultations at the same time and location as the child's medical visit reported the highest rates of uptake (77–100%). The available evidence supports co-location of child medical and psychological services. A more consistent and comprehensive approach to the assessment of patient- and caregiver-reported outcomes and implementation effectiveness is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study addresses the absence of a definition of care for children with feeding disorders, limited agreement on key performance indicators (KPIs), and the lack of data linked to those KPIs. Methods: Clinicians, consumers and researchers involved in outpatient feeding care in New South Wales (NSW), Australia were invited to participate in a two‐Phase study. In Phase 1, a modified Delphi method was used. Two rounds of voting resulted in a new consensus definition of a multidisciplinary paediatric feeding clinic. Three further rounds voting determined relevant KPIs. In Phase 2, the KPIs were piloted prospectively in 10 clinics. Results: Twenty‐six clinicians, consumers and researchers participated in Phase 1. Participation across five voting rounds declined from 92% to 60% and a valid definition and KPI set were created. In Phase 2, the definition and KPIs were piloted in 10 clinics over 6 weeks. Data for 110 patients were collected. The final KPI set of 28 measures proposed covers clinical features, patient demographics and medical issues, parent–child interaction and outcome measures. Conclusions: A new definition of a multidisciplinary paediatric feeding clinic is now available, linked to a standardised KPI set covering relevant performance measures. These proved viable in baseline data collection for 10 clinics across NSW. This sets a foundation for further data collection, systematic measurement of care provision and outcomes, and research needed to deliver care improvement for children with paediatric feeding disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To provide a birds-eye view of the trends of cerebral palsy (CP) for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young adults. Method: Data were obtained for this population-based observational study from the Australian Cerebral Palsy Register (ACPR), birth years 1995 to 2014. The Indigenous status of children was classified by maternal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or non-Indigenous status. Descriptive statistics were calculated for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Prenatal/perinatal and post-neonatal birth prevalence was calculated per 1000 live births and per 10 000 live births respectively, and Poisson regression used to assess trends. Results: Data from the ACPR were available for 514 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals with CP. Most children could walk independently (56%) and lived in urban or regional areas (72%). One in five children lived in socioeconomically disadvantaged remote/very remote areas. The birth prevalence of prenatal/perinatal CP declined after the mid-2000s from a high of 4.8 (95% confidence interval 3.2-7.0) to 1.9 per 1000 live births (95% confidence interval 1.1-3.2) (2013-2014), with marked declines observed for term births and teenage mothers. Interpretation: The birth prevalence of CP in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia declined between the mid-2000s and 2013 to 2014. This birds-eye view provides key stakeholders with new knowledge to advocate for sustainable funding for accessible, culturally safe, antenatal and CP services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Behavioural and emotional disorders are a significant cause of morbidity for young people aged 10-19 years. School-based health care (SBHC) provides an innovative approach to addressing these issues within Australia. Description: We describe an innovative and integrative SBHC model called Ngaramadhi Space (NS) based at a specialised behavioural school called Yudi Gunyi school (YGS) in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. NS was developed in partnership with the Aboriginal community to provide holistic, integrated, multidisciplinary child and family centred care to students experiencing problematic externalising behaviour. We contextualise the historical factors leading to the development of NS, highlighting the importance of effective partnerships between sectors, and providing the theoretical framework and key components underpinning the model of care. Discussion: In Australia, schools are an under-utilised resource for the delivery of health and support alongside education. Collaboration between sectors can be challenging but allows a more coordinated approach to the management of complex social and health issues. By forming effective partnerships with schools and communities, the health sector has an opportunity to improve access to health and social care in a culturally safe and acceptable way. This is in line with national and international frameworks for improving health service delivery and addressing inequity. Conclusion: The health sector can play a pivotal role in improving the wellbeing of children by forming effective partnerships with schools and communities. The NS model is a practice-based example of this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early detection of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a prerequisite for early intervention. Questionnaires may offer a cost-effective alternative to clinician-led screening in identifying toddlers and preschoolers in primary-care settings requiring specialized ASD assessment. Parents of 97 children aged 16-60 months attending childcare centers were recruited. Parents completed the 10-item Parents' Evaluations of Developmental Status (PEDS) and an ASD screening questionnaire--the 23-item Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT). Five percent of children required specialized ASD assessment based on their M-CHAT scores. Using a PEDS total score cutoff of 4 or more, these children were detected with an adjusted rate of 65% sensitivity and 88% specificity. These data provide some support for tiered screening with the PEDS and M-CHAT in identifying children requiring specialized ASD assessment. Given PEDS is a universally administered developmental screen in many jurisdictions, further research using PEDS and M-CHAT is warranted.