As your child grows and transitions through life stages, the challenges for them and your family can be significant.  Our nursing team can assist with providing guidance on significant life transitions such as starting school and preparing for puberty.

 

Preparing for school

Some of the ways that our nursing team can help you and your child prepare for school include:

 

• Support to coordinate medical and specialist reports required by schools
• Develop a transition plan and a health and wellbeing plan for your child that the school can follow
• Training teachers and other school staff on any complex care needs your child may have such as enteral feeding, swallowing and choking or your child's individual plan of care

 

Preparing for puberty

Going through puberty is a big deal and means a lot of changes for your child and for you as a parent or carer too. This is true for all children but children with disability and their families will experience unique challenges. You may feel uncertain about how to best help your child through the physical, psychological and emotional changes that puberty brings. We’re here to support you and your child in the following ways:

 

• Support to develop any new routines that may be required
• Support and education on the physical, sexual, social and emotional changes that your child may go through
• Help so that your child understands what they are going through and strategies for hygiene and social skills development
• Preparing girls for puberty changes including menstruation (periods) and advice on feminine hygiene
• Preparing boys for puberty changes
• Support to help manage mood changes