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Digestive Health
Counts
is a three year Campaign under the Paediatric Continence Association’s
Education Program. The campaign sets out to raise considerable awareness
in the community, particularly local school communities, about all aspects
of health toileting and bowel and bladder health. The
‘Fairer Victoria’ package launched by government in early 2006, gives a high
priority in ensuring the appropriate services and resources are in place
giving children the best start in life. Paediatric Continence Association of
Australia (PCAA) has vast evidence that indicates that intervention in
better toileting practices in the early years of life can make a real
difference to the life chances of adults. The
campaign begins in
Feb. 2007 and will visit a range of primary schools throughout Victoria.
Over a two year period, over 100 regional communities together with over 150
metropolitan school communities will be visited to deliver the first
component - Healthy Toilets, Happy Life Parent Education Sessions.
This will be followed in the next two years by a further two components; Water
in Schools and the Crap Standard.
Measuring outcomes of the
project is one of the critical aspects and PCAA has spent considerable
effort and resources in developing protocols for surveying parents/school
communities on how information is disseminated about digestive health. The
surveys will also look at what triggers or prompts parents to have their
child investigated for common bowel and bladder complaints such as
bedwetting and or constipation problems. This information will assist in a
‘whole government approach’ to continence management for children across
Victoria.
Collaborations and partnerships have been a key element to the success
achieved in the planning and initial implementation phases of this project
thus far. To secure a sustainable framework and validity for the project,
key partnerships with the Victorian Government Department/s of Education and
Human Services will be critical to the success of the project. |
