Paediatric Nurses Supporting Kids through Integrated Practice ‘SKIP’
Tracks
Track 4
| Wednesday, July 23, 2025 |
| 11:35 AM - 11:55 AM |
| Ballroom |
Overview
Presenter: Maeve Downes
Speaker
Ms Maeve Downes
Nursing Director
NALHN
Paediatric Nurses Supporting Kids through Integrated Practice ‘SKIP’
11:35 AM - 11:55 AMAbstract
The Supporting Kids through Integrated Practice (SKIP) is a groundbreaking nurse-led, trauma-informed service designed to holistically support vulnerable families and children in accessing healthcare. Its primary goal is to ease the burden on families by providing early intervention and timely engagement with relevant clinicians.
SKIP was developed by nursing leaders in response to a growing community crisis, where families struggled with food insecurity, homelessness, and lack of access to healthcare. These challenges led to developmental delays, poor school performance, and unmet health and well-being needs in children. SKIP addresses these issues by providing comprehensive care that supports immediate and long-term health outcomes.
Through an innovative adaptation of senior paediatric nurses’ roles, SKIP empowers nurses to work to the full scope of their practice. This includes conducting thorough assessments, initiating early interventions, coordinating care, addressing social complexities, and fostering trusting relationships with families. The service is both efficient and cost-effective, driven by the unwavering compassion and courage of nurse leaders.
SKIP nurses serve as the central point of care for children aged 0-16, particularly those facing poverty, neglect, or poor health outcomes. Many of these children have either never engaged with the healthcare system or have lost trust in it. By demonstrating compassion and dedication, nurses build rapport with families, coordinating care across a multidisciplinary team that may include paediatricians, dietitians, and family support workers. By consolidating appointments and providing locally based care, SKIP ensures families receive comprehensive and meaningful support.
By meeting families where they are, SKIP bridges a critical gap in healthcare, alleviating the strain of navigating a complex system. The service challenges traditional care models while addressing immediate health needs and mitigating the long-term effects of trauma and neglect in children. Ultimately SKIP empowers nurses to lead with courage and compassion while advocating for the community’s unmet needs.
SKIP was developed by nursing leaders in response to a growing community crisis, where families struggled with food insecurity, homelessness, and lack of access to healthcare. These challenges led to developmental delays, poor school performance, and unmet health and well-being needs in children. SKIP addresses these issues by providing comprehensive care that supports immediate and long-term health outcomes.
Through an innovative adaptation of senior paediatric nurses’ roles, SKIP empowers nurses to work to the full scope of their practice. This includes conducting thorough assessments, initiating early interventions, coordinating care, addressing social complexities, and fostering trusting relationships with families. The service is both efficient and cost-effective, driven by the unwavering compassion and courage of nurse leaders.
SKIP nurses serve as the central point of care for children aged 0-16, particularly those facing poverty, neglect, or poor health outcomes. Many of these children have either never engaged with the healthcare system or have lost trust in it. By demonstrating compassion and dedication, nurses build rapport with families, coordinating care across a multidisciplinary team that may include paediatricians, dietitians, and family support workers. By consolidating appointments and providing locally based care, SKIP ensures families receive comprehensive and meaningful support.
By meeting families where they are, SKIP bridges a critical gap in healthcare, alleviating the strain of navigating a complex system. The service challenges traditional care models while addressing immediate health needs and mitigating the long-term effects of trauma and neglect in children. Ultimately SKIP empowers nurses to lead with courage and compassion while advocating for the community’s unmet needs.
Biography
Maeve Downes, is the Nursing Director in the Women and Children’s Division at the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network. Maeve provides operational leadership for neonatal and Paediatric care. She has extensive Paediatric experience and has also taken up several secondments to work at a State level, where she led various strategic projects in workforce reform, clinical education, child protection and design and commissioning.
Maeve was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2007 and is currently a board member of Children’s Healthcare Australasia.
Maeve has sustained involvement in clinical research and translation. Her innovative programs have been finalist for 4 and winning 3 Statewide Health Excellence Awards.
Chelsea is the Quality Programs Nursing Director at the Department for Health and Wellbeing in South Australia. Previously an Advanced Paediatric Nurse Consultant at the Northern Adelaide Health Local Network where she and Maeve collaborated an many projects and innovative programs. Chelsea completed several postgraduate degrees and is credentialed as an ACCYPN Child and Young People’s Nurse. In 2024 she received a South Australian Premier International scholarship to investigate trauma informed models of care for Children.
