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Baby One program delivers results for first 1000 days
Deb Jia and Johanna Neville of Apunipima Cape York Health Council with CRANAplus President Janie Smith. Image: crana.org.au
by Kylie O’Brien 30 August 2015
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punipima are ahead of the game when it comes to improving health and life outcomes for future generations in Cape York. Just a year ago Apunipima’s health-worker led Baby One Program began to be delivered in communities across Cape York and this week the findings from the past year will be presented at the Strengthening Families up to 1000 Days Research Forum in Melbourne. The first thousand days is a global movement addressing child development in the first 1000 days of life from conception to age two. International research shows that early intervention programs during pregnancy and in the early months and years of a child’s life have a great positive impact on later health.
Apunipima Baby One program baby: Image: Apunipima
The Baby One Program, named for the youngest child in a family, is centred on the baby and family. It is health worker led, meaning families get consistent care throughout their pregnancy up to bub’s second birthday within a home visiting model with most interactions take place away from a clinical setting. This means mum, bub and family are much more comfortable and receptive. Ten years ago the Australian Bureau of Statistics were reporting less than a quarter of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mums were still breastfeeding at six months whereas now in Cape York, at least 50% of mums are still breastfeeding at six months. The community governance symposium seeks to build a core knowledge base that combines insights from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, research projects, program evaluation and on-the-ground
experience about the importance of the First 1000 Days of a child’s health and wellbeing. Apunipima’s Maternal and Child Health Team will present Baby One Program, how it is delivered and the research methods around the program, to the symposium. “The program is still in its infancy and there’s much more work to be done,” Manager of Family Health Programs Rachel Sargeant said. “We know that Baby One is starting to achieve results and with our own research team specifically dedicated to this project, these results are being analysed and evaluated to ensure that this program continues to develop and evolve in an appropriate and effective manner.” Ms Sargeant said the first 1000 days of life is a critical period when the developing brain sets up the architecture to think, speak, learn and reason.
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