Synopsis
Children with developmental disabilities often present to hospital with behaviours of concern, creating complex challenges for emergency departments, inpatient units, and community teams. These behavioural crises can be distressing for patients, families and staff, and can strain hospital resources – yet they also offer powerful opportunities for system change. The ISAID (Improving Support for Autism and Intellectual Disability) program is an innovative, multidisciplinary model that uses the crisis of an ED presentation to re-set. The aim is to make substantive improvements to the system of care around the child and family. Over three months, ISAID works with families and services across health, disability, education, and family support sectors to stabilise, build capacity, and strengthen care close to home. Early results indicate improved parental confidence and hope, reduced carer burnout, and fewer repeat ED visits.
This Grand Round will introduce the ISAID model, share practical insights relevant to any clinical service for children with complex needs, and present compelling case studies illustrating what wraparound care can achieve.
Speakers
Associate Professor Daryl Efron is a paediatrician in the Department of General Medicine and the Centre for Community Child Health at The Royal Children’s Hospital; Associate Professor in the University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, and Senior Research Fellow in the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. He has a decades long clinical and academic record in developmental paediatrics, with particular interests in psychopharmacology and health services research.
Claire Judge is a senior occupational therapist with extensive experience in developmental disability. She shares the role as ISAID Care Navigator, and also works at Western Autistic School. Claire’s goal is to make the world more inclusive for children with disabilities.
Hannah Turner is a Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) within the Department of General Medicine and ISAID Care Navigator. She is also the Clinical Pharmacology CNC. With over 20 years Paediatric Nursing experience (17 at RCH), Hannah has a passion for seeing a world where all children thrive.
Dr Laura Marco is a general paediatrician with a passion for developmental paediatrics. In addition to working with the ISAID team, Laura runs the RCH Trisomy 21 assessment service and works with the RCH Specialist Autism Assessment team. She has been a paediatrician in the Department of General Medicine since 2014.
Justine Schutz is a senior Social Worker with 30 years of experience, working at RCH for over 10 years in oncology, child sexual assault, complex care and cardiology. Justine is passionate about building therapeutic relationships with her patients and families, and working collaboratively with her team and community providers.