Time-based requirements
This program ensures adequate time for you to gain the necessary learning experiences across a range of relevant rotations during the total training time of 3 years (36 months FTE).
Core training
Advanced Trainees in Community Child Health must complete the following minimum training requirements:
- six months in community-based multidisciplinary paediatrics
- six months in developmental & behavioural paediatrics
- three months in child protection or completion of 15 Child Protection Case Assessments or completion of a mix of child protection training AND Child Protection Case Assessments
- six months in a Child Population Health activity[LE1]
The balance of the 36 months must be in relevant community child health clinical settings (core or non-core).
Some training positions may allow trainees to meet these core requirements concurrently; for example, core clinical training in developmental and behavioural paediatrics or child protection training often involves multidisciplinary teamwork as a key component and hence may allow the community-based multidisciplinary paediatrics requirement to be met concurrently. However, a trainee cannot be certified for more than 1.0 FTE in any given training period (i.e. a trainee cannot complete more than 12 months of training time in a 12-month period).
Developmental & Behavioural Paediatrics
Developmental and behavioural paediatrics is the assessment and management of patients who have been referred because of developmental and/or behavioural problems. The aim of this core training requirement is to develop core levels of clinical competence in:
- the comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment and diagnostic formulation of developmental-behavioural concerns
- the management of a wide variety of developmental-behavioural concerns (including office-based counselling, facilitating multi-level systemic interventions, and relevant medical treatments)
- communication skills in developmental-behavioural paediatrics (e.g. case presentation, feedback to families, report writing)
For developmental and behavioural paediatrics core training to be approved it must:
- Be undertaken in a developmental and behavioural rotation (e.g. specialist developmental and behavioural clinic), where the case-mix is defined by presenting concerns related to development, learning, behaviour and emotional health
- Have access to a multidisciplinary child development team
- Be supervised by a supervisor with FRACP who is actively practicing in CCH or has particular expertise in Developmental-Behavioural Paediatrics
- Be adequately setup to provide clinical supervision (including direct observation of performance)
Child Population Health (previously non-clinical activities)
Child population health core training develops core levels of knowledge in key areas of child population health.
Child population health core training requirements can be met by completing one of the following three options:
- Child population health related coursework such as a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) or equivalent – maximum 6 months equivalent
Trainees are required to complete four of the core MPH or equivalent subjects identified by each university. Completion of four core subjects equates to six months of child population health core training time.
Examples of core MPH subjects that can be accepted include:
- Introduction to Child Public Health
- Biostatistics
- Epidemiology
- Social Determinants of Health
- Health Promotion
- Public Health Policy
- Health Program Evaluation
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Indigenous Health
- Health economics
- Public Health Management
- Introduction to Environmental Health
Elective MPH subjects or other course works will not count towards CCH training time, unless the trainee is able to clearly demonstrate equivalency to core MPH subjects or CCH requirements in Child Population Health. Evidence of successful completion of each core MPH subject is required for certification of this training time (e.g. university results transcript). The ultimate completion of an MPH degree is encouraged, but not mandatory for CCH training. This requirement can be completed concurrently with any of the above approved core or non-core training.
- Completion or initiation of a substantial body of child population health research (e.g. PHD or Doctorate) - maximum 6 months
Research must be prospectively approved and must directly relate to the learning outcomes of child population health in the CCH curriculum. Advanced Training research projects will not count towards this requirement.
- Working in a position that focuses on the learning objectives of the child population health domain in the CCH curriculum - maximum 12 months
The position must clearly demonstrate the capacity to address the learning outcomes of the child population health domain in the CCH curriculum.
Trainees can be approved for 6 or 12 months, depending on the child population health training. Any additional time spent will not be approved towards CCH advanced training.
Community-based Multidisciplinary Paediatrics
Community-based multidisciplinary paediatrics is the participation of a trainee in multidisciplinary team clinics and decision-making meetings. The aim of this core training requirement is for trainees to develop levels of competence in professional teamwork. Key elements include collaborative diagnostic formulation and clinical problem solving, concise case presentations, effective and respectful professional communication, and ability to lead multidisciplinary team conversations.
Suitable training rotations will enable the trainee to work collaboratively with clinicians from other professional groups (e.g. speech pathologists, psychologists, etc.).
Participation in a multidisciplinary team includes:
- Assessment, diagnostic formulation, management planning, clinical feedback to families, and intervention, for new and review cases
- Collaborative case discussions at decision-making meetings (e.g. discussing patients that have been assessed by the trainee, synthesizing multi-disciplinary input into management plans)
This requirement must be completed concurrently with other core and non-core CCH requirements (e.g. Developmental and behavioural paediatrics, child protection training or non-core clinical training)
Child Protection Training or Child Protection Case Assessments
Child protection core training develops core levels of clinical competence in the identification and management of suspected child maltreatment.
Training may include the development of advanced competence in forensic medical assessment, medicolegal report writing, and provision of evidence in court, where child maltreatment is suspected.
Trainees can meet this requirement by completing one of the following three options:
- Training in rotations in recognised tertiary-level Child Protection Units in Australia or New Zealand and under the supervision of at least one CCH supervisor with specialist expertise in child protection paediatrics.
- Completing 15 Child Protection Case Assessments
- Completing a mix of training time (option 1) and Child Protection Case Assessments (option 2). The completion of five case assessments will equate to one month of child protection training.
Trainees are encouraged to complete child protection courses to enhance their clinical experience; however, the courses will not count towards the three months of child protection core training.
Non-core training
The balance of the 36 months of Advanced Training in CCH may be undertaken in one or more of the following options:
- Further workplace-based core clinical training in:
- Developmental Behavioural Paediatrics
- Child Protection Paediatrics (in a recognised Child Protection Unit)
- Population Health Unit (maximum 12 months in total, excluding coursework • and research)
- Further clinical training in community-based specialist paediatric rotations It is the responsibility of supervisors and trainees to clearly demonstrate how such rotations will provide adequate training in key areas of the CCH curriculum such as:
- Developmental and behavioural paediatrics and/or
- Child protection paediatrics and/or
- Specialist clinical services for vulnerable populations
Examples of rotations that may meet these criteria include:
- Child Refugee specialist clinics
- Indigenous child health specialist clinics
- Out of home assessment specialist clinics
- Further clinical training in closely allied paediatric disciplines that enhance domain-specific clinical training in developmental and behavioural paediatrics or child protection paediatrics - Maximum 6 months in total. Examples of acceptable rotations may include:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/ infant mental health
- Rehabilitation medicine
- Clinical genetics
- Adolescent medicine
- Paediatric neurology
Prospective approval is essential prior to the commencement of the above rotations. It is the responsibility of the supervisor and trainee to clearly demonstrate how such rotations will provide adequate training in key areas of the CCH curriculum.
The following are examples of rotations which will not be approved for CCH training: Paediatric medical sub-specialties:
- Endocrinology
- Respiratory/ Cystic Fibrosis
- Gastroenterology
- Haematology
- Oncology
- Immunology/Allergy
- Nephrology Acute Paediatric medical subspecialties:
- Neonatal Intensive Care
- Paediatric Intensive Care
- Emergency Medicine
Training time
At least 24 months of Advanced Training in Community Child Health must be undertaken in Australia and/or New Zealand. This is to ensure that trainees receive adequate exposure to local practices and health services.