Koorliny Moort

Disclaimer These guidelines have been produced to guide clinical decision making for general practitioners (GPs). They are not strict protocols. Clinical common-sense should be applied at all times. These clinical guidelines should never be relied on as a substitute for proper assessment with respect to the particular circumstances of each case and the needs of each patient. Clinicians should also consider the local skill level available and their local area policies before following any guideline.

Introduction

Koorliny Moort means Walking with Families in the language of the Noongar people of the Whadjuk Nation. The Noongar people are the traditional owners of the land on which Perth Children’s Hospital is located.

Koorliny Moort helps improve the care of Aboriginal children and adolescents in Western Australia, with referrals accepted for children aged less than 16 years at the time of referral.

When to refer to Koorliny Moort:

1. If care coordination is required for a child or adolescents located anywhere in Western Australia, with complex medical and neurodevelopmental needs requiring multiple appointments at Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH).

   or

2. If a Paediatrician assessment is required for any medical or neurodevelopmental concerns, and the family have been unable to access a local general paediatrician or child development services in the Perth Metropolitan region.

All referrals to Koorliny Moort must have a completed Koorliny Moort referral form.

As noted above, there are two referral pathways; care coordination and paediatric clinics.

Koorliny Moort provides a culturally safe service while assisting with care coordination by:

• coordinating appointments to minimise the need for families to travel to PCH
• collaborating with local Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) and Patient Assisted Transport Scheme (PATS) to ensure travel and accommodation arrangements are in place for Perth appointments
• offering appointments for families who want care closer to their family home
• ensuring essential information is shared with other health services involved in patient care, including GPs, schools and local AMS
• providing health advice, social, cultural and family support
• helping to arrange Telehealth appointments
• collaborating with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) and other community services to help families meet their health care needs
• providing support to families attending appointments at PCH by liaising with Aboriginal Liaison Officers (ALO’s) and Aboriginal Health Workers(AHW)

Paediatric clinics with Koorliny Moort are delivered:

• Fortnightly at PCH
• Weekly clinics in the community
  • Community clinics are delivered in conjunction with Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service (DYHS) at their Mirrabooka, Maddington and Midland clinics

  and

  • with Child and Adolescent Community Health (CACH) at their clinics in Kwinana, Bentley, Mirrabooka and Hilton
  • Outreach clinics are also offered at Babbingur Mia, as well as Clarkson and Armadale Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

Pre-referral management

Child Development Service

For children who require a paediatrician for neurodevelopmental review:

• Please also refer them to the Child Development Service (CDS) if the child is under the age of 6

Family Support

If there are issues with:

• Poor school attendance
• Significant parental mental and/or physical health concerns impacting child
• Challenges to attend appointments
• Homelessness
• Food insecurity
• Financial hardship
• Barriers to clinic attendance or completing treatment

Consider referrals to:

• Moorditj Koort Aboriginal Corporation
• Wungening Aboriginal Corporation
• Department of Communities and/or
• Child and Adolescent Community Health-Aboriginal Health Team for children under the age of 5 years. Download the Aboriginal Health brochure

Accommodation

Ensure child and family are in stable accommodation

• Department of Communities-Priority Housing Assistance

Developmental Trauma exposure

For children with developmental trauma exposure, consider:

• Referral to trauma informed therapy: e.g. Yorgum Healing Services
• Parenting programs:
  • Such as those through Child/Maternal Health • Derbarl Yerrigan • Aboriginal Medical Health Service (dyhs.org.au)
  • Ngala - Circle of Security parenting
  • Circle of security-online
  • Triple P-Positive Parenting Program
• A General Practitioner referral for Mental Health Treatment Plan
• Referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

School consent

• If child is school-aged and has neurodevelopmental concerns, ensure School of Special Educational Needs Medical & Mental Health (SSEN:MMH) consent form is completed and sent with Koorliny Moort referral form

School psychologist

• If child is having behavioural, learning and emotional regulation difficulties at school, please write to their school principal to request school psychologist input, noting that further assistance may be indicated and can be requested by a school principal to involve School of Special Educational Needs: Behaviour & Engagement (SSEN:BE) if appropriate
• If appropriate, the school psychologist may conduct a cognitive assessment in preparation for the child’s paediatric appointment

Bloods

Where indicated, ensure nutritional bloods (FBC, iron studies, Vitamin D, Folate, Vitamin B12, Thyroid function) are taken and treatment of Iron deficiency and Vitamin D deficiency is commenced as needed

• PCH Iron deficiency pre-referral guideline
• Royal Children’s Hospital – Vitamin D deficiency clinical practice guidelines
• Keeping our mob healthy - iron deficiency anaemia
• Keeping our mob healthy - Useful resources

Anthropometric measurements

• Height
• Weight
• Calculate BMI percentile and Z-score using PediTools

Obesity management initiated if indicated

• PCH Obesity pre referral guideline
• Better Health Program referral
• PCH Healthy Weight Service
• Diet advice provided (e.g. Raising Children’s network- Healthy food everyday: Aboriginal families)

Immunisations

• Ensure child is following the appropriate immunisation schedule

How to refer

• Routine non-urgent referrals from a GP or a Consultant should go to the Central Referral Service.
• Routine non-urgent referrals from private hospitals go to the PCH Referral Office (Fax: 6456 0097 or email PCH.Referrals@health.wa.gov.au).
• Urgent referrals (less than seven days) go to the PCH Referral Office. Please call Perth Children’s Hospital Switch on 6456 222 to discuss referral with a Koorliny Moort clinician

Essential information to include in your referral

• Koorliny Moort referral form
• School of Special Educational Needs Medical & Mental Health (SSEN:MMH) consent form
• Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) Consent for release of information form
• Any relevant results from bloods and if any treatment has been commenced

Reviewer/Team:	Koorliny Moort	Last reviewed:	Dec 2022
		Review date:	Dec 2025

This document can be made available in alternative formats on request for a person with a disability.