Local Community Partnership

Caring for a child can be tough and very challenging. While every child is a joy to their parents, families of children with a disability find simple everyday living more difficult. Family support, therapy aids and equipment can make a world of difference.

The Westfield Community Program was launched in early 2008 to address these needs in our local communities. Each Westfield Centre across Australia partners with a local disability service provider to help improve the quality of life for children with disabilities and their families.

Westfield Carindale encourages you to support its local community partner SBH Queensland.

Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus (Qld)

Babies at Home Program

The Babies at Home Program provides support to families of children with spina bifida, as well as therapy and early childhood education to children from time of diagnosis until they start school.

Family Support includes support visits and counselling throughout the pregnancy and after the baby is born. Parent groups are held in Brisbane and country families are linked to services in their local area.

After discharge from hospital therapists help families to understand the complexities of spina bifida and what impact it will have on their baby's development.

They provide therapy to the babies and advice and equipment to the families to help the babies towards their developmental milestones. A range of therapists are available: physiotherapists, occupational therapists and a speech and language pathologist.

An early childhood education teacher shows parents and preschool teachers how to improve children's learning and development.

The Babies at Home Program runs a number of groups such as:
- Playgroups
- Hydrotherapy
- Mobility Skills Clinics
- School Readiness program
and operates an outreach service visiting children in regional and rural areas of Queensland.

Intervention in the early years is very important because this is the time of maximum development for children and the time that they learn best.

The Babies at Home Program receives no Government funding.

SBH Queensland also has two programs for children at school and adults which are partially Government funded.

What is Spina Bifida?

Spina bifida is a complex condition which affects the spine, brain and most other organs. It develops early in pregnancy and is the most common permanently disabling birth defect. Around 1 in 1,000 pregnancies are affected.

More information about spina bifida and SBH Queensland can be found on the SBH Queensland website www.spinabifida.org