First Nations families in the Townsville region, including Palm Island, are receiving more timely access to care thanks to a new program providing targeted support for women and children in their first 1,000 days.  

The First 1,000 Days Social and Emotional Wellbeing program is funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) and aligns with the Better Health North Queensland (NQ) Alliance First 1,000 Days Framework.   

The program focuses on maternal and child health, and the social and emotional wellbeing of mothers, fathers, carers, and children to help reduce health inequities and ensure all children in the region have a healthy start to life.  

NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney said the first 1,000 days was a critical time in a child’s life, with early experiences being a predictor of health, development, education, and social outcomes, both in childhood and later in life.  

“The first 1,000 days is defined as the period from conception through to a child’s second birthday. During this period, parents and children may receive access to a range of care and supports, including pregnancy care, birthing, post-birth care, and child development,” Mr Rooney said.  

“The program aims to improve health outcomes for First Nations families and communities by providing care coordination and improving access to primary health care, including culturally appropriate mainstream services, while keeping them connected to their community.” 

Mr Rooney said NQPHN had worked with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), Hospital and Health Services (HHSs), the Department of Education and Early Childhood, Tropical Public Health, the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), and digital health organisations from across Northern Queensland to collaboratively codesign and develop the new models of care so they were relevant to each community. 

Palm Island Community Company (PICC) CEO Rachel Atkinson said the First 1,000 Days program allowed PICC to employ a small team who worked with the organisation’s health and community services to provide more targeted support for families on Palm Island.  

“Our team is very excited about this program as it is new for Palm Island,” she said. 

“We’re able to work more intensively with parents, supporting them and their babies through the first 1,000 days of their babies’ lives. 

“We’ve employed a child health nurse and Aboriginal health worker to work in the program, and have a GP who will be working alongside them, focusing on maternal and child health. 

“The team is part of our broader primary health team, providing extra capacity to meet the needs of our babies and families.”  

Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS) Director of Health Services Dr Sean Taylor said the team was passionate about early childhood development and healthcare, and personal, family, and community wellbeing. 

“The First 1,000 Days program recognises that Indigenous children and their families often face unique challenges,” Dr Taylor said.  

“Being able to provide critical resources, support, and guidance to families during the early stages of a child's life is rewarding and fulfilling. 

“Providing targeted support and culturally sensitive interventions, the program helps address specific needs and improves the overall health and wellbeing of Indigenous families in the Townsville and surrounding regions. 

“The program includes prenatal and antenatal care, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, immunisation campaigns, social and emotional wellbeing supports, and pathways for mental health supports. 

“By empowering families with knowledge, resources, and services, the First 1,000 Days program contributes to support child development, health and wellbeing, and strengthens communities as a whole.” 

Mr Rooney said NQPHN was committed to working with First Nations organisations to develop models of care that best supported the needs of their communities. 

The First 1,000 Days program aligns with the NQ First 1,000 Days Framework and the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017–2023. 

First Nations families in Yarrabah and the Tablelands region are receiving more timely access to care thanks to a new program providing targeted support for women and children in their first 1,000 days.  

The First 1,000 Days Social and Emotional Wellbeing program is funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) and aligns with the Better Health North Queensland (NQ) Alliance First 1,000 Days Framework.   

The program focuses on maternal and child health, and the social and emotional wellbeing of mothers, fathers, carers, and children to help reduce health inequities and ensure all children in the region have a healthy start to life. 

NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney said the first 1,000 days were a critical time in a child’s life, with early experiences being a predictor of health, development, education, and social outcomes, both in childhood and later in life.  

“The first 1,000 days is defined as the period from conception through to a child’s second birthday. During this period, parents and children may receive access to a range of care and supports, including pregnancy care, birthing, post-birth care, and child development,” Mr Rooney said.  

“The program aims to improve health outcomes for First Nations families and communities by providing care coordination and improving access to primary health care, including culturally appropriate mainstream services, while keeping them connected to their community.”  

Mr Rooney said NQPHN had worked with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), Hospital and Health Services (HHSs), the Department of Education and Early Childhood, Tropical Public Health, the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), and digital health organisations from across Northern Queensland to collaboratively codesign and develop the new models of care so they were relevant to each community. 

Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services Aboriginal Corporation is delivering the program in Yarrabah and Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Primary Health Care Services, in Mareeba, is servicing the Tablelands region.  

Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services Chief Executive Suzanne Andrews said the partnership between Gurriny and NQPHN would help deliver lasting whole-of-life benefits for all Yarrabah families. 

“The First 1,000 Days program in Yarrabah is about strong babies helping to build a strong and healthy future for generations to come,” she said. “The long-term health outcomes will play a tremendous role in our goal to close the gap in Yarrabah.” 

Brittany MacDougall, a registered midwife with Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services, said the NQPHN funding would increase the level of care in the community. 

“Current research supports higher antenatal engagement towards healthy birth weights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies, and this program and partnership will allow us to work closely with the women of Yarrabah, and promote health messaging that strong babies bring a strong future for the community,” she said. 

Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Primary Health Care Services Health Services Manager Tania Yow-Yeh said the First 1,000 Days program was helping families give children a strong and positive start to their life.   

“Our program focuses on raising awareness in all areas including pre-conception, pregnancy, and baby's early years, while also helping families access assistance to create healthy environments for their children,” Ms Yow-Yeh said. 

“We are still in the early phases of the program, and are establishing connections, building on existing relationships, and implementing new ways of being able to support women, children, and families.” 

Mr Rooney said NQPHN was committed to working with First Nations organisations to develop models of care that best supported the needs of their communities. 

The First 1,000 Days program aligns with the NQ First 1,000 Days Framework and the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017–2023. 

Cowboys House youth mental health worker Nathan Mellor is empowering young First Nations students from remote northern Queensland communities to set themselves up with positive futures.

One of those students is boarder Frederick (Fred) Mick, who will graduate Year 12 this year after beginning his journey with Cowboys House in Year 8.

Fred, from Doomadgee, is an inspiring role model.

“I'm very fortunate to be given so many opportunities by Cowboys House,” Fred said. “And I’m thankful to all the staff over the years who have cared for me.

“The extra support to help me be successful has really helped get me to school, and Nathan helps motivate me to improve and overcome challenges.”

Fred’s journey highlights how access to appropriate healthcare and mental health resources can pave the way for a happier, healthier life, and a positive future.

Cowboys House is a boarding facility for First Nations students from remote areas who otherwise may not have the opportunity to attend and finish secondary schooling. Students come from very remote communities and homelands spanning the Gulf of Carpentaria, Eastern and Western Cape York, the Torres Strait, Palm Island, and Western Queensland.

Students from years 7-12 who reside at the boarding facility can also access the youth mental health worker, Mr Mellor, who works with them to overcome mental health challenges.

Mental health challenges can stem from adverse economic, family, education, and employment issues, while geographic location and limited services in these remote regions can also contribute.

“We work together with our students to establish boundaries and provide tools for them to cope in healthy and culturally safe ways,” Mt Mellor said.

Mr Mellor, who has worked in the youth mental health role since 2022, said the students he had worked and engaged with went on to graduate high school, get jobs, and take their skills back to their home communities.

“Part of my role is delivering culturally safe activities to encourage students to learn skills and build resilience while providing them with strategies to grow in confidence and deal with adversity,” Mr Mellor said.

“There are so many success stories. It is so humbling to work with these students, watch them grow in confidence, and forge their pathways after school.

“That’s what I enjoy most.”

General Manager Rochelle Jones said Fred was driven and wanted to get an after-school job.

“He began working in the Cowboys House kitchen after school, which he enjoys. More recently, he was hand-picked by the Nandos CEO for an after-school job, which he is really enjoying,” Ms Jones said.

“We have an active transitions program that works with the students and families on vocational pathways and our students tend to have an interest in jobs related to health, children and young people, university, and trades.

“One of our former students Brody, from Mornington Island, graduated in 2022 and has recently accepted a role in our transitions team and will be running a program with the students.

“The comprehensive care model at the Cowboys House provides more than a secondary education, it incorporates all aspects of life learning such as health and wellbeing, on-country cultural learning, nutrition, hygiene, budgeting, fitness, music, sport, and the arts.

“Our passion is for every one of our students to have the confidence to reach their potential and live happy and healthy lives.”

Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) currently funds a part-time psychologist and part-time youth mental health worker at Cowboys House.