The Child Illness Resilience Program: Promoting the wellbeing and resilience of families living with childhood chronic illness. Presentation at the 16th International Mental Health Conference by the Hunter Institute of Mental Health.

1. 1
The Child Illness Resilience Program:
Promoting the wellbeing and resilience
of families living with childhood chronic
illness.
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2. A leading national organisation dedicated to
reducing mental illness and suicide and
improving wellbeing for all Australians

3. Project Overview
• Funded by the Greater Charitable Foundation 2011 -2014
• Developed by the Hunter Institute of Mental Health
• Ran as a pilot project
• AIM: To promote the resilience and psychological wellbeing of
families of children and young people living with a chronic
illness.
• For: Families with a child living with a chronic illness
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4. The problem
• Two in five Australian families have a child living with
chronic illness.
• Chronic illness and associated symptoms can affect the
physical, social and emotional development of children and
young people.
• Family members living with a childhood chronic illness are
at greater risk of developing mental health issues, such as
depression and anxiety.
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5. The Approach
• Literature Review
• Consultation
• Resource Development
• Collaboration
• Program Development
• Resource Evaluation
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6. 6

7. 7
Child and family attend
Outpatient Clinic
Baseline Parent Survey
Receive Booklet
Distressed parents invited to
Info Support Group
Randomly allocated to Group or waitlist
3m follow up Parent Survey
6m follow up Parent Survey
6m follow up Parent
Survey
Group Intervention
Follow up
Parent Survey
Waitlist Group
Complete Parent Survey
6m follow up Parent
Survey
K10 >15
Fact Sheet provided as part of routine paediatric discharge procedures
Step 2:
Step 1:
Step 3:
Waitlist Group complete
intervention
Follow up Parent Survey

8. 8
CHiRP Intervention
STEP 1: Fact Sheet
Routine
dissemination of fact
sheet on discharge
from paediatric
hospital.

9. 9
CHiRP Intervention
STEP 2: Booklet
Targeted dissemination of Booklet to families
attending chronic illness outpatient clinics –
Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes, Gastroenterology,
Rheumatology

10. 10
Booklet
Activities:
•Getting to know my family
•Shared lives, shared milestones
•Family strengths checklist
•Family support inventory
•Maintain routines
•Tips for spending time together
•Building respectful relationships
•Parenting tips
•Understanding an illness & self-management
•Looking after yourself and each other
•Family communication
•Positive thinking
•Problem Solving

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CHiRP Intervention
STEP 3: Information Support Group
Active participation in Information Support
group for parents who are distressed.

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Information Support Group

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Measures
PARENT SURVEY includes psychometrically validated measures
•Parental wellbeing – K10
•Family Functioning – FAD
•Family beliefs – adapted from FRAS
•Social Support – MOSSSS
and collects Parent demographics

14. Outcomes
• 1438 hospital discharge fact sheets
distributed to families.
• 159 families received the booklet.
• 47 families responded to 3-month follow-up
survey and 44 families responding to a 6
month follow-up survey.
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15. Outcomes
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16. Outcomes
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Significance of CHiRP
Parents develop knowledge about effective strategies to
improve resilience and manage distress.
Does not have to rely on health professional delivery.
Provides more intense support to parents with highest need.
Resilience framework promotes longer term outcomes by
helping families identify and enhance strengths and skills that
promote coping.

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Testimonials
“Thank you- it has really helped us and I am sure it will
help us connect and remain bonded to our children as
they get older. I was very worried about losing the
connection with my older children who are healthy, and
this has given me ideas and tools on how to show them I
love them in a meaningful and ‘ready to use’ way.”

19. Future Directions
Suggestions for alternative ways to distribute resources included:
• Online/via email
• At time of diagnosis or admission
• Via social workers
• Library (also accessible to extended family)
• At clinics or on the wards
• In GP waiting rooms or other services
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20. Conclusions
• Each journey is unique
• Time is limited
• Communication and problem solving
skills are needed
• The materials have flexible uses
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21. Acknowledgements
• HIMH staff
• The Greater Charitable Foundation
• Kaleidoscope, John Hunter Children’s Hospital
• National Reference Group and Local Working Group
• University of Newcastle
• Families
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22. Questions
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23. Contact Details
Ellen Newman
Projects Coordinator
ellen.newman@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Website: www.himh.org.au/chirp
Phone: (02) 4924 6900
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