Charles Sturt University (CSU) research will support the transition of children from primary to secondary school in rural and remote New South Wales.

CSU was engaged by CentaCare Wilcannia to research and analyse current early intervention services with the aim of improving the transition children in western NSW make when moving to secondary school.

Associate Professor Rachel Rossiter from the CSU School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health in Orange said the CSU research team collated and analysed existing data and literature that focused on primary to secondary school transitions in rural and remote regions of Australia. They also interviewed teachers about what supports or hinders successful transition to secondary school.

The research would be used to assist CentaCare Wilcannia to improve the delivery of mental health support services to children, their families and carers in rural and remote NSW.

CentaCare Wilcannia provides a range of flexible, responsive, non-clinical mental health support services to meet the needs of children, young people, their families and carers who are affected by, or at risk of mental illness as they move from primary to secondary school.

The services include a Family Mental Health Support Service, funded by NSW Department of Social Services. 

The research project, which ran from March 2016 to November 2017, highlights the important role CSU plays in supporting the communities it operates in.  

Professor Rossiter said, "The project represents a successful research collaboration with a community support service that's focused on addressing the needs of vulnerable children and families in rural and remote NSW who are at risk of developing mental illness.  

"We hope the research will assist in the delivery of services to young people in western NSW so they achieve their full potential as healthy, contributing members of Australian society."

The $80 000 research program was fully funded by CentaCare Wilcannia-Forbes. 

On Wednesday 29 November CentaCare Wilcannia-Forbes and the CSU Research Team will co-present the findings from this project in Bathurst to the CentaCare Executive, CEO Ms Anne-Marie Mioche, Director of Program and Service Delivery Ms Kate Gibson, and Assistant Director of Programs Ms Dorothy Crawley from Forbes. The Family Mental Health Support Service team from Wilcannia, Broken-Hill, Forbes, Parkes, Orange and Bathurst will attend this presentation.

Media is welcome to attend the presentation from 11am to 2pm at Relationships Australia, 91 Seymour Street Bathurst NSW.