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Local Sick Bay to Pilot in Western and South Western Sydney

Hype Hause

Key Facts:

• Local Sick Bay is a proposed short-term care service for children experiencing minor illness, injury or recovery needs.
• The service is designed to give working families another option when a child is too unwell for school or childcare but does not require hospital care.
• Children would be cared for in a safe, supportive environment with paediatric nursing supervision.
• Proposed support includes symptom monitoring, rest and recovery areas, medication support where permitted, and regular communication with parents.
• Founder: Monique Annetts.
• The concept was created in response to the gap families face when a child becomes unexpectedly unwell and a parent must leave work or find alternative care at short notice.
• Children would only be accepted subject to clinical eligibility criteria, regulatory requirements and the final pilot model.
• Pilot programs are planned for Western Sydney and South Western Sydney.
• The project is currently working to identify suitable premises for the pilot.
• Planning is also underway around health, regulatory, operational and staffing requirements.
• Local Sick Bay is exploring partnerships with government, councils, health services, community organisations and other stakeholders.
• The longer-term vision is to potentially expand the model across NSW if the pilot shows strong demand and positive outcomes.
• Local Sick Bay is seeking input from parents, carers, employers and healthcare professionals to help shape the pilot.
• Families are being encouraged to share their experiences of managing work when a child becomes unexpectedly unwell.
• The service aims to support children’s wellbeing, family stability and workforce participation.
• The project is currently in the premises identification, clinical planning, regulatory planning, staffing and community consultation stage.
• Facebook: Local Sick Bay
• Tagline: Safe care. Stronger families.

The proposed service aims to provide families with a safe, supportive short-term care option where children

experiencing minor illness, injury or recovery can rest and be monitored while their parents remain at work.

The Local Sick Bay model is intended to be supported by paediatric nursing staff, providing children with

appropriate supervision, symptom monitoring, medication support where permitted, rest and recovery areas,

and regular communication with parents throughout the day.

Founder Monique Annetts said the concept was developed after recognising a major gap in the support

available to working families.

"There is a very difficult gap between a child being well enough to attend school or childcare and

being sick enough to need hospital care," Ms Annetts said.

"When a child falls into that gap, families are often left with very few options. Someone has to

leave work, use another day of leave, find a relative at short notice or somehow try to work while

caring for a sick child at home.

"Local Sick Bay is about creating another option - somewhere children can safely rest and

recover under appropriate paediatric nursing supervision while their parents manage their work

and family responsibilities."

The proposed service would cater for eligible children experiencing minor illness, injury or recovery needs,

subject to clinical criteria, regulatory requirements and the final pilot model.

Local Sick Bay has now reached a major milestone, with pilot programs planned for Western Sydney and

South Western Sydney and work underway to identify suitable premises.

"Getting to the pilot stage is a huge step," Ms Annetts said.

"Western and South Western Sydney will be where we begin. The next stage is securing the right

premises and continuing to work through the health, regulatory and operational requirements so

that the service is built properly from the outset."

The initiative is also exploring partnerships with government, councils, health services, community

organisations and other stakeholders as it develops the pilot model.The longer-term vision is to establish a service that could eventually be replicated across NSW if the pilot

demonstrates strong community demand and positive outcomes.

Local Sick Bay is now calling on Western and South Western Sydney families, employers and

healthcare professionals to help shape the service.

Parents and carers are being encouraged to follow Local Sick Bay on social media and share their

experiences of managing work when a child becomes unexpectedly unwell.

"We want families involved from the beginning," Ms Annetts said.

"If you've ever received the call from school or childcare and immediately wondered how you're

going to leave work, who can collect your child or how you're going to manage another day at

home, we want to hear from you.

"The pilot needs to reflect what families actually need, not what we assume they need."

Local Sick Bay aims to support children, families and workforce participation by providing another option

for families navigating short-term childhood illness and recovery.

The project is now progressing through premises identification, clinical and regulatory planning, staffing

requirements and community consultation ahead of the proposed Western and South Western Sydney

pilots.

FOLLOW LOCAL SICK BAY

Facebook: www.facebook.com/localsickbay

Local Sick Bay - Safe care. Stronger families.

Contact details:

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Monique Annetts

Founder - Local Sick Bay

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1300 385 838