Pre Conference Workshops

There will be two pre-conference workshops held on the morning and two in the afternoon on Wednesday 11th November before the Youth Health Conference 2015. Delegates can choose one workshop in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Melbourne & Olympic Park Function Centre
Wednesday 11 November 2015
1000-1200 and 1400-1600
$75 each workshop

Morning workshops

1. Management of Gender Dysphoria in Children and Adolescents.

Facilitators

  • Michelle Telfer: Clinical Lead of Adolescent Medicine and Director of the RCH Gender Service, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
  • Debi Feldman: Adolescent Paediatrician RCH Gender Service, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
  • Donna Eade: Clinical Nurse Consultant RCH Gender Service, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
  • Campbell Paul, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with the RCH Gender Service
  • Michele O’Connell, Paediatric Endocrinologist, RCH Gender Service

Background

Children and adolescents with Gender Dysphoria experience marked distress that accompanies the incongruence between their gender identity and their assigned gender based on biological sexual characteristics. Although only some individuals experience distress resulting from such incongruence, many will do so if desired medical interventions such as hormonal intervention are not available.

Learning objectives

This two hour workshop aims to provide information and training for health and education professionals on the care of transgender and gender diverse young people. The workshop will be conducted by members of the multidisciplinary gender dysphoria team at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne which consists of adolescent physicians, child and adolescent psychiatrists, a psychologist, endocrinologist, social worker and a clinical nurse consultant. Topics to be addressed include diagnosis, mental health and medical management, community and educational support for patients and their families.

Participants

Background knowledge on the care of transgender and gender diverse young people will be useful but not assumed for this workshop. It will be of relevance to all those working at the interface between health and education, including:

  • teachers
  • medical, nursing and allied health staff
  • mental health professionals
  • policy makers
  • researchers

OR

2. Health and education working together

Facilitators

 

  • Donald Payne: Consultant in Adolescent Medicine at Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, WA.
  • Kevin Runions: Senior Research Fellow at the Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA.
  • Julie Clarke: Associate Principal of the WA School of Special Educational Needs – Medical and Mental Health.

 

Background

There is increasing recognition of the importance of the relationship between education and health in adolescence. Health outcomes are linked to educational opportunities, with school attendance and connectedness known to be major protective factors for adolescent health. For those young people who live with a chronic health problem, regular attendance at school can be a challenge, reducing opportunities for educational achievement. These young people may also experience significant difficulties at school related to bullying, stigma and social isolation. The school environment provides an ideal setting in which to promote and optimise health and educational outcomes for all young people.

Learning objectives

Through participation in this workshop, delegates will gain:

  • a detailed understanding of the relationship between health and educational outcomes
  • practical skills in how the school environment can promote successful health outcomes
  • skills in assisting young people with chronic health problems to optimise their educational outcomes

Participants

This workshop will be of relevance to all those working at the interface between health and education, including:

  • teachers
  • medical, nursing and allied health staff
  • mental health professionals
  • policy makers
  • researchers

Afternoon workshops

1. Adolescents and Eating Disorders – An Overview

Facilitators

  • Professor Daniel Le Grange: Benioff UCSF Professor in Children’s Health; Joint Director, Eating Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Paediatrics, University of California, San Francisco.
  • Members of the Eating Disorders program, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne.

Background

With increasing prevalence and awareness of adolescents with eating disorders, service sectors at all levels are striving to improve early identification, service pathways and treatment outcomes. At the same time, research and clinical practice is learning more about the severity of medical and psychological risk and the types of treatments that get adolescents back on track with their eating, physical health and life functioning.

Learning objectives

In this workshop, participants will be provided with an overview of adolescents and eating disorders that will outline types, prevalence, indicators, impact on adolescents and their families and evidence informed treatment options. This will also include exploring how eating disorders impact on an adolescent’s educational journey and the role schools have in supporting treatment. Mental health and medical clinicians of the Royal Children’s Hospital-Eating Disorders Program including international leading expert Professor Daniel Le Grange will present the workshop. To further the learning, the workshop will conclude with a wide-ranging panel of speakers including parents who have been successful in assisting their child to overcome an eating disorder.

Participants

The workshop is applicable for workers across all service levels including doctors, teachers, school welfare workers, nurses, counsellors and youth workers.

OR

2. Media training in youth health advocacy.

Facilitators

  • Michelle Telfer: Clinical Lead of Adolescent Medicine and Director of the RCH Gender Service, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
  • Jayne Dullard: Executive Director Communications, The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne

Background

Use of the media is vital for the promotion and advocacy of health issues affecting youth. Utilising social media, online forums, traditional print media such as newspapers and magazines, mainstream television and radio can maximise community awareness and allow advocacy to progress change to improve health outcomes. Many clinicians and teachers have little training and experience in how best to interact with the media to maximise opportunities and gain influence.

Learning objectives

This workshop aims to provide some theoretical background to media use in health advocacy and to provide practical skills for interviews with television and radio.

Personal accounts of successful health advocacy will also be presented from the perspective of the clinicians involved in youth health at The Centre for Adolescent Health, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne.

Participants

It will be of relevance to all those working at the interface between health and education, including:

  • teachers
  • medical, nursing and allied health staff
  • mental health professionals
  • policy makers
  • researchers