Children's Outreach Nursing Service

Helping whānau look after children at home

What is the Children’s Outreach Nursing Service?

Our service offers specialist advice, ongoing observation and monitoring with accessible support from our team of paediatricians, for children aged 0-14 in the community who have acute and chronic illnesses, as well as children with special needs.

What we do

An Outreach Nurse will visit you and your child following a referral from a paediatrician.

Parents/whānau are the best people to care, help or teach their child and the nurses will be there to support you to do this.

The nurses may offer new innovative ideas that may be helpful to the child and family/whanau.

The nurses work with families and welcome and encourage your observations and questions.

The role of the Children’s Outreach Nurse:

  • Talk about the child’s health care needs for once you leave hospital
  • Discuss discharge from hospital with you
  • Provide a supportive and caring service once the child is discharged from hospital
  • Visit the child and family/whānau at home
  • Provide advice and support with issues and problems that may arise with the child’s health
  • Help plan a care programme that suits the family and child
  • Ensure parents are aware of allowances and support services that may be available to them.
  • Provide a link to other health care or community services

Our team

The Children’s Outreach Nursing Service cares for children with acute and chronic illnesses in their home within the Lakes area.

The service consists of a team of experienced children’s nurses who are available five days a week 8.30am to 4.30pm.

At busy times, or when one member of the team is on leave, the team members help each other and are also helped by the Te Whatu Ora Lakes Children’s Unit and Special Care Baby Unit staff.

The team keeps parents/whānau informed of who to expect whenever possible.

Cath Mott - paediatric and young adults (Rotorua)

Alyce Ryan and Jane Guy - neonates (Rotorua)

Fiona Lafferty - neonates and paediatrics (Taupō)

Contact: 07 348 1199