Drive-in, drive-out health services helping regional students hear

Two charities are working to bridge gaps in access to specialist care in regional Western Australia by delivering services and check-ups directly to schools.Teach Hear Speak and Ear Health Australia have launched a three year pilot program involving a bus, decorated by students, visiting schools across the state's Midwest. The Buranymarda Marugundi Program, meaning "Good Strong Tomorrow" in Badimaya language, will deliver cost-free coordinated hearing health to address learning barriers. Jasmin Mcaullay says bringing hearing check-ups to schools makes it convenient. (ABC News: Piper Duffy)Geraldton mother Jasmin Mcaullay found out her son Zaxson had ear congestion after a hearing check-up at school. She said having services come to children rather than regional families having to seek them out made all the difference. "I guess that's why the bus is so handy ... it makes it more convenient for mums to get [their kids ears] checked out," Ms Mcaullay said. "I think it's really important for kids to have their ears checked."Rangeway Primary School students created artwork which will decorate the 'ear bus'. (ABC News: Piper Duffy)Teach Speak Hear chief executive Dr Carole Steketee said it was clear many factors were stopping regional families getting the help they need."There are barriers around cost, long wait times, long delays, long distance travel," she said. "We can see there is an intergenerational impact because once we start seeing a child we don't release them from our register and we're constantly doing check-ins, adjusting supports according to their needs."Dr Steketee says it is important to address hearing difficulties early in life. (ABC News: Piper Duffy)The pilot program is targeting 10 schools but Dr Steketee said there were plans to expand. "There's something like 40 odd schools in the region so this is just a drop in the ocean," she said."But it's a start and we hope through this program we start gathering the data and understanding what's working and what isn't." Carole Steketee says distance is a barrier stopping families from getting developmental help. (ABC News: Piper Duffy)Closing the gapEar Foundation Australia founder Paul Higginbotham said the Midwest had one of the "biggest service gaps" to address children's hearing issues. "The further east you go [from Geraldton] there's a challenge of delivering services into places like Meekatharra, Mount Magnet and Yalgoo," he said. "We know there are kids right across this region who are sitting in classrooms and can't hear what's going on." Paul Higginbotham says addressing hearing challenges in Aboriginal children is essential in closing the gap. (ABC News: Piper Duffy)Mr Higginbotham said bringing services such as hearing check-ups to more remote communities could benefit future generations."You can't close the gap unless you can get a generation of kids through school," he said. Children with hearing issues will be identified at school when services come to the area. (ABC News: Piper Duffy)"And [currently] these kids can't get through school because the gunk in their ears is stopping them hearing. "If you're sitting in a classroom ... regardless of your ethnicity you can't learn if you can't hear."