ArticleJournal of primary care & community health
Improving Access to Developmental Assessments Before School: Evaluation of Targeted 'School Starter Blitz' Clinics in Metropolitan Sydney.
Article in Journal of primary care & community health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Factors Associated with Extreme Waiting Times for Child Developmental Diagnostic Assessments: A Mixed-Methods Service Evaluation in Sydney.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTimely developmental assessment is essential for children with neurodevelopmental concerns, particularly before starting school. In public health systems, long wait times for multidisciplinary assessments disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, especially those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. To address this, the South Western Sydney (SWS) Local Health District introduced 'School Starter Blitz' clinics-targeted initiatives prioritising school-entry-age children for diagnostic assessment.
methodsThis retrospective cohort study analysed data from October 2022 to September 2024 for children aged 1 to 16 years referred to the Child Development Assessment Service (CDAS) with the objective of assessing impact of Blitz intervention on waiting times. Blitz clinics were held during 4 targeted months. Structured phone screening prioritised children nearing school age, particularly those without previous diagnoses. Demographic, clinical, and service-use data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
resultsOf 1957 eligible children, 23.5% were assessed during Blitz months. These children were more likely to be younger (≤5.5 years), first-time patients, without prior diagnoses and classified as high priority at the time of referral triage (39% vs 22%,
conclusionThe 'School Starter Blitz' effectively prioritised younger, first-time children from CALD backgrounds for developmental assessment. It represents a feasible and scalable service redesign that improves access and reduces delays in assessment. However, successful implementation requires investment in administrative support and staff satisfaction. The findings also underscore the persistent influence of the Inverse Care Law in public health access. Broader adoption of this model has the potential to enhance both equity and efficiency across public health systems.
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