A community child health (CCH) paediatrician has expertise in the complex interplay between physical, social, and environmental factors, along with the human biology, that affects the growth, neurodevelopment, and wellbeing of all young people. They see the entire community as the patient, shifting focus to all children and young people, rather than simply those who they see in the clinic. There is an understanding that social determinants of health need to be considered in medical care with an emphasis on working with other professions to improve outcomes for all children and young people.

Community child health paediatricians are proactively responding to the increasing prevalence of infants, children and young people who are at risk of harm from various causes; who have been victims of abuse or neglect; who have developmental and behavioural problems; or who have chronic and complex conditions and special needs.

The four domains of community child health are child protection, social paediatrics, child development and behaviour, and child population health. The domains overlap, and while some practitioners practice in only one, they will still require understanding and skills from the other domains.

Community child health paediatricians:

  • Assess and manage infants, children, and young people

    Community child health paediatricians work with patients with developmental, learning, behavioural and emotional problems, disabilities, physical health issues, those exposed to or at risk of child abuse and neglect, and those in out of home care, with a focus on health and developmental complexity.

  • Work under diverse and challenging circumstances

    Community child health paediatricians operate in a diversity of environments to address challenging diagnostic problems, drawing on their consultative, diagnostic, and procedural skills. Community child health paediatricians work within the context of the family, school, and community.

  • Use a population health approach

    Community child health paediatricians undertake a variety of population child health activities encompassing needs assessment for child and adolescent populations, community rates of diagnosis, screening and surveillance, infectious disease control, injury control, health program planning, evaluation, and research including the quantitative and qualitative measurement of health outcomes and wellbeing.

  • Apply knowledge of health policies and services

    An integral part of practice is knowledge of government policies, programs and services and their philosophical underpinnings which affect the health of children, particularly those with additional needs.

The CCH paediatrician provides leadership and person-centred care with a focus on communication, respect, and advocacy for children. Professional roles include:

Addressing complex behaviour, mental health, and risk-taking behaviours.

Understanding the influence of adverse childhood events, child and family resilience, and intergenerational trauma on a child’s wellbeing.

Child and adolescent health equity. Community child health paediatricians improve health equity across all populations with a focus on priority populations.

Multidisciplinary teamwork. Community Child Health paediatricians are involved in multidisciplinary and interagency teamwork including support of primary health linkages.

Interagency partnership and communication. Community child health paediatricians demonstrate commitment to the multidisciplinary and multi-agency approach across government and non-government sectors to provide effective health service provision and management.

Advocacy. They use advocacy skills to gain a greater understanding of life course models, the social determinants of health and their impact on child health outcomes. Community child health paediatricians lead health promotion and advocacy through education, information provision, effective use of medicine and other preventive programs and advocacy.

Teaching and research. Community child health paediatricians show academic leadership through participation in teaching, training and research, and individual professional development through an ability to critically appraise literature, evaluate the evidence base for clinical interventions and population-based health strategies, undertake research, demonstrate computing skills, and continuing medical and other professionally relevant education.

Last modified: Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 3:43 PM