16 • 2019 • Developmental Observer In October 2017 we achieved our goal of becoming a NIDCAP Training Centre, this was nearly 20 years after Dr. Heidelise Als had come to Australia in 1998 to begin training in the Grace Cen- tre for Newborn Care at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney Austra- lia. Over this time we changed trainers to Dr. Joy Browne in 2000 and we saw many nurses, neonatologists and occupa- tional therapists commence training. In 2008 we had our first successful NIDCAP Professionals. In 2017 we had our first NIDCAP Trainer – Nadine Griffiths. The Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care is a quaternary service at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Western Sydney for the state of New South Wales. There are approximately 600 admissions each year of out-born neonates who require surgery in the newborn pe- riod. We work closely with the High-risk birth unit at Westmead Hospital across a one kilometre link bridge. We also have a close working relationship with Medipole De Koutio Hospital Centre Territorial Gaston-Bourretin Noumea, New Caledo- nia which is a special collective of France in the southwest Pacific Ocean, located about 1,210 kilometres east of Australia. The focus of care within Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care is for complex newborns requiring cardiac management and surgery, general surgery and specialist medical conditions with a focus on im- proving outcomes, effective pain manage- ment, neurodevelopmental assessments, expert psychosocial support for families and evidenced based medical care. There are approximately 150 staff members consisting of neonatolo- gists, neonatal fellows, registrars, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, educators, consultants, managers, occu- pational therapists, speech pathologists, physiotherapists, family support volun- teers, social worker as well as translators, administrative and ancillary staff. There is a strong and active clinical research unit with a focus on developmental outcomes, translational research, critical appraisal and quality improvement. In 2019 there were two doctorally prepared staff, Cath- ryn Crowle and Natalie Fairbairn both OTs and NIDCAP Professionals. Cur- rently there are three nurses undertaking doctoral studies and the majority of nurses have a post-graduate qualification. Families are very important in our NIDCAP Training Centers Around the World Australasian NIDCAP Training Centre- Sydney Australia NIDCAP Professionals, Kristen James Nunez, Jane Pettigrew, Nicola Oste, Nadine Griffiths (NIDCAP Trainer), Catherine Turner, Joy Browne (APIB Trainer), Kim Psaila, Kaye Spence (Co-director) Developmental Observer • 2019 • 17 team and we have an open access policy for their participation. They are welcome during ward rounds and their contribu- tion is encouraged. A Parent Advisory Council was established nearly 20 years ago and has evolved in various forms. We value parent feedback and work with them on ideas for improvement. In 2018 a Family Support Volunteer program was introduced to enable families to use the volunteers when unable to be with their baby and to entertain siblings to allow parents more one on one time with their baby when in the unit. In establishing the Training Centre we decided on a structure that could ensure sustainability of the centre. Two co-directors, Alison Loughran-Fowlds and Kaye Spence were appointed. At the same time a Board of Directors were appointed to oversee the work and financial costs of the Centre. The current Board consists of: Angela Casey (Nurse Manager), Robert Halliday (Neonatologist representative), Kristen James Nunez (NIDCAP Profes- sional representative), Cathryn Crowle (Allied Heath Representative), Eleni Gerassis (Parent representative), Nadine Griffiths (NIDCAP Trainer), Gordon Thomas (Head, Department of Surgery), Daphne D-Cruz (neonatologist for external organisation) and Donna Waters (Dean, Sydney Nursing School, Sydney University). The meetings are held quar- terly and chaired by the Co-directors. The centre is very active and, since establishment in 2017, there have been six successful NIDCAP Professionals com- plete their training. NIDCAP Training is planned on a tier system with applicants required to have completed both FINE 1 and FINE 2 prior to commencement. To date 13 FINE 1 courses have been deliv- ered with 435 participants from all eight states and territories as well as Indonesia. Six FINE 2 programs have been held with 46 participants. The FINE programs are taught and mentored by NIDCAP Profes- sionals under the leadership of the Trainer Nadine Griffiths. The centre has a Facebook page and webpage which is very active and used to promote the work of the centre, NIDCAP and developmental care strategies. Excit- ing strategies are used to ensure all babies, families and staff are aware of specific benefits based on scientific evidence. Ini- tiatives include ‘Light it Purple’ for World Prematurity Day, Kangaroo-a-thon, Read- a-thon, Mothers’ day, as well as a monthly newsletter with updated information. We are actively involved in fundraising initia- tives supported by Eleni Gerassis, our parent representative. Staff and families have participated in the Race for Grace (keeping stationary bikes running for 24 hours), auctions and gala balls. We are very proud of our staff and this year Nadine Griffiths (NIDCAP Trainer) received the coveted Consumer Award at the annual hospital awards. We aim to be actively involved in the NIDCAP Federa- tion International and Kaye Spence has served on the Board of Directors and is the current Senior Editor for the Develop- mental Observer. Our team has attended most NIDCAP Trainers Meetings and has contributed with many presentations over the years. Last year we were delighted to have Joy Browne become an affiliate of the Centre as an APIB Trainer. Our goals for the future are to con- tinue to develop and expand as resources allow. We are planning for a second trainer to enable the training program to expand to other centres. There is consid- erable interest in NIDCAP and we are currently looking at unit design as we plan to move into a new unit in a new build- ing in 2021. This gives the opportunity to redefine our focus to ensure neuroprotec- tive care remains not only our focus but that of the organisation’s administrators and Government ministers. Parents are actively involved in their baby’s care Cathryn Crowle, OT (NIDCAP Professional) assessing Oscar at 3 months follow-up.