A collaborative approach has been taken to kickstart the program, with local general practitioner Corin Miller banding together with Eden Marine High School (EMHS), a number of public schools and some generous assistance via a Mumbulla Foundation grant for equipment.

The model being established will provide much-needed health services without out-of-pocket expenses for families, with some costs covered by Medicare rebates, and NDIS help for allied health providers.

Dr Miller said that access to care had improved drastically since 2019 when the region secured its first permanent paediatrician, but further work was needed to help ensure young people on the Far South Coast had access to adequate support and services.

"It's just that the backlog of children who have previously not had access to a paediatrician means wait times are long for 'non urgent' presentations," Dr Miller said.

"This is why innovative models of outpatient paediatric care like the School Wellbeing Hubs model are so essential."

One such hub was established at EMHS in 2019 in a repurposed demountable, providing a multipurpose space in which students could access ongoing care, removing silos between service providers, while maintaining involvement of those closest to the children in both school and family life.

Dr MIller said Eden Kids Clinic would work within the existing hub, and referrals would be generated by the school rather than a GP, with learning and behavioural difficulties or anxiety likely to be picked up on more readily.

"There is a lot of anxiety and trauma in the community following on from the drought, bushfires and COVID, and a real need for a service for under 12s was identified," she said.

There have been wait times of up to three years for families to either access similar services locally or travel long distances to do so, leaving children falling through the gaps.

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Services on offer at Eden Kids Clinic will include a GP, occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychology, oral health, audiology and other specialists as needed.

The clinic will also link in with non-governmental organisations such as Campbell Page and Family Connect and Support.

Principal at EMHS Viv Chelin said there could be a lifelong price to pay for some young people unable to access services early enough, and that the Wellbeing Hub had demonstrated "remarkable results" since then, with evidence of great benefits for involved students' overall health.

"Repetition makes all the difference, about 100 students now use the hub each term and having that regular support makes a world of difference, providing access to other pathways," Ms Chelin said.

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"The goal was to re-engage students, we didn't want them to lose whole days in order to get support. We also wanted to normalise students accessing support for their whole wellbeing."

Ms Chelin explained the hub was not a drop-in centre, and a formalised referral system within the school provided a structured support program, with end goals.

This will also be the case for the new clinic targeted mostly at primary-aged students which will initially involve Eden, Towamba and Wyndham public schools.

The clinic will hopefully be fully functional by the end of the year and Ms Miller said the plan was to expand to Pambula, Merimbula and Wolumla public schools.

"Ideally with funding we could set up similar clinics across the broader district, there is lots of need and not much funding, but we'll make it work," Ms Miller said.

The Merimbula-based GP has given her time to develop the new clinic and said many others had also generously contributed.

"I would like to thank the community and local health practitioners for their amazing support," Dr Miller said.

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