Pioneering clinic on Cork's northside has supported health and wellbeing of 2,200 kids

For parent Niamh O’Connor, the Kidscope Clinic was a lifeline.

“My daughter Roisin was slow to speak and walk and she had terrible balance. She struggled to emotionally regulate, and she was frustrated,” said Niamh.

“I had been involved with Let’s Grow Together since she was small. When my local GP gave me a referral to Kidscope, which runs out of the same centre, I couldn’t believe the difference it made.”

Roisin was seen quickly and thoroughly at the Kidscope clinic, a paediatric-led service in Knocknaheeny. From there, she was referred immediately to the relevant health professionals.

“Usually, a diagnosis of dyspraxia doesn’t get made until the child is around nine, and maybe struggling with joined-up handwriting.

My daughter is a very happy child thanks to the support she received early.

“The school, Scoil Aiseiri Chriost in Farranree, does everything they can for her too. Everyone works together.”

Niamh explains that having the service in the community is what makes the difference, every time.

“A lot of people don’t turn up to appointments in primary care services. This is for a whole range of reasons, but it can be down to fear. Kidscope supports the whole family.

“They care, reminding you of appointments, helping to ensure you have transport.”

The Clinic

Established in 2010, Kidscope is a consultant-led community paediatric clinic located in the north-west area of Cork City, dedicated to serving pre-school aged children.

Under the expert leadership of Dr Louise Gibson, the clinic has supported over 2,200 children and families, making a significant impact on child health and wellbeing outcomes. It is entirely unique in Ireland, as it is unusual for consultant doctors to work in community settings.

Katherine Harford, Executive Director of Let’s Grow together, one of the partners in Kidscope, explains that Doctor Gibson found rooms in the community 14 years ago, originally to give trainee doctors training, but since then it has grown into a hugely valuable early intervention centre in the community.

“It is incredible in that it is based on goodwill. People often ask who funds it, but it is run by people with a bit of foresight and flexibility within the health service – people who see the power of community and coming together. 

There are no dedicated funds for posts and so it has gone under the radar. We want to make it more visible as we believe it could be replicated across the country.

This is one of the objectives of the exhibition on the work of Kidscope, currently displayed in Hollyhill Library. It shows the history of Kidscope Clinic, the research conducted into its impact, common reasons for referral to Kidscope, and advice on common outcomes from the clinic.

The exhibition will run for four weeks and is open to everyone to visit.

“The research highlights the positive impact of the centre on the lives of children and their families over the last four years,” says Katherine.

“ A part of our ethos is to feed back to the community, to involve families and parents in research. This event and exhibition started off as being about that. Now we hope people pay attention to the proven outcomes for children when barriers are broken down between people who often work in silos.

“This exhibition is for anyone training in early childhood development, in whatever field. We don’t want this to be a stand-alone project.”

This would require adequate funding.

More Of What Works

“We need dedicated, ring-fenced allied health professionals, from occupational and speech and language therapists to family support workers. We need them to have dedicated time in their week,” said Katherine.

The system is a simple one, as Katherine outlines it.

“The public health nurses refer the children into this clinic. They know the nature of the challenges being experienced by the child and the family. It is a wraparound service and there is no wait time, maybe only a few weeks.

“It really is a breath of fresh air for families, getting to speak to the right people in a timely manner.

While this clinic can’t fix the system, it brings children in a lot earlier. Typically, children’s needs go unnoticed for too long. They are only flagged when there is a behavioural concern. We are getting there much earlier and getting them into referral pathways quicker.

The referral can be for any reason – be it social, emotional, clinical, or physical. It is practical too as it is in the community, with people with whom the families are comfortable.

“We try to model a service that we want families to experience, one that is empathetic and non-judgemental. Most people want the best for their kids but get caught up in struggles,” said Katherine.

The clinic works with children from birth to five or six.

“If there was more of this, there would be a lot less pressure on primary and secondary schools, because a lot more is known by the time a child starts school. It makes sense on lots of levels and is in line with sláintecare.

“It is timely, preventative, and in proximity to where children live.”

Niamh O’Connor, mum to Roisin, is clear in her message about the service.

A community approach is what works. Roisin was always made to feel so comfortable in surroundings that were familiar to her, and she is now a happy, healthy, and thriving child.

“I feel so blessed to live in this area because this doesn’t exist anywhere else in the country – it should.”

Dr Louise Gibson adds: “We can see from Kidscope research that bringing a paediatrician into the community works for children and families in giving them a good experience in the healthcare system as well as good outcomes. My biggest wish for Kidscope would be that even more allied health professionals will come on board to work in the clinic, so we can all work together and continue to have a lasting impact for children for many years to come.”