Move to Improve
Move to Improve (M2I) is a new service based at Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) that supports children and adolescents with ongoing health conditions to increase their participation in physical activity.
The service aims to work with children and adolescents with ongoing health conditions to identify and address barriers to physical activity and provide accessible, evidence-based, and sustainable opportunities to increase physical activity and improve health and wellbeing.
Move to Improve has been developed in collaboration by consumers, researchers, and health professionals, and is delivered by a multi-disciplinary team, who assist children and adolescents to develop and achieve their own personal physical activity goals.
Our team includes senior physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, dietitians, and psychologists.
Sessions may be held at the hospital or in the community (e.g. a local park or gym), giving participants the flexibility to improve their fitness, skills, and confidence to build long-term habits.
Currently, M2I is recruiting outpatients aged 5-17 living in the Perth metropolitan region with:
- Oncology – ambulant, at least 12 months from end of treatment
- Type 1 diabetes: diagnosed for at least 6 months
- Burn injuries: at least 6 weeks post-burn injury
- Cerebral palsy: ambulant (GMFCS I-III).
Participants must also be under the care of a PCH medical team.
Why is Move to Improve important?
Regular physical activity is essential for children’s growth and functional development. It also promotes physical health, mental health and wellbeing.
Despite the importance of regular physical activity, less than a quarter (23%) of Australian children meet current physical activity guidelines.
We know that it can be especially difficult for children with ongoing health conditions to engage in regular physical activity.
Barriers to physical activity can include:
- lack of access to appropriate service providers
- low levels of confidence and self-esteem
- fear of managing their health condition in front of peers.
The Move to Improve team work with children and their families to find ways of overcoming these barriers so that they can begin to move more and enjoy the many health and social benefits that come from maintaining a more physically active lifestyle.
Move to Improve will be tailored to participants’ individual abilities and physical activity goals.
What is physical activity?
Physical activity is any body movement that increases your breathing and heart rates. It can include incidental activity such as taking a flight of stairs or walking to the bus stop, or more structured activity such as exercise and sport.
The importance of regular physical activity
Regular physical activity – whether part of organised community sport or unstructured recreational activity – not only supports healthy growth and development in childhood but increases overall health and wellbeing.
Evidence shows that children who are physically active are likely to be more confident and resilient than their less active peers. Increased physically active can also improve sleep, learning and social skills.
Referrals
Referrals can be made by a child or adolescent’s primary medical team at Perth Children's Hospital and will remain under the care of their referring team whilst participating in M2I.
If you are interested in the program, please talk to your medical team to discuss the eligibility criteria.
Funding partners
M2I has been made possible through funding from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation. The Child and Adolescent Health Service and Telethon Kids Institute have also committed in-kind support for the project.
Download our Frequently Asked Questions to find out more about M2I.
Contact
P: (08) 6456 1111 (Option 6)