Have you heard of the Australian Paediatric Podiatry (APP) special interest group?
How did this group begin?
The APP began because members asked for it! Momentum has quickly grown from those early discussions and it was launched on 1 May this year.
Who can join?
Available only to members of the Australian Podiatry Association (APodA), APP membership is open to podiatrists with an interest in children’s health including diagnosis, treatment options, management and health education for children from birth to 18 years.
What is the focus?
Opportunities exist to share ideas, discuss current evidence and learn collaboratively. This community shares a key interest in paediatrics; aiming to help podiatrists to excel through:
- Ongoing education
- Mentoring
- Knowledge sharing.
What does it cost?
In this inaugural year, APodA members who join the APP group at the time of their APodA membership renewal period (between 1 May to 31 July this year) can become ‘foundation members’ and the annual fee will be waived as a one-off, but only if you join before 31 July 2021.
An annual APP membership will cost $55 from 1 August 2021.
When are meetings?
The APP’s first meeting is coming up on 20 July this year.
What will be discussed?
We plan to cover a range of issues in upcoming meetings, including:
- Lobbying for child health nurses to screen and refer for foot deformities to podiatrists
- Provision of foot health education to early childhood educators (and where to refer if concerned)
- Creating position statements on the importance of podiatrists being members of child health teams
- Creating a position statement on the importance of podiatrists in young adult diabetes services
- Educating podiatrists from external bodies, starting with the ‘paeds development tool’
- Exploring media opportunities to provide timely and evidence-based messaging
- Collaborating with our international peers around paediatric foot health
- Discussing APP member benefits.
What are the APP member benefits?
- Access to the online community forum, being APodA’s closed paediatrics Facebook group
- Reduced and/or complimentary member fees to the APodA's paediatric CPD events
- Marketing resources to promote a professional profile as an APP member
- Opportunity to be involved in the APP committee and national conference committee
- Opportunity to present on the topic of children’s health as a CPD presenter
- Opportunity to influence the scope of paediatric podiatry
- Opportunities to network with other podiatrists and stakeholders who work in the sector
- Receive support from other podiatrists who work in children’s health
- Opportunity to be involved in public education and awareness campaigns of children’s lower limb health
- Progression to specialisation in the field of paediatric podiatry through the APodA’s career framework.
How can I find out more?
- If you are not already a member of the Podiatry Paeds Facebook group, make sure you join!
- You can also learn more about APP and its terms of reference here.
- For general information on our national groups, head here.
