Child Health Integrated Response Pathway (CHIRP) | Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand | Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty

Child Health Integrated Response Pathway (CHIRP)

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CHIRP are a team of public health care workers who can guide children and whānau with worries about child development, challenging behaviours, and possible neurodiversity such as Autism and ADHD.

We gather information to better understand the needs of each individual child so that we can link families / whānau with appropriate services for assessment and support.

What to expect

Your GP, school or healthcare professional might refer your child to the CHIRP team if there are concerns about your child's development, challenging behaviours, and possible neurodiversity such as Autism and ADHD.

We’ll gather information and learn what we can about your child.  If your child is at pre-school, school or kōhanga reo, we may also ask them to help as well.

We then bring together experts from our Child Development Services, Paediatrics Department, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services and Education.  Based on the information gathered we'll assess your child's needs and then recommend the best team(s) to support your child and whānau.

How do I access this service?

The CHIRP service is available for all our child/ tamariki, youth/ rangatahi.

Access is through a referral process

CHIRP referral form

Referral expectations

You may be referred into the CHIRP team by your family doctor, Plunket nurse, school, Hauora provider or another healthcare professional.

Please be advised that we are not an urgent service and there will be some waiting time after your referral.

If you require urgent support, please contact your GP or phone the local mental health crisis team. You can access information about a wide range of topics related to children’s health such as anxiety or sleep at kidshealth.org.nz

Charges

Government funding of health and disability services means that eligible people may receive free inpatient and outpatient public hospital services, subsidies on prescription items and a range of support services for people with disabilities in the community.

Check to see if you are eligible for publicly funded health and disability services here.

Services

CHIRP is a triage service for young people with developmental, attentional and/or behavioural concerns, that are of clinical significance, impact on the child’s functioning across home and educational settings and may be due to an underlying neurodevelopmental condition including autism, ADHD and/or intellectual disability.

CHIRP is a triage service for young people with developmental, attentional and/or behavioural concerns, that are of clinical significance, impact on the child’s functioning across home and educational settings and may be due to an underlying neurodevelopmental condition including autism, ADHD and/or intellectual disability.

Eligibility Criteria
  • Young person (individual) is 14 years or younger
  • Guardians have consented to the referral
Exclusion Criteria
  • CHIRP do not assess for learning difficulties, i.e. dyslexia, auditory processing disorder
  • ADHD will not be assessed for children under the age of 6 years
Patient must:
  • Reside in Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty


Referral to include

Comprehensive information will expedite the service response. Where available please include:

Medical check-up and referral from a GP

Any relevant family history (including family members with ASD/ADHD/learning difficulties, mental and physical wellbeing of family members, parental separation, loss, grief or trauma)

  • School information (which schools/preschool is attended and since when, educational concerns, academic performance)
  • Supporting information from whānau and other involved services
  • Parent Vanderbilt screening in case of attention, impulsive or hyperactive behaviours

  • kidshealth.org.nz Access information about a wide range of topics related to children’s health such as anxiety or sleep.

Contact Details

Te Kaumoana o Ruamano Building

Voyagers and Child Development, 106 Commerce Street, Whakatāne
(get directions)

Ph (07) 306 0788
Mob 027 261 9506
CHIRPwhk@bopdhb.govt.nz

Tauranga Hospital

829 Cameron Road, Tauranga South
(get directions)      

Ph (07) 557 5658
Mob 027 283 4768
CHIRPtga@bopdhb.govt.nz