On March 27th, FOIA and HPN held the Come-Unity Interactive Session themed, ‘Children’s Health’. The event commenced with Acknowledgement of the Country by Dr Radha Govind, a specialist optometrist and HPN member, followed by a Hindi song about mother and child. It was sung by mother and child, Dr Radha Govind, with her son Sashwath Govind and Dr Neeta Menon, a geriatrician and HPN member.

Hindi song about mother and child. It was sung by mother and child, Dr Radha Govind, with her son Sashwath Govind and Dr Neeta Menon, a geriatrician and HPN member.

The first session was a theatrical presentation written and directed by Dr Vani Arjunamani, a GP and HPN member titled, ‘Train your Brain’. The cast of this production was aged between six and eleven. The play explored the Limbic System with six of the cast members representing different parts of the system through the eyes of Priya, who had her iPad snatched by her brother. Along come two brain tour guides who accompany her on the journey through the Limbic system. The rationale of the play was to enhance both the parents’ and child’s emotional intelligence to respond better when events do not transpire as their wishes.

The second session was the panel discussion with Developmental Paediatrician Dr Chitra Parab, Child Psychiatrist Dr Pravin Dullur and Child Psychologist Ms Bharathi Chikkananjaian (the latter two are HPN members) moderated by Dr Sindhu Revanna, a GP and HPN member. Topics included in the discussion related to anxiety, parenting, and typical development in a child. The audience asked questions through Mentimeter, which were then posed to the panel by Dr Sindhu Revanna. In addition, there was a video on Tuning in to Kids, an evidence-based program on parenting courtesy of Dr Sindhu Revanna and a role play by Ms Bharathi Chikkananjaian with the audience father and son on how to interact with a troubled teen well and not so well.

Ms Patricia Vaz conducted the third session from the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW titled, ‘Be Connected’. It encouraged community members to become digital mentors to train the elderly, newly arrived migrants on how to use technology proficiently.

The fourth session was on National Disability Insurance Scheme by Ms Malavika Sampathkumar, a social worker and HPN member. She outlined relevant stakeholders pivotal in creating the NDIS plan. For example, what is and what is not covered by NDIS and who is eligible. Councillor Charishma Kaliyanda concluded all the sessions across two days.