BACKGROUND

Since 2001, Aldinga Community Centre and City of Onkaparinga has run the popular and successful Healthy Heads program. This program is aimed at parents, teachers and students, and involves an educational program featuring the Itch ‘em character, and an optional whole-of-school screening undertaken by the local council Registered Nurse. In late 2001, it was suggested that similar programs be implemented in other areas of the State as the Healthy Heads – Without Headlice program. However, there were additional considerations for a generic State-wide program: under South Australian legislation, the responsibility to check and treat children for headlice lies with parents and guardians, so it was important not to give the message that this responsibility was to be taken over by schools or councils. Also, not all council areas have community nurses available for this type of task. Therefore a community-based program encouraging collaboration between parents, schools, community health services, local government Environmental Health Officers (EHOs), local General Practitioners, pharmacists and hairdressers, to coordinate community information distribution, seemed the most sustainable and effective approach.

THE YANKALILLA PILOT

The Yankalilla Healthy Heads - Without Headlice pilot promoted and tested this whole-of-community approach to headlice management by including parents, schools, community health centres, local government EHOs, local GPs, pharmacists and hairdressers.

The program components initially included an information package about treatment techniques and roles and responsibilities, a video for schools and local council on effective headlice treatment, and the support of a District steering committee to guide the program. These resources were tested and refined throughout the pilot program.

The program was launched early in the school year of 2002, and evaluated after six months.

More…

• Headlice: Prevention and treatment (121kb, pdf)

• Headlice: Wet combing and chemical treatment (245kb, pdf)

• Healthy Heads - Without Headlice: Management guidelines for the control of headlice in South Australia (23 page booklet - PDF 178k)

• Photo of headlouse and egg

• Class activities – a summary of activities and curriculum ideas (PDF 428k)

• Sample headlice policy – for schools and early childhood centres (Word document)

• Sample headlice management protocol – for schools and early childhood centres (PDF 209k)

• Developing guidelines - steps for developing guidelines for your early childhood centre or school