The National Public Health Partnership’s (NPHP) Child and Youth Health Intergovernmental Partnership (CHIP) provides a focus for policy advice and national coordination on public health issues for children and young people.

CHIP is an intergovernmental forum working together to provide a policy focus on a nationally agreed and coordinated effort for improved child and youth health outcomes. Its members represent all state, territory and Australian governments, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Public Health Association of Australia.

Major focus of CHIP

The key focus for CHIP has been the development of the National Public Health Strategic Framework for Children 2005-2008, which was endorsed by Australian Health Ministers at the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference on 28 July 2005.

The Strategic Framework:

• Aims to strengthen the systems to support health promotion and illness prevention for children aged 0-12 years, including maternal health and wellbeing during the antenatal period.

• Addresses public health issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

• Examines what the health sector can do through local state, territory and Australian governments and non-government organisations working together.

• Provides a coordinating link for the strategic effort across the various settings and systems involved in the health of children