Rheannwynn Sneesby MACN

Child Protection CNC -Sydney Local Health District, ACN National Chair Children and Young People Faculty

Rheannwynn has extensive child protection (CP) experience and postgraduate qualifications in Child & Family Health Nursing. Her postgraduate work focused on CP, violence against women, health inequality and policy.

As NSW’s first CP Clinical Nurse Consultant Rheannwynn developed transformative child maltreatment processes in acute health settings. the Safer Kids Project (SKiP)has resulted in enhanced detection and response to child maltreatment in ED. Improvements to children’s health and wellbeing has occurred as a result of this. Rheannwynn has multiple awards and involvements at international conferences and expert panels. She is progressing multiple publications regarding SKiP and ED CP practice.

Rheannwynn is passionate about the contribution the nursing profession can make to a public health approach to child maltreatment. This includes ensuring that a cultural safety framework is used by nurses to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families in the system. As Co-Chair of the ACN’s Nurses and Violence Taskforce – CP Sub-Committee, Rheannwynn co-authored ‘The role of nurses in a public health response to child abuse and neglect’ and contributed to the ‘Coercive Control’ Position Statement. As Chair-incumbent, Rheannwynn is committed to enhancing the wellbeing of Australian children, adolescents and young people.