About

 

Sherrian is pleased to be able to bring her many years of Child and Family Health experience, expertise, knowledge and qualifications to parent/infant issues in the Hunter. Due to her wide clinical and lived experience as well as education, she has a warm, sensitive and non-judgemental manner catering for a diverse range of families and is inclusive of fathers.

Sherrian’s qualifications are:

  • Registered Nurse

  • Registered Midwife

  • Immunisation Nurse

  • CFHN

  • Bach. Nursing

  • Master of Nursing (Qualitative Research about First Time Fathers)

  • Graduate Diploma in Perinatal and Infant Mental Health.

She has now completed 2 year final training to become a Brazelton Newborn Behavioural Assessor (NBAS) as well as 6mth Newborn Behavioural Observations training (NBO) to be able to help parents understand their infant’s temperament, strengths and needs from 0-3mths of age.

Sherrian has been a Child and Family Health Nurse (CFHN)/ Midwife for the last 30 plus years in various roles and positions in the Hunter, before working in Sydney for the last 5 years with Sydney Residential Family Care Services as an Advanced Practice CFHN. She was the first Midwife Coordinator of the Post Natal Depression Service (ACE PND service) at John Hunter Hospital in the 1990’s and has maintained an interest and expertise in assisting mums and dads with PND.

Sherrian was also the first Clinical Co-ordinator/ Nurse Unit Manager (2) of the Hunter Health Home visiting service based at Kurri Kurri (Sustaining NSW Families Program) from 2010 – 2015 where she learnt further ways to assist parents and infants. Her work and education in Sydney has enabled consolidation of all her prior learning and experience and enabled Sherrian to help parents in a practical way using infant mental health principles. NBAS and NBO training, NCAST Parent/Infant Interaction training and Circle of Security training have all helped to consolidate training further.

She is married and has 4 very different and diverse adult children and has lived most of her life in Newcastle, apart from completing Midwifery in Nottingham, England and working in Sydney at various times. 

Sherrian’s aim is to provide help and support to parents in the Hunter by offering to consult with parents either by phone or in their home promoting warm, sensitive, responsive caregiving (feeding, sleeping, play) and gentle techniques for 0-3 year olds. At the same time, working with parents to tailor the best approach that meets their baby and family needs. This could be used to consolidate progress before or after a Sydney residential stay or as an alternative to Sydney Residential services.

Please see Health Professional Information for further in-depth information regarding ethos and principles of working with families.