News

Introducing the new Manager of St John of God Raphael Services NSW

Juanita Taylor has recently joined Social Outreach as the Manager of St John of God Raphael Services NSW. Juanita is a registered nurse and midwife with over 25 years’ experience in health care. We asked her a few questions to find out a little bit more about her.

26 May 2020

What interested you in the position of Raphael Services NSW Manager?

Initially I was looking to make a change within my career by venturing away from the public sector, where I have worked for 25 years.

Raphael Services provides care to vulnerable families - something I had also provided within my midwifery career and this resonated with me. I love that it is not-for-profit! Providing free mental health service really attracted me to the role as I ultimately want to give back to the community. This was the core reason I became a nurse and a midwife over 25 years ago.

Why do you think it’s important to provide mental health care to new parents?

I truly believe that the work we do with families at the beginning of their parenting journey affects future generations. Raphael Services strives to set families up for good relationships with their children, thus impacting and improving greatly their lives. Attachment theory shows us that building positive parent-child relationships leads to better outcomes for all involved. When we lay good foundations in families it can also prevent a multitude of health issues in the future.

What are you most looking forward to in your role?

Within my first few weeks, I have already seen an enormous potential to reach out further within the communities we currently care for and beyond. The team’s resilience has been demonstrated during this difficult time of COVID 19 through the implementation of telehealth to ensure the continuation of care for clients. This shows not only flexibility but also passion for the work we do. I am excited to work with these caregivers who are so dedicated to the care they provide.

What roles do you currently have in your team?

Currently we have a mix of roles. There are three administration caregivers who are working tirelessly to assist the clinical caregivers who are currently working from home. The clinical caregivers within the team include: two psychiatrists; one fellow; one registrar; three nurses; three psychologists; and one social worker. It is a great mix of different disciplines, who are able to share their vast clinical experience to provide exceptional care to our families.