Systems approaches have become more and more prominent in calls to address child health. Systems approaches take many guises and come from multiple different theoretical homes. In this presentation we will describe the origins of a widely accepted approach to applying system science in community interventions. This will include some description of the development of the approach, methods underpinning randomised trials to test the approach, current challenges, and future directions.
These ideas will be developed with reference to funded trials and projects including NHMRC cluster randomised trials, capacity building and partnership funds and the VicHealth local government projects supporting municipal health and wellbeing planning and local public health units. Measured outcomes demonstrating impact of these projects will be presented.
The discussion will be rounded out with examples of international application of these methods and some reflections on the development of technologies and techniques to support community action in prevention. The talk will describe how system science has spread beyond initial projects in obesity prevention and is becoming a preferred approach across broader public health practice. Examples will be taken from multiple other projects.