Supporting Children of HIV-Positive Parents

The HIV endemic is on the rise in Australia despite the efforts government departments, healthcare providers, and community organisations to stabilise it and prevent new infections from occurring. The community of HIV-positive people is constantly expanding, with between 1000 and 1100 new diagnoses being registered each year from 2006 to 2010 (The Kirby Institute, 2011). The field of medicine has made significant improvements in terms of treatment options, which means HIV is no longer seen as the death sentence it once was (Lynch et al, 2012). People are living with HIV, rather than dying from it, with some living two or three decades longer than they ever expected to after being diagnosed. Given that people live longer and have an opportunity to lead a healthier and more fulfilling life than was previously the case, other issues beyond their health are now becoming increasingly important.