Australian regional paediatricians have a responsibility to ensure optimum management of sick children and maintain optimal health outcomes for children and adolescents in their region. There is an obligation to supervise junior staff and doctors of other disciplines who may have little or no experience in managing traumatized and sick children and families appropriately. The scope of practice of a regional paediatrician therefore is far more than being limited to paediatric medicine, trauma and resuscitation, but is rather a mix of advocacy, service organisation, training, community liaison and clinical paediatric medicine.