Maternal and Child Health Conferences Archive

Formerly known as The Saturday conferences the Maternal Child Health Conferences have formed a significant part for Maternal Child Health Nurses professional development.

The conferences are funded by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and are held twice a year. They provide an opportunity for the workforce to learn and be informed on a range of subjects and areas that impact on their work and to network across their profession, the tiers of government and academia.

2007

7 October

The theme for the day was "identifying outcomes and engaging strategies". Speakers provided information and insights into topics from engaging with families and children with a disability to reflective MCH practice. Overall, the day was very successful with evaluation being very positive from the 500 Maternal and Child Health Nurses who attended.

• Official Conference Agenda (PDF - 207Kb)
• MCHS Service Evaluation, Liz Forsyth (PDF - 335Kb)
• Culturally Inclusive Health Assessment Practices, Mary Gavranic (PDF - 272Kb)
• Engaging with Families and Children with a Disability, Jan Matthews and Meredith Rayner (PDF - 855Kb)
• Young and Parenting - Integrated Partnerships at Work, Heather Ploeger and Terri Bosna (PDF - 525Kb)
• Indigenous Communities Service Engagement, Simone Andy and Helen Kennedy (PDF - 483Kb)
• Reflective Practice Planning Tool, Sharon Foster (PDF - 468Kb)

9 February

The theme for the conference was " Positive approaches to Mental Health".

• Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Refugees - Maria Tucci (PDF - 80Kb)
• Responding to the Mental Health Needs of a Diverse Community - Wendy Jones (PDF - 36Kb)
• Childbirth Related Mental Illness - Dr. Klara Szego (PDF - 76Kb)
• The Baby as a Person: The Mental Health Needs of Infants in the Context of Troubled Relationships, Associate Professor Campbell Paul (PDF - 193Kb)
• Imagination Magic - Jennifer Taylor (PDF - 143Kb)

There were also several speakers who discussed the MCHS Key Ages and Stages Pilot Project:

• Marcia Armstrong, Maternal and Child Care Coordinator, City of Wodonga (PDF - 133Kb)
• Anne Colahan, Program and Policy Advisor, Early Years Services, Office for Children (PDF - 180Kb)
• Dr. Sharon Goldfeld, Child Health Advisor, Statewide Outsomes for Children, Office for Children (PDF - 201Kb)

2006

10 November

The theme for the day was "Strengthening Practice to Meet Diversity".

• Every child every chance: a good childhood is in everyone's best interests, Kym Peake (PDF)
• MAV/DHS Maternal Child Health Services Conference Best Interest Principles – Conceptual Overview, Robyn Miller (PDF - 420Kb)
• Working with Homeless Families: A Partnership Approach, Jenny Prosser (PDF - 517Kb)
• MCH - Investing to Build Capacity for the Future The Family Wellbeing Clinic: A complementary service to MCH, Libby Todd (PDF - 235Kb)
• Bridges Out of Poverty, Australia Handout Suppliment (PDF - 630Kb)

12 May

The conference celebrated the 80th Anniversary of Maternal and Child Health Services and provided an opportunity to celebrate as well as information on recent clinical evidence and current research with regard to Infant Body Mass Index and Vitamin D deficiency in children.

• Responding to Vitamin D Deficiency in Children, Helene Bell (PDF)
• Vitamin D Deficiency - A Family/ Environmental Issue, Dr Christine Rodda (PDF - 724Kb)
• The Infant Body Mass Index, Toddlers and Preschoolers, Dr Melissa Wake (PDF - 725Kb)
• MCH - Investing to Build Capacity for the Future, Francis Betteny and Elizabeth Ruschena (PDF)
• Reflections on the Maternal and Child Health Service (PDF - 5.8Mb)

24 February

The conference highlighted some key issues identified by the Maternal and Child Nursing workforce from a range of responses taken over the last year. It provided an opportunity to hear about new clinical work and developments that impact on the Early Years for children, namely the Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program; new guidelines for the management of drug use in pregnancy and birth and the early development years of the new born; and an infant sleep study.

• Victorian Infant Hearing Tool, Melissa Wake (PDF - 1.2Mb)
• National Guidelines on Substance Misuse (PDF - 357Kb)
• Impact on Infant Sleep (PDF - 324Kb)

2005

11 November

The conference looked at the work of the Office for Children providing an opportunity to highlight the new statewide plan for children drawing on the development of a statewide outcomes framework and monitoring system for Victorian children. It also updated progress on the Maternal and Child Health Service Workforce and Development Strategy and included the work on Maternal and Child Health Recruitment and Retention Project.

• Providing the Best Start for Those Who Need It Most, Jeanette Nagorcka (PDF - 1.1Mb)
• A Plan for Victoria's Children, Don Siemon (PDF - 356Kb)
• MCH…the way ahead, Cathryn Curtin (PDF - 356Kb)
• Maternal and Child Health Service Professional Development Needs Analysis, Clare Keating and Debra Barrow (PDF - 231Kb)
• Quality, Standards and Service Improvements, Dr Heather Wellington (PDF - 271Kb)
• Maternal and Child Health Workforce Project, Sarah Fagan (PDF - 696Kb)