Policy and Research

A range of documents have contributed to, and continue to shape, the Maternal and Child Health Service. These are available to assist maternal and child health professionals in the management, delivery and monitoring of their services.

Professionals should ensure they are also familiar with the standards which every MCH Service must meet, see: Maternal and Child Health Service Program Standards (PDF - 679Kb)

For information on the Maternal and Child Health annual data reports, see: Maternal and Child Health Services Annual Report

Protocols

Continuity of Care Protocol - a communication protocol designed to assist continuity of care for recent mothers and their babies during this significant period in their lives.

Reports

Evaluation Report Maternal and Child Health Service 2005 (PDF - 885Kb) - describes the findings of the evaluation of the Victorian Maternal and Child Health Service and provides a summary of evaluation activities, key evaluation findings and recommendations arising from that project.

Maternal and Child Health Nursing Workforce Assessment Project Report 2004 (PDF - 411Kb) - provides an assessment of the requirements for the Victorian Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nursing workforce. The study includes a quantitative analysis of workforce supply and demand, with projections from 2004 to 2012-13. It also provides qualitative information in relation to factors affecting recruitment and retention of staff to the MCH nursing workforce.

Melbourne Initial Screening Test (MIST) Evaluation Studies Report 1998 (PDF - 718Kb) - these three studies aimed to assess the test-retest reliability of the MIST, a new vision screening tool designed for use by vision screeners of pre-school children and to determine the positive and negative predictive value.

Parent Education and Support (PEAS) Program: Final Report 2003 (PDF - 418Kb) - discusses the PEAS Program which was a significant project regarding the impact of a number of simple interventions on improved outcomes for families from 1998-2002. The Program aimed to trial and evaluate a number of interventions suitable for delivery to parents via the Maternal and Child Health Service. The program itself comprised of inservice training for maternal and child health nurses, supported by structured resources for parents and nurses targeting common problems that many first time parents experience. The program's impact was evaluated through parent questionnaire which found that the PEAS Program had some positive impacts on families, but this was not the case for all interventions.

Professional Development Needs Analysis for the Maternal and Child Health Service Report 2006 (PDF - 1.9Mb) - provides a clear picture of the professional development needs of the Maternal and Child Health service and is consistent with the key thrust of the Future Directions for the Victorian Maternal and Child Health Service policy. It recognises the need for the workforce to develop skills in working with vulnerable families and those families currently under-represented in the service.

Guidelines

Maternal and Child Health Practice Guidelines 2009 (PDF - 517Kb) - this booklet covers the Department's piloted new Key Ages and Stages (KAS, also directly linked below) framework, guidelines contexts and definitions, information regarding prematurity and the promotion of health and development (also directly linked below).  The cover for these guidelines can be downloaded here (PDF - 187Kb).

Key Ages and Stages Service Activity Framework - March 2009 (PDF - 347Kb) - the revised KAS framework introduces a new approach to the ten KAS visits provided to parents and children by the universal Maternal and Child Health Service. The new framework sets out new evidence-based activities for each of the ten age and stage visits.

Key Ages and Stages Promotion of Health and Development - March 2009 (PDF - 283Kb) - this information is designed to support a facilitated discussion with parents about key health promotion messages. It will also ensure that consistent quality written information is provided to parents across the state. See also the Promotion of Health and Development pamphlets page.

Safe Sleeping Checklist - March 2009 (PDF - 249Kb) - a thorough list of of points to ensure babies and toddlers sleep safely. Also provided are topics for discussion with parents, with explanations of risks that impact safe sleeping. 

Best Practice Guidelines for Parental Involvement in Monitoring and Assessing Young Children 2008 (PDF - 2.1Mb) - these guidelines look at the research evidence and best practice regarding the monitoring and assessment of children’s development and wellbeing during the early years, and what role parents should play.

Communication Language and Play Guide (PDF - 245Kb) - a booklet providing guidance on how professionals can use the Language, Communication and Play Series to help parents engage their children, birth to 5 years.

Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Service Guidelines 2003-04 (PDF - 329Kb) - this collection was developed as part of a wide-ranging information management strategy being progressively implemented by the Office for Children (formerly Community Care Division) of the Department of Human Services. To date as part of this strategy data collections have been developed also in Office for Children's programs in family support, strengthening families and financial counselling.

First Time Parent Group Resource and Facilitation Guide for Maternal and Child Health Nurses (PDF - 634Kb) - focuses on the role of the maternal and child health nurse as a group facilitator. There are some tips for running effective groups and a series of sessions detailed. Nurses can select directly from these sessions for their groupwork or they can adapt them to suit the needs of their own groups and facilitation styles.

Maternal and Child Health Program Resource Guide 2006 (PDF - 897Kb) - outlines service delivery and monitoring requirements in accordance with the policy directions document 'Future Directions for the Victorian Maternal and Child Health Service'.

Strategies

Future Directions for the Victorian Maternal and Child Health Service 2004 (PDF - 478Kb) - directs improvements to the Victorian Maternal and Child Health Service aiming to benefit the health and wellbeing of young children and their families. It redefines the service within the context of new understandings of early childhood and innovative local approaches to the planning and delivery of services.

Maternal and Child Health Nursing Workforce Strategy 2004 (PDF - 303Kb) - this document details the workforce strategy developed from the four key strategy areas identified in the MCH Nursing Workforce Assessment. It aims to improve recruitment, retention and re-entry to the local government MCH Service. Some strategies may produce a more rapid but short term impact on workforce supply while others would be expected to produce a slower, but long term impact on local government MCH nursing workforce supply.