More funding is helping parents and carers access vital free parenting support when they’re unable to attend support services in person.
Minister for Early Childhood Education Jenny Mikakos has announced funding of $223,000 to extend Gateway Health to deliver its services for another 12 months, meaning it will continue until July 2019.
Parents and carers complete a six to 10-week program provided either over the phone or online supported by an accredited parenting support worker. The program helps build skills and confidence to respond positively to parenting challenges and raise happy, confident children.
This 24-hour service is targeted specifically towards people who find it difficult to access other parenting programs, like playgroups and other services such as fathers, grandparents caring for children, and families in rural areas.
Gateway Health delivers a range of health services, including aged care, disability services, relationship counselling, parenting education and support, Cradle to Kinder and Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies.
This support is in addition to the free 24-hour Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Line phone service, which is available for all Victorian families with children aged from birth to school. Last year, the Victorian Government invested a further $4.9 million in this vital service to boost staffing and be better equipped to attend to an average of 300 calls a day from parents.
“We’re ensuring families have the support they need when they need it through support programs such as Gateway Health and with MCH nurses taking calls 24 hours, seven days a week,” Minister Mikakos says.
MCH nurses answer the phone lines provide parents with support and guidance on a range of issues including nutrition, breastfeeding, sleep and settling, childhood illness, allergies and skin conditions.
MCH nurse Susan Bell has worked at the MCH Line since 1999 as a telephone counsellor, senior nurse and now manager of the service. She says this service is unique and highly important for parents and children.
“I feel privileged to work with families during such an important time in their lives. I enjoy working together as families grow, as parents adjust to the changes in their lives and their new role as a parent,” she says.
“The MCH Line is an important service for families as we are available 24 hours a day. Often families need to speak with a MCH nurse promptly and receive accurate support and advice.”
She said exhausted and stressed parents often called the MCH Line with their baby crying and unsettled.
“However we also speak with families who are experiencing a crisis in their life such as mental health issues and family violence,” says Susan.
“The additional funding in the Budget will enable additional MCH nurses to be employed at the MCH Line. An additional 20,000 more calls will be able to be answered by the MCH Line. The waiting times for families calling the MCH Line will also be reduced.”
For more information about the service, see: Maternal and Child Health Line