Maternal & Child Health

What is the Maternal and Child Health Service?

The Maternal and Child Health Service is a free service funded jointly by the Victorian Government and local government and is delivered for families with children from birth to school age. Maternal and Child Health centres are staffed by registered nurses with qualifications in midwifery, and family and child health. 

The service aims to promote the health, wellbeing, learning and development of young children and their families; and to detect health and wellbeing problems early.

More specifically, at a Maternal and Child Health Service you can:

• get information, support and advice on a variety of topics, including parenting, child health, development and learning, child behaviour, immunisation, breastfeeding, nutrition, safety and family planning
• attend at specific times during your child's early years for a one-on-one consultation that includes a health and development review
• take advantage of additional activities, for example first-time parent groups and educational sessions tailored to your family's needs and circumstances
• get help to make contact with local services, such as Early Parenting centres, if you need extra assistance
• participate in a parent group where you can get information and meet other parents in the local area.

Phone 1800 552 902 for Corangamite Shire Maternal & Child Health appointments

Maternal & Child Health Line (24 Hours): 132 229

How do I access the service?

There are seven Maternal and Child Health Centres throughout the Shire.

Please ring 1800 552 902 to make an appointment at any of the Maternal & Child centres.

For further help and support you can call the Maternal & Child Health Line 132229 . This service operates 24 hours a day every day of the year.

COVID and Maternal & Child Health Services

Hi to all our families.

Letting you know that Maternal and Child Health visits are now back to face-to-face at centre and home visits. While there is still COVID-19 and other viral illnesses circulating we encourage you to stay home until exclusion periods are over and family members are recovered. 

While we encourage you to rebook appointments, if there is a family illness we also offer and encourage a telehealth or phone consult with the MCH nurse should you have any concerns about your baby or child.

Sanitiser is available at all centres for your use and extra cleaning is still in place.

Our MCH groups are also back to normal and these include New Parent, INFANT nutrition/active play, Sleep Settling and Circle of Security. Supported playgroups are also running in Terang and Skipton. If you’d like to know more about our groups or book an appointment please call our MCH Administration on 1800 552 902.

The 24-hour statewide MCH line is available for families to speak with a MCH Nurse at anytime by calling 13 22 29.

Please keep the following points in mind when attending your MCH appointment:

• Call us on 1800 552 902 to book an appointment or reschedule.
• If you or someone in your family is unwell, in isolation or awaiting a COVID swab result please delay and reschedule your appointment. Remember our MCH Nurse can still offer you a telehealth or telephone appointment especially if you have any concerns.
• All families booked for an appointment will be contacted by the MCH service and asked to answer several COVID screening questions prior to attending.
• For information about how to care for someone in your family who may be unwell with Covid please see the following fact sheet Managing COVID-19 at home | Coronavirus Victoria

Further Maternal & Child Health services information is outlined by Better Health and this State Government flyer(PDF, 425KB). 

Key ages and stages

Visits to Maternal and Child health at key ages are recommenced to review the health, growth and development of your child. Your child’s progress is then recorded in their Child Health Record, which may help other professionals with the health and education of your child. Key visits also coincide with routine schedule immunisations, so parents in Corangamite have the convenience of a health assessment and immunisation in the same visit.

There are 10 key visits when a review of each child's health, learning and development is recommended:

• Home visit:  introducing and linking to local services and resources, such as safe sleeping education, breastfeeding support and parenting support
• At two weeks:  growth, development, safety, nutrition and feeding, hearing review and parenting support
• At four weeks:  growth, maternal health review, nutrition and feeding, parenting support and safety
• At eight weeks:  growth, development, nutrition and feeding, parenting support, link to parent groups, immunisation and safety
• At four months:  growth, development, nutrition and feeding, parenting support and safety
• At eight months:  growth, development, nutrition and feeding, parenting support, hearing review, safety and oral health
• At 12 months:  growth, development, nutrition and feeding, parenting support, safety and immunisations
• At 18 months:  growth, development, nutrition and feeding, parenting support, safety, oral health and playgroups
• At two years:  growth, development, nutrition and feeding, parenting support, safety and kindergarten enrolment
• At three-and-a-half years:  growth, development, nutrition and feeding, parenting support, safety, oral health, vision screening and kindergarten information

Some families require additional support and may want to use the service at other times by arrangement.

First time parents group

Becoming a parent for the first time can be a challenging yet exciting time. To help first time parents get the support they need, the Maternal and Child Health Service runs 'first time parents groups'. These groups enable first time parents to meet together in a relaxed and supportive environment.

The groups are facilitated by Maternal and Child Health nurses and guest speakers who provide Early Years Programs who will be happy to answer any questions you may have during these sessions.

Ideally parents join the program when their baby is between one month and four months of age but we welcome all first time parents with a baby up to six months of age. First time parents who have a child over six months of age can talk with the Maternal and Child Health nurse about the possibility about joining an existing older age new parent group.

Fathers are encouraged to attend the First parent Groups and any of our Early Years Services.

Helpful links and phone numbers:

For further information about the Maternal Child Health Service go to Maternal Child Health

Maternal & Child Health Line - 13 22 29: qualified maternal and child health nurses provide information, support and advice to Victorian families with children from birth to school age (5 years old) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Maternal and Child Health Line Service

Domestic and Family Violence 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 7328): www.1800respect.org.au/

PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia) National Helpline 1300 726 306: Monday to Saturday 9 am to 7.30 pm AEST/AEDT www.panda.org.au

Breastfeeding Helpline - 1800 mum 2 mum (1800 686 268): talk to a breastfeeding counsellor www.breastfeeding.asn.au/

Parent Line - 13 22 89:  this telephone counselling service is available to parents and carers of children aged birth to 18 years throughout Victoria.  They provide information and assistance on a wide range of issues, including those who are struggling with or finding the parenting role challenging.  They cannot, however, provide you with legal or medical advice. www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/parentline-service

Nurse on Call - 1300 60 60 24: this telephone service provides immediate, expert health advice from a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Nurse on Call

Poisons Information Centre - 13 11 26: for 24 hour-a-day, 7 day a week advice on poisoning, suspected poisoning, and mistakes with medicine, bites and stings. Victorian Poisons Information Centre.

Safe Sleep: red nose rednose.org.au/

Quit Line - 13 78 48: Exposure to second-hand smoke also causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke. There is no risk-free level of exposure to second-hand smoke. Quitting at any age has health benefits, with the largest reduction in health risks in those who quit the earliest. Many Australians remain unaware of the extent of the impact smoking has on the body.  www.quit.org.au/

Terang Day Stay
49 Bolivar St (opposite Terang & Mortlake Health Service), Terang
Telephone: (03) 5592 0284
This program operates every Tuesday in partnership with Terang & Mortlake Health Service.

Terang Day Stay will provide an opportunity for you and your family to explore any parenting issues you need support with. We care for families with babies, toddlers and children up to age 3. View flyer.(PDF, 271KB)