Maternal and Child Health

Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and immunisation services are running. The team has a COVIDSafe plan and protective measures in place to keep our community and staff healthy and safe. 

Both programs have health screening questions you’ll need to answer when you arrive.

Please do not attend your appointment if yourself or someone in your household is unwell. Phone 5320 5720 to talk to the team or reschedule an appointment.

The Maternal and Child Health service will contact you when you are discharged from hospital to arrange a home visit.

After your first home visit, there will be nine appointments at key stages, including 2, 4 and 8 weeks; 4, 8, 12 and 18 months; and 2 and 3.5 years of age.

The nurse will check your child's health, growth and development, including hearing, vision, speech, and fine and gross motor skills. At each nurse appointment you can talk about your concerns or ask questions about your child and your parenting experience.

We can give you information about parenting and children, including:

• infant feeding and nutrition,
• sleep and settling strategies,
• child behaviour and development,
• family health and wellbeing, and
• support for the emotional wellbeing of new parents.

Call 5320 5720 to make an appointment.

Appointments are available at our six centres on weekdays:

• Ballarat: Girrabanya, 11B Steinfeld Street, Ballarat Central
• Wendouree: Corner Gillies and Norman Streets, Wendouree
• Buninyong: 208 Learmonth St, Buninyong
• Sebastopol: 183 Albert St, Sebastopol
• Bonshaw: 284 Morgan St, Sebastopol
• Lucas: 17 Coltman Plaza, Lucas

Appointments can also be made at the Girrabanya Centre on the second Saturday of each month from 9am to 12pm.

No appointment is needed to use the MCH nurse drop in services at:

• Parent Place, 39 Sturt St, Fridays 9.30am - 1.30pm
• Wendouree Children’s Centre, corner Gillies and Norman Streets, Mondays 1pm to 4pm

To see a nurse from our MCH services team, please contact our Family and Children's Services team on 5320 5720 to make an appointment.

The Victorian MCH Sleep and Settling Program provides families with the information and support they need to confidently respond to early childhood Sleep and Settling concerns using safe and effective strategies. 

Our free Sleep and Settling Information sessions focus on age appropriate tips and strategies to promote positive sleep patterns. All group sessions also promote self-care and wellbeing for primary care givers. 

Currently the City of Ballarat MCH service are offering group sessions for 0 - 3 months, 6 - 12 months and 18 – 24 months. 

Find out more and book online

For more Information contact our Family and Children's Services team on 5320 5720

You can call the MCH Line on 13 22 29 at any time. The line is open 24 hours and is staffed by MCH nurses.

The Maternal and Child Health phone app has lots of information for families and is available in 10 languages.