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Our free Maternal and Child Heath Nurse run programs offer different options and supports for families to address sleep concerns for children aged 0-5 years.

Supporting young families

two maternal and child health nurses with baby measuring it's head

Early childhood is a time of significant change and development, providing a foundation for lifelong physical, social and emotional wellbeing. That’s why the City of Ballarat’s team of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nurses are available to support young families.

Welcoming a new baby into your family is a special time.

However, it can also be daunting, with parents and carers needing to learn new skills to care for the baby while recovering from labour and functioning on minimal sleep.

The City of Ballarat’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services exist to provide support to parents and young children during this important time of transition, all the way through to when the child starts school.

From sleep and settling support, to immunisation and connection to parent’s groups, Maternal and Child Health Coordinator Belinda Joyce and all of the other MCH nurses at the City of Ballarat are here to support families to give their children the best start in life.

Monitoring growth for a healthy future

A key part of the role of the City of Ballarat’s MCH nurses is to monitor children’s health and development progress, Belinda says.

"The MCH program consists of 10 key age and stages consultations with an MCH nurse,” she says.

They include an initial home visit, and consultations at two, four and eight weeks, and four, eight, 12 and 18 months, and at two and three and a half years of age.

“These consultations provide an excellent opportunity for families to raise and discuss concerns they have around their child’s health and development,” Belinda says.

“Families are offered information and assessment of growth and development, safety, feeding and nutrition, language and motor development for their child.”

Consultations are free and confidential and are supported by joint funding from the State Government and the City of Ballarat.

Support for the whole family

Despite what its name may suggest, MCH services are designed to support the whole family. After all, the health and wellbeing of other family members can also have significant impacts on the health and wellbeing of a child.

MCH nurses are uniquely placed to support families in early parenting, from birth through to commencing primary school.

The City of Ballarat’s MCH service can also help identify parental health issues and provide support and appropriate connection with other health services.

The Maternal and Child Health team at the City of Ballarat operate several services, including:

Universal Maternal and Child Health Service: key age and stage visits offered to all families, includes home visits and centre based visits.
Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Service: involves home visiting to families that have more complex needs.
Sleep and Settling Program: includes information groups, home visits and clinic visits for parents and carers of children to support them with sleeping and settling.
First Time Parents Groups: facilitated discussion with time afterwards to connect with other parents, these groups are offered to all first-time parents/carers to network, make friends and learn together.

The key age and stage visits are:

First home visit*
Two weeks
Four weeks
Eight weeks
Four months
Eight months
Twelve months
Eighteen months
Two years
Three and a half years

*Usually soon after discharge from the hospital.

Maternal and Child Health services Maternal and Child Health Centres

Appointments are available 9am-4.30pm on weekdays at the following locations:

Drop-in Maternal and Child Health services:

One Saturday morning each month
Drop in MCH sessions run at Parent Place every Friday 9.30am-2.30pm
Drop in MCH sessions run at Wendouree Children’s Centre every Monday 1-4pm.
Drop in sleep and settling sessions are offered at Parent Place every Tuesday 9.30am-12.30pm (No appointments are required for these drop-in sessions).

To book your child in for a Maternal and Child Health visit, please call 5320 5720.

For more information

Visit the follow pages:

Download the free MCH app for trusted information matched to the age of your child, at your fingertips:

The Maternal and Child Health app (MCH app) provides reliable information that families can use every day. The app can also track your child’s growth and remind you about upcoming MCH appointments or immunisations.

Page topics

Maternal and Child Health

The Victorian Maternal and child health service is a free service and works in partnership with families to provide support for their babies and young children from birth until they start school.

Home visits and consultations

Once your hospital or midwife has advised Council's maternal and child health service of your baby's birth, a member of the maternal and child health service will phone you to arrange the date and time of your first appointment. This is usually attended in your own home.

Follow up appointments will be in one of our six local centres closest to you, across the City of Ballarat.

There are 10 key stages of your child's development that you will attend a maternal and child health. These visits focus on optimising child and family health, safety and wellbeing, learning and development and include:

Home visit
2 weeks
4 weeks
8 weeks
4 months
8 months
12 months
18 months
2 years
3.5 to 4 years.

At these appointments 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 advice
Sleep and settling strategies
Child behaviour and development
Family health and wellbeing
Support for the emotional wellbeing of parents

Maternal and Child Health centres

City of Ballarat provides maternal and child health services from a number of centre locations across the municipality.

Appointments are available at our six centres on weekdays. Appointments can also be made for Saturday morning clinics that are run monthly.

To book an appointment please call 5320 5720

Drop-in Maternal and Child Health services

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

Mondays 1pm – 4pm
Wendouree Children’s Centre
Corner Gillies and Hastings Streets, Wendouree

Fridays 9.30am - 2.30pm
Parent Place
39 Sturt St, Ballarat

Sleep and Settling Program

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.

City of Ballarat offer a range of sleep supports for families, including free Sleep and Settling Information sessions, Sleep clinic, Sleep drop-in clinic and Home Visits.

For more information please visit the Sleep and Settling Program page

First Time Parents Group

Our First Time Parents Group is a group program offered to all new parents. MCH Nurses facilitate the discussion with time afterwards to connect with other parents, these groups are offered to all first-time parents/carers to network, make friends and learn together.