Maternal and child health services

MCH appointments are very important for your baby, parents and carers. Council is making every effort to continue to provide face-to-face appointments and drop-in sessions whilst complying with the Department of Health guidelines and ensuring families and our nurses are COVID safe.

Priorities are given to babies under the 12 months of age and 3½ year old appointments, however we aim to provide appointments at all key age milestones.

Our staff are impacted by COVID just as much as our community, cancelling appointments at short notice will be prevented as much as possible however may occur to keep our families and nurses safe.

If you have any immediate concerns, please contact the Maternal and Child Health 24-hour health line on 13 22 29.

The Maternal and Child Health team is here for you. To make an appointment or to change an existing one, please request an MCH Appointment.

If you are booking an MCH appointment for your child that is 3 ½ years old, please fill out this form: MCH 3.5 years (KAS) Development Assessment appointment

If your enquiry relates to an appointment in the next two working days, please call our team on 9404 8888 between 9am-4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

If you have a newborn 

When your baby is born, the hospital will advise our Maternal and Child Health service. A team member will phone you to arrange a date and time for the first appointment, which is usually done at home. Ongoing support is available through our Maternal and Child Health centres. 

If you have moved into the area

If you have recently moved to the City of Whittlesea from overseas or elsewhere in Victoria or Australia and have children up to school age, contact the Maternal and Child Health team directly on 9404 8888, Monday to Friday, 8:30am-5pm.

Key ages and stages

Health and development assessments are performed around the following key ages and stages:

• After discharge from hospital (home visit)
• 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks
• 4 months, 8 months
• 12 months
• 18 months
• 2 years
• 3.5 years 

What to bring to your appointment 

• Your child’s green Child Health Record Book
• A change of clothes, including spare nappies, for your baby
• A plastic bag for used nappies
• Clothes or bunny rugs to cover the change table and scales

The City of Whittlesea has 20 Maternal and Child Health sites located around the municipality. Please email mch@whittlesea.vic.gov.au or call 9404 8888 for any queries relating to MCH appointments.

Bundoora

• Bundoora MCH Centre - Bundoora Square Shopping Centre, 7/5 Nickson Street, Bundoora

Donnybrook

• Olivine MCH Centre - 995 Donnybrook Road (enter via Olivine Blvd),
  Donnybrook

Doreen

• Hazel Glen Child and Family Centre -  65 Eminence Boulevard, Doreen
• Laurimar Community Activity Centre - 110 Hazel Glen Drive, Doreen
• Orchard Road Community and Learning Centre - 121 Orchard Road, Doreen

Epping

• Boori Childrens Services - 21 Winchester Ave, Epping
• Epping Views Family and Community Centre - 15a Lyndarum Drive, Epping
• Galada Community Centre - 10c Forum Way, Epping
• Pacific Epping MCH Centre - Pacific Epping Shopping Centre, Shop 111, 571-583 High Street, Epping

Mernda

• Jindi Family and Community Centre - 48 Breadalbane Avenue, Mernda
• Mernda South Early Learning Centre - 2 Goulburn Street, Mernda
• Mernda Village Community Activity Centre - 70 Mernda Village Drive, Mernda

Mill Park

• Centenary Drive MCH Centre - 2/68 Centenary Drive, Mill Park
• Mill Park Drive MCH Centre - 7a Mill Park Drive, Mill Park

South Morang

• Mill Park Lakes MCH Centre - 280b Gordons Road, South Morang

Thomastown

• Dalton Road MCH Centre - 145b Dalton Rd, Thomastown
• Main Street MCH Centre - Inside Thomastown Library, 52 Main Street, Thomastown

Whittlesea

• Whittlesea Community Activity Centre - 57-61 Laurel Street, Whittlesea

Wollert

• Ganbu Gulinj MCH - 55 Macedon Parade, Wollert 
• Kirrip MCH Centre - Kirrip Community Centre, 135 De Rossi Boulevard, Wollert

These sessions don’t replace your child’s scheduled Key Age and Stage assessments but are suitable for follow-ups and review.

Breastfeeding support

Chat with a Maternal and Child Health Nurse or Lactation Consultant about breastfeeding, or any other issues with feeding your baby.

Open consultation sessions

These sessions offer an opportunity to visit a Maternal and Child Health nurse in between your child’s Key Ages and Stage assessments.

For more information on our drop-in sessions, locations and times, download our brochure here (accessible version available here).

Please note: COVID-19 guidelines currently apply. See the above COVID-19 update for the latest news.

We have a range of programs that are facilitated by professionals and aimed to assist parents, including a First Time Parent Group, Sleep & Settling program, and The Infant Program. 

First Time Parent Group

Our group is offered over 5 weeks and aims to support you in your new role as a parent. Invitations to join are sent to new parents via SMS.

Benefits include:

• increasing parental confidence and independence in child-rearing
• gaining information on child health and development
• meeting other first-time parents, sharing experiences and learning from each other
• establishing friendships and social networks

The Infant Program

The Infant Program aims to support parents with children aged between 3 and 12 months and has been developed by Deakin University's Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition.

All parents and carers are invited to attend age-specific group information sessions when their children are 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months.

The program will help you:

• improve your knowledge and increase your confidence to establish a healthy lifestyle for your child
• become a role model for your child by promoting healthy eating

The Infant Program series 7 – for babies born October 2021 to September 2022

Download the brochure here (PDF) (Accessible)

Book here for series 7 

Sleep and Settling

This program provides support to parents to better understand their child’s sleep patterns and cues and create a safe sleeping environment.

Please speak to the Maternal and Child Health nurse at your regular Centre or contact 9404 8888 to organise attendance at a sleep information session.

Commonly discussed topics may include

• Learning about how your baby sleeps and how it changes over time
• Ways to establish good sleeping habits through the use of different strategies and techniques for you and your family
• Recognising your child’s cues and patterns around sleep
• What other supports are available for you and your family.
  
  

Newborn (birth to 6 months) Sleep and Settling Information Sessions - Download brochure here PDF or accessible

Baby (6 to 12 months) Sleep and Settling Information Sessions - Download brochure here PDF or accessible

Toddler (1- 2 years) Sleep and Settling Information Sessions - Download brochure here PDF or accessible

Our Enhanced Maternal and Child Health (EMCH) Service is an outreach program providing additional support to families with children from birth to preschool age who may be experiencing challenges impacting parenting, relationships and well-being.    

The EMCH team is a multidisciplinary team made up of Maternal Child Health Nurses, Lactation Consultant & Early Childhood Professional, Adult Mental Health Nurse, Infant Mental Health Nurse and Social Worker. 

Our team provides support, listens to and actively works with parents and children around their issues or concerns. We aim to empower and encourage each family to identify and build on their strengths.  

Questions to consider:

• Are you worried about how you’re thinking or feeling?  
• Have you got concerns about your relationship with your partner or family?
• Are you worried about your baby/child’s routines or behaviour?  
• Do you need practical supports like being linked into community services?  

We can help with:  

• Early parenting  
• Child development  
• Infant and adult mental health  
• Family violence  
• Feeding, sleep and settling and behavioural concerns  
• Referrals to support and health agencies  

We also run specialised programs and groups such as:  

Circle of Security Parenting Program 

A free parenting program which looks at how parents can build their relationship with their children to enhance attachment.

Download the brochure here: PDF version and Accessible version

Book here

Baby and Me Parent Support Group

Suitable for mothers with babies ages from birth to 6 months

The group provides a safe and nurturing space we support you to be with your baby in a playful environment and make connections with other parents.

For further information, call: 8401 6205 or email: emchs@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement includes the Deadly Boorais and Deadly Families Program, which actively engages families and their children who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and supports their engagement in the Maternal and Child Health service.

The Maternal and Child Health 24-hour health line on 13 22 29 can give you information and advice about the care and health of your child aged birth to school age.

The Maternal and Child Health app provides reliable information that families can use everyday, and can be downloaded by clicking here. 

Parenting Support

Tweddle - Sleep and Setting Information​

Queen Elizabeth Centre - Early parenting services

O'Connell Family Centre - Early parenting centre

Whittlesea Community Connections - for financial aid, legal aid, family support, settlement services and emergency relief

PANDA - Perinatal depression and anxiety support for parents and families

Orange Door - A free service for adults, children and young people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence, and families who need extra support with the care of children

Other information 

Raising Children Network - Australian parenting website

Australian Breastfeeding Association - Breastfeeding support and information

Better Health Channel - provides information on a range of topics including sleep and settling

Kidsafe - child accident prevention information

Royal Children's Hospital - kids health information including fact sheets, videos and podcast episodes

Yarra Plenty Regional Libraries - library locations around the City of Whittlesea providing storytime and other events and resources for children