Tuesday, 12 August 2025

Ministers statements: maternal and child health services

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:51): I rise to update the house on how the Allan Labor government continues to support Victorian families with the services provided at the wonderful maternal and child health (MCH) phone line. It was a pleasure to visit Susan and the team to hear about the ways in which their services are supporting families right across the state. The maternal and child health line is a phone service available to families with children aged zero to five needing advice on caring for their little ones. The phone line is staffed by a team of highly qualified maternal and child health nurses providing guidance on everything from breastfeeding and nutrition to parenting, child development and illness, and the phone line is open to take calls 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

When I met with the team it was evident that they all had a deep passion for supporting families and ensuring they do all they can to help babies get the very best start in life. With a team of nurses coming from communities right across the state, their knowledge of services and supports available to Victorian families extends from the city suburbs and right out across the regions. This year more than 100,000 families have accessed the service already, and this is a testament to the great dedication and wisdom our wonderful maternal and child health nurses continue to provide.

The MCH phone line is just one component of the Allan Labor government’s outstanding broader MCH service, which also includes the universal maternal and child health program, providing 10 key ages and stages appointments; the enhanced maternal and child health program, providing extra support for families with additional needs; and the Aboriginal maternal and child health program, delivered via our Aboriginal community controlled organisations. Additionally, the Allan Labor government is extending the support provided to families at this very critical time by delivering a network of 13 early parenting centres.

Maternal and child health nurses are just one pathway families can use to refer into the service of the early parenting centres for guidance with sleep and settling, child behaviour, and parent and child health and wellbeing. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to the wonderful MCH nurses right across Victoria. It is with their great dedication and calming reassurance that Victorians are supported to confidently raise their very precious babies.