Children and Families
Supporting healthy , connected parents and children from early development through schooling .
PARENT-BABY BONDING TO BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS
Family Foundations is an evidencebased program supporting expecting and new parents to build stronger relationships with their baby and each other , and better manage the challenges of parenthood .
Research shows that babies do better when parents co-operate and manage their stress . We provided telehealth and hybrid services to support parents beyond our traditional geographical boundaries . We also partnered with Murdoch Children ’ s Research Institute to evaluate the program ’ s effectiveness and impact .
What did we achieve ?
161 new couples supported through telehealth
145 % achieved of our funded target
doubled staff numbers with all achieving full accreditation to facilitate the program
finalist in the 2021 Victorian Early Years Awards
2 article publications through partnership with Murdoch Children ’ s Research Institute
updated our promotional material to be more inclusive of diverse families
Where can we improve ?
• offering sessions out-of-work hours and better managing waitlists to meet growing demand . Our plan for weekend sessions was delayed by COVID-19 restrictions
What ’ s next ?
• Saturday group sessions to increase access for families
• hybrid program providing a mix of individual in-home and virtual sessions
• short-term couples counselling for additional support after program completion
• Regional partnership to extend the program to more isolated couples in Victoria
• staff group work training to increase capacity
• marketing activity , including paid social media to increase new referrals
• offering complimentary evidence-based programs ( e . g ., Circle of Security ) to enhance family outcomes
“ It ’ s been a brilliant course to do . We are getting so much out of it . We weren ’ t enjoying each other and the negativity was spiralling . I think it ’ s saved our marriage .”
– Family Foundations parent participant
CELEBRATING
5 YEARS
OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SUPPORT IN REGIONAL VICTORIA !
This year we celebrated the fifth anniversary of our Ovens Murray Early Childhood Service ! Our partnership program with the National Disability Insurance Agency ( NDIA ) supports children under 7 with a developmental delay or disability , and their families , to get the right support when they need it .
Our team of highly experienced Paediatric Allied Health Clinicians and Early Childhood Teachers works with families across seven local government areas in the Ovens Murray Region in North East Victoria to get services that meet the individual needs of their child .
Our local knowledge and strong connections with service providers helps us link people with supports in their community , in addition to their NDIS supports .
What did we achieve ?
1700 + families and children supported with information , links to local and government services , early support and access to a NDIS funded supports
consistently performed well against the NDIA ’ s key measures and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants
solidified Merri Health ’ s role as a valued NDIA partner .
HEALTH SERVICES
What ’ s next ?
• continuing to support more families in the Ovens Murray Region
• ongoing consultation with the NDIA to make continual program improvements to meet the needs of young children and their families
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