Maternal and Child Health

The Maternal and Child Health Service is a free primary health service, available to all families with children from birth to school age entry.  The service is staffed by Maternal and Child Health Nurses who are registered general nurses with qualifications in midwifery, maternal and child health.  Staff are employed by the Swan Hill Rural City Council and five nurses provide services across the municipality.

Maternal and Child Health Centres are "well baby" clinics.  Please do no attend the Centre if your child is unwell as other infants and children may be exposed.

Maternal and Child Health Services are located at:

The service offers an initial home visit to families followed by appointments / or drop in sessions at Maternal and Child Health Centres.  In Manangatang and Ultima we do not have a Maternal and Child Health Centre and all families are offered services in their home.

Appointment Sessions

Appointments can be made with your Maternal and Child Health Nurse for specific developmental assessments or for longer consultations if required.  Appointments are usually allocated every 30 minutes.  Appointments for 4-year developmental assessments are allocated one hour as this is a very comprehensive consultation.  Clients are asked to ring and inform the Maternal and Child Health Nurse if they are unable to attend an appointment.

For more information on Maternal and Child Health Centres and Hours of Operation, Phone (03) 5032 1636.

Services Provided

The Maternal and Child Health Service will:

• Make contact with each family soon after the birth of your new baby to offer our service
• Try to meet families in Swan Hill with a new baby prior to discharge from Swan Hill District Hospital
• Offer a home visit to all families with a new baby after discharge from hospital
• Provide families with information about the service
• Invite all new first time mothers to New Parents Group
• Provide information and support for;
• Breastfeeding
• Sleep and settling
• Routines
• Nutrition
• Child health and development
• Play
• Child accident and injury prevention
• Maternal health
• Parent-child relationships
• Immunisation
• Information on support agencies
• Information on local services

Visits - How Often?

There is a recommended minimum number of visits for all children to check their growth and development at key ages.  These visits are intended to support you in keeping yourself and your baby well and provide the opportunity for any potential problems to be dealt with promptly.  These visits include:

• Home Visit (birth)
• 2 weeks
• 4 weeks
• 8 weeks
• 4 months
• 8 months
• 12 months
• 18 months
• 2 years
• 3 1/2 years - 4 years

Swan Hill Rural City Council provides unlimited access to the Maternal and Child Health Service and families can attend as often as they wish.  They are not limited to the key age and stage visits listed.

Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Service

This is home-based Maternal and Child Health Service for families experiencing early parenting difficulties.  This service can provide more intense support than the regular program and can be valuable for babies with feeding and settling problems, vulnerable women including young mothers, families in crisis and parents with health concerns.  The Maternal and Child Health Nurses have some flexibility to offer this service to families if necessary.

New Mothers Group

First time mothers are invited to join New Mothers Groups.  The groups provide an opportunity to meet and socialise with other new mothers and their babies as well as receive relevant health and parenting information.  Groups are conducted over an eight week period on Wednesday afternoons from 1.30 pm - 3.30 pm at the Maternal and Child Health Centre, 154 Curlewis Street, Swan Hill.

Nutrition Consultant

One of the Maternal and Child Health Nurses is a qualified Lactation Consultant and is available to assist any Maternal and Child Health clients with breastfeeding.  Please call (03) 5032 1636 to schedule an appointment or telephone consultation.

Group Triple P

Triple P is a Positive Parenting Program that promotes good communication and strong relationships between parents and children.

Group Triple P is an eight week program consisting of four weeks of group work followed by 4 weeks of follow-up phone consultations.  During the four weeks of group work, parents learn:

The four weeks of follow-up phone consultations will provide individualized support for parents as they start using the skills learned in group sessions.

Interested in doing this program?

Swan Hill Rural City Council offers this program through the Maternal and Child Health Service.  The program is free of charge but families are asked to buy a parent workbook at a cost of $20.  Groups are held in the afternoon and evenings throughout the year at the Maternal and Child Health Centre, 154 Curlewis Street, Swan Hill.  We will conduct groups at locations throughout the municipality if we have sufficient demand.  Parents need to commit to attending all four of the group sessions in order for the information to be covered as intended.  The weekly follow-up phone consultations can be arranged at mutually convenient times.

To register for the program or obtain further information, please contact your MCH Nurse or:

24 Hour Maternal and Child Health Telephone Service 13 22 29

Is a 24 hour service provided by the Victorian State Government.  It is staffed by Maternal and Child Health Nurses to provide information about infants and children.