A step forward for early parenting centres

Local stakeholders Victoria-wide have been sharing their community’s priorities for the Early Parenting Centres (EPC) expansion project.

We’re currently planning seven new centres in Wyndham, Casey, Ballarat, Frankston, Bendigo, Geelong and Whittlesea. When complete, they will support the health and wellbeing of more than 5,000 extra families with children aged up to 4 years old.

It’s important that each early parenting centre reflects the needs of its community, and we’ve spoken to over 100 stakeholders across Victoria to hear their perspectives. This included local council staff, maternal and child health services, social service organisations, community health networks and Members of Parliament.

The information we’ve gathered will help us develop a service plan, which is a vital part of the development process. It ensures people living in metro and regional areas have access to services that meet their needs.

Each community has shared unique ideas on how an early parenting centre could work in their area. We heard that easy access to early parenting services is a top priority. This includes a central location, reasonable wait times for appointments, and services that are flexible in responding to the diverse needs of families.

Other suggestions included the delivery of complimentary health services on-site such as a paediatrics or occupational therapy. Several communities also reinforced the importance of the whole family being supported through their time at the service.

Once the service plans are complete, the next steps include exploring potential building sites and progressing the design.

We will continue to engage with community as we move forward with the project.

To learn more visit our dedicated Early parenting centres expansion and upgrade via program page.