Location for Victoria’s first state-wide Child and Family Centre announced

A site in Macleod has been selected for Victoria’s first state-wide Child and Family Centre.

The new $7.3 million, 12-bed facility in Grieve Street, Macleod, will provide specialised mental health care and wellbeing services to children aged 0 to 11 years alongside their families.

Staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the centre will provide early intervention treatment and care in a safe, residential setting. Up to three families will be able to stay onsite while they receive flexible, family-centred therapy and support from highly trained child and family mental health clinicians.

The centre’s supportive environment will help families work through mental health challenges as well as intensive therapy and for issues like medication management, resolving disputes, school refusal and challenging behaviour.

The new facility is part of Victoria’s 10-year Mental Health Plan to achieve better mental health outcomes for Victorians and to save lives. It also responds to key recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health to provide tailored models of care.

The building will have private rooms and shared living spaces including a kitchen, dining, lounge, laundry, family activity areas, outdoor garden areas, along with clinical consulting areas.

The service will be operated by Austin Health, with site preparations set to get underway in coming weeks.