Maternal & Child Health

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The Maternal & Child Health Service is continuing to support families during COVID-19. All measures are being taken to ensure the safety of the community and staff. The MCH program will be delivered under the advice from the Department of Health (DHS).

More information: MCH Centres

For all Maternal & Child Health enquiries, appointment requests or if you are unable to attend an appointment, please contact us through:

MCH enquiry

Update

Maternal Child Health and Immunisation appointments are continuing face to face for all clients, along with First time parent groups, Sleep and Settling Groups and one to one Breastfeeding support

Telephone or telehealth appointments are available for families not able to attend the MCH centre.

An SMS reminder will be sent 3 to 4 days prior to appointments. Please read the full message as it will indicate:

  • Where your appointment has been booked
  • Date and time of your appointment
  • Any requirements for your attendance
  • Current COVID information 

Upon attendance at the centre we ask that:

  • People strictly adhere to social distancing of 1.5m in the waiting room and nurses' offices.
  • Please follow the directions of nursing staff at all times
  • Please attend the MCH centre wearing a face mask. Nurses will be wearing masks during the appointment. It is NOT recommended that infants or children under 8 years of age wear face masks, as per DHS guidelines
  • If you are unable to provide a face mask when attending, please let the nurse know and a disposable mask will be provided

Prior to your appointment and before entering the MCH centre, please read the COVID 19 questions and let the nurse know if any of these apply to you:

  • Are you currently required to be in isolation because you have been diagnosed with Coronavirus (COVID-19)?
  • Have you or an immediate family member been in contact with someone who is unwell?
    • or has a suspected case of Covid-19
    • or has tested positive to Covid-19 and is awaiting a negative test result
  • Have you or an immediate family member in the last 48 hours been unwell with any of the following symptoms:
    • High temperature
    • Sore throat
    • Chills
    • Cough
    • Shortness of Breath
    • Runny nose
    • Loss of sense of smell
    • Flu-like symptoms? Or any other known infectious illness?

Please call the central booking number on 9518 3662 or through the online enquiry, if any of the above questions apply to you or a family member prior to your attendance at the centre.

Face Masks

  • Please attend the MCH centre wearing a face mask. If you are unable to provide a face mask when attending your visit, please call the central booking number on 9518 3662 to change the appointment to telehealth or telephone.
  • It is NOT recommended that infants or children under 8 years of age wear face masks, as per DHS guidelines.
  • All nursing staff will be wearing masks during the appointment.

Breastfeeding Support Services

Face-to-face appointments with a qualified Lactation Consultant can be organised through your MCH nurse. These are booked appointments only, Drop-in services are NOT available. Read more: Breastfeeding support

New Parent Groups

All first-time parents will be offered face-to-face and telehealth. To join a group please speak to the MCH nurse or call 9518 3662. Read more: New Parent Groups.

Sleep and Settling

Sleep and settling services are being offered through telehealth and face-to-face day stay sessions. Read more about the groups: Sleep and Settling program.

Maternal & Child Health Service (MCH)

The Maternal & Child Health service offers a schedule of 10 appointments for children and their families from birth to school age. These 10 Key Age and Stage appointments include a home visit after birth, then centre visits at 2, 4 and 8-week, 4, 8, 12 and 18-month, and 2 and 3.5-year consultations. The Maternal & Child Health Service is a free health service available to all families living in the City of Monash. Families meet with registered nurses who have further training in midwifery and maternal and child health.

The MCH service provides information, guidance and support on the following topics and many more: 

  • child health and development
  • maternal and family health
  • infant feeding including breastfeeding and transition to solids
  • community information and local supports
  • safety and injury prevention
  • sleep and settling
  • toilet training
  • infant and child behaviour
  • child and parent relationships

Play ideas and activities for children

Council's services

For information regarding appointments, call the Central Booking Line on 9518 3662.

We are committed to being a child-safe organisation and have zero tolerance to abuse of children and young people. Please read Safeguarding Children and Young People.

Useful Apps

Free MCH App

The free MCH App provides a modern digital solution and a resource families can use every day for trusted information on child and maternal health.

Time-saving features include information on popular child health and development topics; click-to-call emergency contacts, prompts for upcoming MCH consultations and regular updates and messages.

Raising Healthy Minds

Raising Healthy Minds | Raising Children Network

Booking an appointment

To make an appointment, please call the Monash MCH central booking service on 9518 3662.  An interpreter service is available if required. If the matter is urgent please contact your local GP or nearest hospital emergency department.

How to get advice from a nurse

Maternal & Child Health 24-hour line on 13 22 29.

The MCH Line is a 24-hour telephone service supporting Victorian families with health and parenting concerns. If you wish to speak with a Maternal & Child Health nurse and are unable to contact us, please contact the MCH 24-hour line on 13 22 29.

What days are MCH centres open?

The days vary from centre to centre, Monday to Friday only. Hours of operation are usually 8.30am to 4.30pm and appointments are available from 9am to 3.30pm.

Evening sessions are available from 4.30pm to 6.30pm. Please talk to your nurse or call 9518 3662 to arrange an appointment.