The enhanced maternal and child health program in Victoria has come a long way since its inception over 25 years ago.
Ann-Maree O’Connor was part of the very first cohort when the program was launched by the state government.
She began as the sole enhanced maternal and child health nurse in Hobsons Bay in 2000; working in the role just half a day a week, the rest of her time was spent as a centre-based maternal and child health nurse.
“The state government identified there was a need for vulnerable families to have more support than the standard key milestone and ages visits,” said Ann-Maree.
“Today we have a multidisciplinary team including a social worker, family support officers, team leader and two enhanced maternal and child health nurses; all working together to support families during a time of transition.”
Initially designed as an extension of the universal maternal and child health program, the program provides additional services and more regular support.
“We either go into the family home or meet at MCH centres, whatever works best for the family,” said Ann-Maree.
“By seeing vulnerable families regularly, sometimes as frequently as weekly, we can ensure they receive the help they need, whether it is warm clothes for winter, a safe car seat or cot, parenting advice such as help settling or feeding their baby, or a referral to family support agencies such as The Orange Door.”
The enhanced team works in partnership with families who are experiencing challenges that may impact their parenting by building on their strengths and empowering them to provide an environment in which their children can flourish.
Originally the program focused on supporting families with infants under 12 months old, but now the enhanced maternal and child health program extends services up to a child’s third birthday.
Families need a referral from the hospital, child protection or from a centre-based universal maternal child health nurse.
The program prioritises families facing challenges such as homelessness, domestic violence, financial insecurity, mental health issues, substance abuse, or young or single parents.
Ann-Maree enjoys the complexity of families and the challenges.
“Sometimes you have to keep persisting with visits for them to trust you. Often, maternal and child health visits are not their priority. You have to be understanding and flexible when appointments are cancelled,” she said.
“Rescheduling and continuing to show you care and providing positive feedback like ‘you’re doing great’, can make a big difference to a parent’s confidence and their health.
“We’re not trying to fix things; we’re trying to provide when people are the most vulnerable.”
Over time, the program has strengthened partnerships with services like child protection, mental health, family violence support, and early childhood education.
The updated program guidelines now provide standardised practices across the state to ensure consistent quality of care.
“When the enhanced team first started, there were no formal guidelines or documentation and everything was paper based. Now there’s goals that we have with our families that are documented that we try to achieve,” said Ann-Maree.
“The program has certainly transformed in 25 years!”