Child & Family Health Nursing Service

How to Access the Service- How to make an Appointment with Child and Family Health Nursing Service

  • The Community Care Intake Service will assist with information regarding your nearest and most appropriate service and make appointments, call 1800 654 324 launch.
  • To book an appointment with the Child and Family Health Nursing Clinic, complete the referral form. Form Launch

Or use QR Code

  • We know the first 2000 days of life (from conception to 5 years) is a critical time for a child’s health. What happens during these early days set the foundation and is key to supporting the best start for your child.

Blue Book

Personal Health Record -English

The OOHC Health Pathway Program support the health of children and young people in out of home care?

Children and young people entering statutory OOHC are referred to commence a primary health assessment as soon as possible, ideally within 30 days of a child or young person entering care.

These assessments are undertaken by a range of health care providers, including Child and Family Health Nurses. the child’s health, development, immunisations and wellbeing are assessed. Early identification and recommended interventions aim to improve responses and outcomes to the health needs of children in OOHC.

After the primary health assessment, the health professional may then refer the child or young person for a comprehensive multidisciplinary health assessment. Based on these assessments, each child or young person has a Health Management Plan developed for/with them. The Health Management Plan identifies their state of health, recommended interventions, and appropriate review process.

What can carers expect?

Carers will be contacted by a health staff member from the child or young person’s local health district to organise a primary health assessment after the child/young person enters care.

Importance of health and development checks (blurb??) LTSAE

Regular health and development checks are important to track your child’s growth and development with the aim to help identify potential problems as early as possible, initiate early referral to most appropriate service and early commencement of supportive therapy if needed.

Before each health check at your Child and Family Health Centre, it is important that parents read and answer the development questions in the Blue Book sections called Learn The Signs. Act Early.

Learn The Signs. Act Early is a tool in your child’s Blue Book that parents are encouraged to use to learn about their child’s growth and physical development. The Blue Book is a valuable resource that is given to all families by the hospital prior to hospital discharge.

NOTE: Screening Checks can never be 100% accurate. Sometimes there maybe a new concern identified after your child has had their health check. This is why it is important to attend all listed health checks and to complete the questions at different ages.

 

  • What services do Child & Family Health Nurses provide?
  • Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) provides free services for families, babies and children in a variety of settings including Child and Family Health Clinics, Outreach Clinics, and home visiting settings.
  • We offer Free services for children 0 – 5 years old.
  • 1-4 week child Health check either in the home or clinic

Who we are:

Child and Family Health Nurses are Registered Nurses with additional Speciality Qualifications in Child and Family Health Nursing.

What We Do:

Child and Family Health Nurses provide health and developmental checks for infants and young children, childhood immunisations, promote responsive parenting, and support emotional wellbeing. We aim to provide the best possible outcomes for children and their families.

Child and Family Health services provide a FREE service for all new parents and families with children 0-5 years in Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD).

After the birth of your baby a Child and Family Health Nurse will contact you to offer you a Home Visit appointment for your baby’s 1-4 week Health Check. If preferred, this first Health Check can be completed at a Child and Family Health Clinic.

Child and Family Health Nurses provide services in the home, at a Child and Family Health Clinic or by a Virtual Care (Telehealth Appointment.)

Your child and family health nurse can provide support, guidance, and information on:

  • infants/child’s physical growth and development
  • breastfeeding and infant/child feeding
  • Adjustment to parenting
  • Sleep, crying and settling strategies.
  • Immunisation
  • Safety
  • Parent own wellbeing
  • Parent Groups are available in some MLHD areas.

INTERPRETER SERVICE AVAILABLE

A free and confidential interpreter service is available:                                                                    

Interpreter Service Phone Number:   ●131 450         

  • Who will provide the home visit?
  • What happens at the home visit?
  • Why do nurses visit the home?
  • Ongoing care
  • Monitoring your child’s growth and development Blue book checks
  • The regular scheduled checks in your child’s My Personal Health Record (also called Blue Book) have been designed to help you check your child’s development against the milestones for their age. The recommended checks can be conducted by a health professional For example your Child and Family Health Nurse or your doctor.
  • There are 8 key health and development checks that Child and Family Health Nurses can provide free between birth and age 5. The checks form an important part in ensuring your child’s development is on track and ready for school. The checks are highlighted in the Blue Book:
  • Blue Book (Personal Health Record) developmental checks Upload the developmental alert posters 0-1 and 18 months – 5 yrs awaiting NEW Milestones Matter Brochure- consider uploading that brochure instead of above
  • SAFE START Integrated Perinatal and infant Mental Health Program
 

Consider: at key points of contact, your Child and Family Health Nurse will offer you an opportunity to  Complete a Comprehensive Assessment, providing opportunity to discuss current areas that you may like additional support and referral to specialised services. 

  • What kinds of questions will I be asked?
  • Why am I asked these questions?
  • What happens to this information?
  • SAFE START Multidisciplinary Case Discussion (MCD) Team
  • What happens after your baby is born?
  • Client Satisfaction Surveys
  • Add in QR code for feedback—Sam to add please
  • Parenting education and groups—MENTIONED ABOVE
  • Contact local centres for group sessions and availabilities
  • Eye Health:

How can your child access the StEPS program?

Murrumbidgee Local Health District will target preschools and childcare centres to offer all four-year-old children a free vision screening. You will need to complete a consent form and return it to your child’s preschool/childcare centre.

If your child is unable to make the vision screening day and are in the Murrumbidgee area, you can also attend one of our clinics, see below clinic dates. For further information to make an appointment, please contact MLHD Centralised Care Intake Service on 1800 654 324.

More information about the program can be found in the StEPS brochure 

  • Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening Program (StEPS):
  • Type in the information from the StEPS Flyer
  • My 4 year old missed their vision screen – who can I contact to arrange this?
  • StEPS information – provide a link to the Fact Sheets tab   ?????

 Immunisations: 

About childhood vaccinations

Vaccinating your child is the best way to protect them from serious diseases including polio, measles and whooping cough.

The NSW Immunisation Schedule outlines each dose of every vaccine that should be given to babies and children to provide them with the earliest protection.

Where can I vaccinate my child?

Vaccinations are provided by:

  • Child and Family Health Services
  • GPs
  • Aboriginal Medical Services

Contact your local Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055 about what services are available in your area.

  • See above
  • When should my child be immunised?
  • Upload the National Immunisation Schedule  ?????? It changes so often
  • Where can I take my child for immunisations?

General Practitioner can assist you with having your child immunised 

  • Link to the Services Directory tab
  • Interpreter Services for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families: keep add family contact numbers 
  • NOTE: Translations of The Blue Book is available in a number of languages- see page 5 of your baby’s Blue Book.
  • FREE Interpreter Services in many languages are available.

Our Interpreter Services include:                                                             

  • Telephone Interpreting Services
  • Phone: 131 450
  • MyVirtualCare Videoconference Interpreting Services
  • Building Strong Foundations for Aboriginal Children and Families in Narrandera and Lake Cargelligo communities:
  • Type info from BSF Brochure (pdf)
  • Upload BSF Referral Form word doc – can it be completed and emailed in the App?
  • Aboriginal Sustained Home Visiting Wagga:    currently not available
  • Brochure – type in
  • Services offered
  • Aboriginal Infant Maternal Health Strategy: Wagga, Narrandera, Griffith & Lake Cargelligo:
  • Upload AMIHS Referral Form
  • Upload AMIHS Pregnancy Care Brochure
  • Pregnancy Care for Aboriginal Families
  • Upload AMIHS Safe Sleeping Brochure
  • Safe Sleeping for Your Baby