Early parenting centre on the way

WORKS are underway in Lucas to build a new Ballarat Early Parenting Centre.

Funded by the State Government, the facility will be operated by Grampians Health staff to help parents and carers nurture the health and development of their children, and include 10 residential family units for overnight stays, and four-day treatment spaces.

Centre staff will have a particular focus on feeding, sleep routines and settling, play therapy, and any additional care babies and toddlers may need.

Grampians Health CEO Dale Fraser said families will be able to get the treatment they need close to home, rather than travelling to Melbourne.

“The development is a fantastic opportunity to bring together the best that Ballarat’s got to offer for our region in facilities, and services that are contemporary,” he said.

“We’re delighted that we’ve been blessed with the investment. It’s a substantial step forward for paediatric and parental care.

“Anybody who’s had a child with challenging sleep patterns will understand this is a welcome relief to their ability to be the best possible parent they can be. The formative years… cannot be underestimated.”

Grampians Health is partnering with Melbourne’s Queen Elizabeth Centre on service provision, and it is expected the facility will open by the end of 2023.

Acknowledging how rewarding having a child can be, Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said parenting can also be tough.

“It’s why we’re expanding Early Parenting Centres across Victoria to support more than 5000 extra families every year, so they get the help they need close to home,” she said.

Ms Thomas also said she expects the centre will be an attractive workplace for paediatricians, nurses, and maternal child health staff.