2/4/03
Young mothers in the Swan and Midland areas now have access to a one-stop shop to assist with any concerns they may have in raising small children following today's opening of the new Midland Child Health Service premises.
Community Development Minister Sheila McHale said the Department for Community Development (DCD) and the Department of Health (DOH) had co-located their services for children and parents under the same roof.
"The move to co-locate the Best Beginnings program with the Midland Child Health Service brings together two vital services that offer children and their families timely and practical assistance," Ms McHale said.
"Our program targets first-time mothers who are often young and struggling with additional burdens such as social isolation, post-natal depression, substance abuse and domestic violence.
"The program provides support for mothers and aims not only to assist with problems they might already be experiencing, but to address issues before they begin to affect children and their families.
"The push to provide these services on a joint basis is backed by research showing the benefits of early intervention in the lives of children who are deemed to be at risk between infancy and three years of age."
The Institute for Child Health Research in Western Australia has compiled data from the Best Beginnings program since its inception. Its findings are backed by worldwide research highlighting the benefits of a concentrated effort in early childhood.
Ms HcHale said early intervention programs built on the principle that the first three years of a child's life were the most critical in terms of developing secure and healthy foundations for later life.
"The more positive a child's early experiences are, the more likely it is that their later experiences will also be positive," she said.
"Good beginnings lead to good outcomes."
The Minister said the co-location would provide an expanded network, which increased the likelihood of services reaching those who most needed them.
"It is a excellent example of goodwill and collaboration between the City of Swan, the East Metropolitan Health Service Population Health Unit and the Department for Community Development," she said.
Minister's office: 9213 6900
