SUPPORT CENTRE NOW OPEN FOR FAMILIES WITH NEWBORNS
Published Thursday, 31 May, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
For the first time Queensland has a state-of-the-art residential support centre accommodating whole families with newborns in a further improvement of postnatal health services.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson today officially opened the new $10 million State Government-funded Ellen Barron Family Centre at the Prince Charles Hospital which replaces the 30-year-old Riverton Centre at Clayfield.
Mr Robertson said the major difference between the new and the old was that Riverton could only accommodate mother and infant while the Ellen Barron Centre also caters for fathers and other young siblings.
“This ultra-modern centre includes 20 residential family suites, some of which cater for both parents and pre-schoolers as well as the infant of concern,” Mr Robertson said.
“Upon referral by a GP or specialist, the centre can help live-in families with all manner of parenting issues from feeding problems and major sleep disturbance to postnatal depression and intensive parenting education.”
“The centre expects to accommodate and support about 1,000 families every year and as a statewide service, the centre will maintain close partnerships with child health and family services across Queensland.
“It will be staffed by more than 30 nurses on an around-the-clock roster, two doctors (including a paediatric consultant), two social workers and visiting psychiatrists.”
“They will all work in partnership with families to address a wide range of parenting and infant health concerns.
Mr Robertson said the new facility is conveniently located adjacent to the Chermside Community Health Centre which hosts the Indigenous Health Service.
“It features meeting rooms, facilities for parents with disabilities and clinical areas as well as the capacity to provide telehealth services and links to other healthcare providers and families across the State,” he said.
“But the major improvement is that it accommodates fathers and other siblings and that is based on recent research about parents’ attitudes towards infants.
“Forty per cent of responding fathers indicated they felt quite limited in their preparation for fatherhood and 10 per cent felt they were totally unprepared.
“These fathers’ responses gave valuable insights into the nature of services that need to be provided at this new family centre.”
Mr Robertson said the Ellen Barron Family Centre was a yet another example of the Beattie Government’s commitment to providing world-class healthcare facilities and services for Queensland families and children.
“It follows this month’s State Budget announcement of $29.67 million for a universal postnatal contact service in Queensland,” he said.
“The new service will mean all mothers of newborns will receive follow-up contact by a health professional after they leave hospital to ensure they are coping with the early stresses of parenthood.
“It will start to roll out in pilot sites next year before going statewide in 2012.”
31 May, 2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185
Health Minister Stephen Robertson today officially opened the new $10 million State Government-funded Ellen Barron Family Centre at the Prince Charles Hospital which replaces the 30-year-old Riverton Centre at Clayfield.
Mr Robertson said the major difference between the new and the old was that Riverton could only accommodate mother and infant while the Ellen Barron Centre also caters for fathers and other young siblings.
“This ultra-modern centre includes 20 residential family suites, some of which cater for both parents and pre-schoolers as well as the infant of concern,” Mr Robertson said.
“Upon referral by a GP or specialist, the centre can help live-in families with all manner of parenting issues from feeding problems and major sleep disturbance to postnatal depression and intensive parenting education.”
“The centre expects to accommodate and support about 1,000 families every year and as a statewide service, the centre will maintain close partnerships with child health and family services across Queensland.
“It will be staffed by more than 30 nurses on an around-the-clock roster, two doctors (including a paediatric consultant), two social workers and visiting psychiatrists.”
“They will all work in partnership with families to address a wide range of parenting and infant health concerns.
Mr Robertson said the new facility is conveniently located adjacent to the Chermside Community Health Centre which hosts the Indigenous Health Service.
“It features meeting rooms, facilities for parents with disabilities and clinical areas as well as the capacity to provide telehealth services and links to other healthcare providers and families across the State,” he said.
“But the major improvement is that it accommodates fathers and other siblings and that is based on recent research about parents’ attitudes towards infants.
“Forty per cent of responding fathers indicated they felt quite limited in their preparation for fatherhood and 10 per cent felt they were totally unprepared.
“These fathers’ responses gave valuable insights into the nature of services that need to be provided at this new family centre.”
Mr Robertson said the Ellen Barron Family Centre was a yet another example of the Beattie Government’s commitment to providing world-class healthcare facilities and services for Queensland families and children.
“It follows this month’s State Budget announcement of $29.67 million for a universal postnatal contact service in Queensland,” he said.
“The new service will mean all mothers of newborns will receive follow-up contact by a health professional after they leave hospital to ensure they are coping with the early stresses of parenthood.
“It will start to roll out in pilot sites next year before going statewide in 2012.”
31 May, 2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185