Maternal and child health services for vulnerable families
Overview
Why this is important
The Victorian Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Service is free and available to all Victorian families. It gives support to parents, babies and young children from birth until the child starts school. Victoria's 79 local councils deliver the service. The Enhanced MCH program provides additional support to vulnerable children and families who experience challenges or risk factors. These may include:
- the age of the parents
- family violence
- safety and health challenges
- social factors such as homelessness or unemployment.
Local councils deliver the Enhanced MCH program according to Department of Health guidelines. Services mainly take place inside clients’ homes, local MCH centres and other community locations. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families can also choose to access services at their local Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation.
In 2024–25 the Victorian Government invested $189.1 million in the MCH Service, including an extra $29 million it allocated to meet demand. The government allocates funding for the Enhanced MCH program to local governments. Eligible families can access up to 20 hours of service delivery for children under 3. This is on top of the regular services under the Universal MCH program.
The only public performance measure for the Enhanced MCH program tracks quantity rather than quality. Our engagement will aid transparency about if it is reaching the families it aims to.
What we plan to examine
We plan to examine if the Enhanced Maternal and Child Health program is providing timely support to vulnerable families.
Who we plan to examine
Department of Health
A selection of local councils
Municipal Association of Victoria
Safer Care Victoria
Further information
This engagement builds on our reports Early Childhood Development Services: Access and Quality (2011) and Giving Victorian children the best start in life (2007).