Support for vulnerable young mothers and their families
Cradle to Kinder provides intensive antenatal and postnatal support to improve mother and child wellbeing, improve parenting capacity, and to help vulnerable mothers reach independence.
If you are under 25 years of age, and are pregnant or have a child up to six weeks of age, Cradle to Kinder can support you and your family through a referral from Child FIRST.
This service is no longer available.
Long term family and early parenting support
Commencing in pregnancy and continuing until the child reaches four, the Cradle to Kinder program enables parents to make positive life changes, build skills and establish social connections that lead to independence.
Our Cradle to Kinder workers provide specialised support to:
- promote positive parent-child relationships
- improve child health, development and wellbeing
- promote child safety and stability
- strengthen parenting capacity and mental health outcomes
- build strong communication and problem solving skills
- help parents build self-reliance and sustainability through education, vocational training and employment
- engage parents with antenatal and postnatal care services, maternal health services and early childhood services
We also support children by promoting play and learning opportunities, helping develop routines in the home, and supporting the development of healthy sibling and peer relationships.
Referrals into Cradle to Kinder are made through Child FIRST
Child FIRST (Child and Family Information, Referral and Support Teams) Alliances bring together a range of experienced Family Service providers to deliver an integrated, skilled, targeted and localised support system for vulnerable families.
How do I access this service?
Vulnerable mothers must be referred through Child FIRST. Please see below for Child FIRST referral numbers.
Referrals to Child FIRST are accepted from a broad range of service providers and community members. Child FIRST will identify if Cradle to Kinder is the appropriate program for the client and will allocate each case on an individual basis.
Fees
There is no charge to access this service.
This service is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (Victorian State Government).
More information
Client Rights and Responsibilities Child Safety at CatholicCare
Contact us
Cradle to Kinder is no longer available.
For more information please contact our Ballarat or Warrnambool office.
Ballarat Child FIRST | T 1800 219 819
Warrnambool Child FIRST | T 1300 543 779
For referral numbers in other locations, please visit the DFFH Victorian Government website.
BallaratWarrnambool
Other services
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