Aboriginal families in the City of Whittlesea are set to benefit from a new program that aims to help maternal and child health nurses be more responsive, according to a media release issued by the Council:

Council was successful in securing a state government grant for a trial program to work in partnership with the Koori Maternity Service at the Northern Hospital to improve support for local Aboriginal families.

A City of Whittlesea Aboriginal Maternal and Child Health nurse will meet with women while they are pregnant through the Koori Maternity Service and then follow up when they return home.

The trial will seek to understand why some families become disengaged with the Maternal and Child Health service and try to connect them again.

Mayor Ricky Kirkham said recent ABS statistics confirmed the City of Whittlesea had a growing Aboriginal population so the trial was important.

“We do our best to provide services for our Aboriginal community and this project is another great example,” he said.

“Maternal and Child Health is an important free service for families to provide advice on child health and development as well as support for the whole family.

“Council staff will continually work to find new and culturally responsive ways to help engage Aboriginal families in the service.”

The City of Whittlesea was one of 10 services around the state to receive a grant to deliver an Aboriginal MCH program.

MCH nurse Teagan Cornelissens will facilitate the program.

Teagan has been employed as a maternal and child health nurse with the City of Whittlesea for the past 12 months. As a woman who identifies as an Aboriginal Australian, the area of Indigenous health of a particular interest to her. Her experience and understanding of Aboriginal health and wellbeing sees her as the ideal Maternal and Child Health nurse for the role of connecting Aboriginal families to the MCH service.