Aboriginal-led Maternal and Child Health (AMCH) Services
Aboriginal-led Maternal and Child Health services work in partnership with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and their families from birth up until they start school. The Aboriginal Maternal and Child Health (AMCH) service can be accessed through a family’s local Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) and provides culturally supportive care to Aboriginal children and their parent/carers around key developmental ages and stages.
Who
All Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children from from birth to school age, and their families.
What you can get
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander families can choose to access this service instead of the mainstream Universal Maternal and Child Health (UMCH) service.
Aboriginal-led Maternal and Child Health (AMCH) services:
- embed self-determination as a core principle of MCH service delivery, recognising the importance of Aboriginal organisations in providing services to meet the health, wellbeing and safety aspirations of their local Aboriginal community
- offer families choice and flexibility in how they access MCH services, including place-based support tailored to their needs
- supports relationships between Universal MCH, other providers and Aboriginal organisations, working together to provide integrated, coordinated support and referral pathways for Aboriginal families and children.
Culturally appropriate support is offered flexibly to suit the needs of each family, including:
- support and education during pregnancy
- breastfeeding support
- child health checks
- immunisations
- play, learning, sleeping and nutrition support
- family planning
- linkages and referrals to to local support services including supported playgroups, NDIS, and Early Start Kindergarten.
How to access
Contact the local ACCO in your region and ask how to connect a family to the Aboriginal MCH service.
Current providers of Aboriginal-led MCH services are:
Resources
More information about the Aboriginal-led MCH Service.
For support with accessing an Aboriginal MCH Service for a family contact mch@health.vic.gov.au.
The Maternal and Child Health Line and Maternal and Child Heath App are also available for families to provide additional support related to their child's growth and development.
