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Childaware 2013
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Rural Health Team Phone: 8667 2458 Email: [email protected]© Department for Health and Ageing, Government of South Australia. All rights reserved. FIS: 13042.1. Printed March 2013.
Home Visiting Volunteer Program Purpose:Provide social and emotional support to families (particularly mothers as they are the primary care givers in this region) with children aged 0-5 years of age.
Program Outline:Developed in 2006. Volunteers visit with families for 2-3 hours once a week for 6-8 visits.
Provide mothers with respite, social and emotional support, reduce their risk of feelings of isolation. Protecting the mental health of the mother thus protecting the mental health of the child.
Families are referred to the program through other agencies eg. CaFHs or
self-referral.
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Issues Facing Families in the Mid North of S.A.
Testimonials
“... I think it is excellent. Timing is crucial though, we were lucky that [volunteer’s] availability coincided with the most challenging 8 weeks of introducing a new baby into a family.” – Family
“ More time with husband, very helpful. Took some stress off my shoulders” – Family
“ She helped my daughter feel special and gave her one on one time which overall helped her behaviour” – Family
“ To have someone to look after both kids for two hours so I could recharge my batteries was a God sent.” – Family
“ Practical support in giving the parent time to relax and do things she needed to do. Emotional support more as I got to know them.” – Volunteer
The purpose of the program is to promote, support and protect infant mental health and the mental health of mothers and fathers with children 0-5 years of age through developing the capacity of local communities.
Target Population: Families with children aged 0-5 years
Coverage Area: Booleroo Centre, Orroroo, Jamestown, Peterborough and surrounding towns and communities
in the Mid North, South Australia.
Program components: Home Visiting Volunteers, Supporting parenting groups and playgroups, Supporting family
friendly environments, Parenting rooms and breastfeeding support, Toy Libraries.
Challenges:
> Number of volunteers – as it relates to capacity of program
> Family with complex needs
> Confidentiality – due to living in small rural communities
> Family’s expectations
> Personality clashes
> Communication
> Finding a volunteer and the right person to be a volunteer.
Positives: > Increase in the number of self referrals and referral of friends
> Positive feedback from evaluation forms – 65% of families feel they achieve their goals.
> Long lasting friendship between volunteer and families and the volunteers themselves.
> The program provides us with greater capacity to support families
> Communities acceptance of the service has increased.
Short term outcomesShort term monitoring and evaluation of the program identified several positives such as:
> Greater knowledge about and acceptance to be referred to the volunteer program
> Increased capacity and number of volunteers to support families
> Raised community awareness around maternal and infant mental health
It is perceived that this program is addressing the gaps and needs of the communities in the Mid North.
Together Building Families: Protecting the mental health of mother and child
