$8,000 scholarship opens the door to a career in Maternal and Child Health

Applications have opened for a scholarship of up to $8,000 to help an eligible local Registered Nurse and Midwife complete an accredited Graduate Diploma of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) in Victoria.

From the first antenatal class to the first day of kindergarten, Maternal and Child Health Nurses play an important role for local families and Council is investing in the service in recognition of its importance to the community.

The scholarship will help one successful applicant undertake an accredited Graduate Diploma of Maternal and Child Health in Victoria, leading to registration as an MCH Nurse.

Coordinator Maternal and Child Health, Ms Nicole Hoebergen, said the scholarship will help to secure the future of a service families rely on.

"The early years are when the foundations for lifelong health and wellbeing are laid and MCH Nurses are there for so many of those important moments," she said.

"This scholarship is a wonderful opportunity for a local nurse and midwife who wants to build on their skills and make a lasting difference for families right here in Mansfield Shire."

MCH Nurses are Registered Nurses and Midwives with additional qualifications in Maternal and Child Health. They provide free support, advice and information to families with children from birth to six years, from breastfeeding and nutrition to sleep and settling, safe sleeping, immunisation and parent wellbeing. 

Beyond appointments, Council's MCH Service brings families together through a range of local programs:

• Free antenatal classes: Four-week courses that run throughout the year, delivered in partnership with Mansfield District Hospital, Central General Practice, Mansfield Medical Centre and Dads Group. Expecting parents explore labour and birth, pain relief options, feeding and newborn care, and emotional wellbeing, and meet other local families along the way. 

• Key ages and stages visits: Ten consultations from birth to 3.5 years, where nurses and parents check in on a child's development, health and wellbeing at each milestone.

• Dads Group: Council partners with Dads Group to offer workshops, digital groups and peer-led face-to-face gatherings, giving local dads a place to connect and feel supported.

• Supported playgroup: A welcoming space for children aged 0-6 and their families to play, socialise and learn, led by a trained Smalltalk facilitator.       

"Each of our programs plays an important part in how we support families. They share practical, trusted information, but just as importantly they help parents and carers connect with each other. Those strong connections make a real difference in those early years and having skilled local MCH Nurses to deliver these programs is what makes them possible," Ms Hoebergen said.

"If you're a nurse and midwife who has thought about specialising in Maternal and Child Health, or if you've started your course and would like support, Council encourages you to have a conversation with our team and find out more."

To find out more, view the scholarship guidelines and apply, visit: mansfield.vic.gov.au/community/residents/children-family/maternal-and-child-health-scholarship-program or contact Council's Coordinator Maternal and Child Health on (03) 5775 8537 or council@mansfield.vic.gov.au.