Maternal and Child Health Line

A woman takes phone calls at her computer in a call centre. Soft, optimistic music plays.

Kylie: We're here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, public holidays as well.

Kylie: We answer over 300 calls a day. That means we answer over 100,000 calls a year.

Cut to Maternal and Child Health nurse Leonie talking on the phone to a parent.

Leonie [speaking on the phone]: And in time she will learn, but babies love predictability.

Leonie: So you might have someone that's ringing because their baby might be drooling. They might have a nappy rash.

Kylie: It might be a toddler that's fallen off the couch and bumped his or her head. It might be that mum has some issues after the birth and so she's wanting to know what's normal, when to go to hospital.

Text appears on screen that reads: “The Maternal and Child Health Line is a confidential, 24-hour service offering information and advice on child health, development and parenting for families with children from birth to school age.”

Cut to a parent named Hilary sitting and discussing her experience.

Hilary: So when I rang the Maternal and Child Health Line, my child had been really unwell with gastro-like symptoms.

Hilary: We talked through his physical symptoms and she advised that it would be good to go to the GP. But if I couldn't get in, she also gave us the contact details for our local Urgent Care Centres or other places that we could go, so I had a number of options if I needed them.

Cut to Maternal and Child Health nurse Leonie talking on the phone to a parent.

Leonie [speaking on the phone]: I think if you can start getting that swaddle out and you'll find her little arms to be across her chest and she’ll be much, much, much more secure.

Leonie: So sometimes parents think they've rung for a silly reason and we say there's never, ever a time not to call us. If something's worrying you, if you've got a concern, if you've Googled something and you're concerned, there is never, ever that silly question. We are here 24/7 to take calls.

Kylie: The Maternal and Child Health Line is actually a service that's only in Victoria, funded by the Department of Health. No other state in Australia actually has a service like this.

Cut to Maternal and Child Health nurse Leonie talking on the phone to a parent.

Hilary: So I'd say to anyone that's worried about calling or unsure about calling to just call. They're really experienced and they'll give you that reassurance that you need.

Cut to a view of the MCH Line call centre.

Leonie: The reason you work here is because you are helping directly with a need for someone. For their children, for themselves, you are actually there to say, “this is what we can help you with now”.

Hilary: It's like having a really well-trained friend to call and just sense-check things with. It was a really quick and easy way to get my questions answered.

Hilary: I got the reassurance and validation that I needed. It was a really kind and gentle experience and something that I would definitely do again.

Text appears on screen and reads: “Maternal and Child Health Line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 13 22 29.”

[End of transcript]