Department of Health

Kids Urgent Concern Helpline

The Kids Urgent Concern Helpline will be available statewide from 1 July 2026, providing an independent assessment of a child's care in hospital via phone or video call.

Are you worried that your child is getting worse in hospital?

Follow these two steps to get help anytime:

Step 1

Ask your nurse or doctor for help.

They are there to help you.

All hospitals have a process to help you if you’re worried that your child is getting worse.

Step 2

Still worried? Stay at the hospital and call the Kids Urgent Concern Helpline anytime on:

13 82 45

    • Transcript

      (Joanna, a paediatrician, is sitting in front of a light grey studio background.)

      Joanna:

      The Urgent Concern Helpline provides a timely and independent assessment
      of your child via phone or video call. We’ll listen and act on your concerns.

      We know that every hospital has its own local escalation process, and the best person to speak to if you're worried, is the doctor or nurse
      looking after your child. They're there to help.

      But, if for whatever reason that isn't working, then the Urgent Concern helpline is there to provide an additional avenue of support.

      Text on screen:
      You know your child best. If you’re worried, the Urgent Concern Helpline is listening. 13 82 45.

      (Kate, a consumer, is sitting in front of a dark grey studio background.)

      Kate:

      So Macy's my oldest daughter, and she was born with a rare genetic disease that makes it really medically fragile.

      So when she was about 18 months old and she presented with signs of an infection, we were quite concerned and we took her to our local hospital.

      So over the next 16 hours, Macy just got sicker and sicker
      and she ended up developing sepsis. We raised our concerns with a number
      of the staff, so nurses and doctors in the hospital we were in, and we just didn't feel like anyone was listening.

      Joanna:

      If you've spoken to your nurse and your doctor and you are still worried and not feeling heard please stay at the hospital and call the Urgent Concern Helpline.

      Text on screen:

      Step 1: Ask your nurse of doctor for help.
      Step 2: Call the Urgent Concern Helpline on 13 82 45.

      Joanna:

      The Urgent Concern Helpline is free, it's easily accessible and we're here 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

      When you call the Urgent Concern helpline, our doctors will listen to your concerns and assess your child.
      Together with your treating team, your doctor and nurse, we will make a plan, and we will stay on the line with you until you are happy with your child's care.

      Kate:

      For us, the Urgent Concern Helpline would have made the world of difference. To have someone that actually heard us, to listen to our concerns, and a different pathway to get someone else to look at our child could have changed everything for us.

      If you've got a child in hospital and you're worried that they're getting sicker and you've spoken to your nurse or your doctor and you don't feel listened to, please don't hesitate to call the Urgent Concern Helpline.

      You don't have to have the perfect words. You don't need to know the medical lingo. If something doesn't feel right, please call the Urgent Concern Helpline.

      Text on screen:

      Are you worried that your child is getting sicker in hospital?
      Step 1: Ask your nurse of doctor for help.
      Step 2: Call the Urgent Concern Helpline on 13 82 45.

      END

    The Kids Urgent Concern Helpline provides an independent escalation system for families and carers in hospital to raise their concerns if they’re worried their child is getting worse.

    From 1 July 2026, the Kids Urgent Concern Helpline will be available statewide in all Victorian public hospitals and Urgent Care Centres, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    The Kids Urgent Concern Helpline integrates with existing local escalation systems. It forms the final step of escalation processes and acts as a safety net. The Kids Urgent Concern Helpline works collaboratively with the local treating team to resolve the callers’ concerns using local processes.

    Who can use the Kids Urgent Concern Helpline?

    From 1 July 2026, the Kids Urgent Concern Helpline will support all children under 18 years of age who have concerns about a medical deterioration and are:

    • in a Victorian public hospital
    • presenting at an emergency department
    • in an Urgent Care Centre

    The Kids Urgent Concern Helpline does not support adults, people at home or people whose primary concerns are related to their mental health.

    Why the Kids Urgent Concern Helpline is needed

    The Kids Urgent Concern Helpline responds to recommendations from Safer Care Victoria’s ‘See Me, Hear Me’External Link white paper report published in January 2023.

    The report made three recommendations to improve the safety and care of children and young people accessing care in Victorian public hospitals, known as the Safer Care for KidsExternal Link project.

    Recommendation 3 called for the establishment of a centralised parent escalation process now named the Kids Urgent Concern Helpline.

    The Kids Urgent Concern Helpline was successfully piloted at ten sites in 2025. Based on the success of this pilot, it will be available statewide from 1 July 2026.

    The Kids Urgent Concern Helpline is staffed by clinicians from the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department.

    Reviewed 14 April 2026

    Health.vic

    Victoria's urgent care services

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