NSW families benefit from free home nursing visits as part of Sustaining NSW Families

More than 5,000 families across New South Wales have benefitted from free nurse home visits as part of the Sustaining NSW Families program.

The Sustaining NSW Families program sees child and family health nurses partner with parents and carers to provide regular assessments, tailored programs, and referrals to other support services they may need during the early years of childhood, and was introduced to 2010, and has since expanded to identified areas in 14 local health districts. 

The program is offered to families who meet eligibility criteria which include mothers experiencing mild depression or anxiety and circumstances which can have an impact on the family.

Women are referred to the home visiting program during pregnancy and supported regularly until their child turns two years of age.

“Regardless of whether they are welcoming their first child or their fifth – the child and family health nurses and the multidisciplinary support provided by the program can be crucial to families as they start a new chapter,” Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery said.

To help parents and carers, each Sustaining NSW Families team consists of a nurse coordinator, child and family health nurse home visitors, supported by a social worker and a team of allied health professionals. Clinicians work in partnership with other service providers, including general practitioners and maternity care providers.

“All children deserve the best start in life, and this program helps some families who need a bit of support, give their children just that, the best start in life,” NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said. 

“This vital program helps empower families to care for their child and provides them the right information, at the right time, to give their child the best start to life.”

The program complements the range of services provided at local health district Child and Family Health centres.

Further information on Sustaining NSW Families is available online.