First Nations Maternal and Child Health

Overview

The First Nations Maternal and Child Health grant opportunity will support funded services to deliver place-based maternal and child health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Each program will be delivered as a continuity of care model, commencing in the antenatal period and continuing until the child is two years of age (noting support can remain in place for the full 12 months of the child's second year). Programs should be delivered by consistent registered health practitioners such as nurses, GPs or midwives in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural wellbeing staff and other allied health professionals where needed.  Programs should support early intervention and provide consistent, culturally safe care during the critical early years of a child’s life. It is essential that each program/model is grounded in evidence-based principles, for example: early intervention, developmental monitoring, community leadership and culturally safe care. Programs should support a phased developmental approach that is well-established in public health and early childhood practice, aligning with national priorities such as the First 2000 Days framework and contributing to the achievement of National Agreement Closing the Gap Target 2 - Closing the Gap Target 2. These intervals are informed by Australian evidence and designed to support child development, strengthen parenting capability, and promote family wellbeing across the early years (‘right@home’: a randomised controlled trial of sustained nurse home visiting). To view the grant opportunity documents, please select the red "Grant Opportunity Documents" button on the left-hand side.