Adopted by Council on 3 July 2023
1. Background The Latrobe City Council's Maternal and Child Health Service (MCH) provides information, advice and support to parents of children aged 0 to 6 years. The service is provided by nurses, who in addition to being registered in general nursing and midwifery, have undertaken further training in family and child health. The MCH service aims to promote a comprehensive and focused approach for the promotion, prevention, early detection, and intervention of physical, emotional or social factors affecting young children and their families in contemporary communities.
2. Objectives The Victorian MCH Service is an integral component of a comprehensive system of child and family services in our region. The service provides a universal health service for children from birth to school age, focusing on promotion of health and development, prevention, early detection and intervention for physical, emotional and social factors affecting young children. The service consists of the Universal MCH Service and Enhanced MCH Service. While the service is primarily for the child, it also focuses on the health and wellbeing of the mother, and the family, in the context of the child’s health and wellbeing. The MCH Service is provided in partnership between Latrobe City Council and the Department of Health. The MCH service provided by Latrobe City Council will meet the following Program Standards, as set by the Department of Health:
Standard 1: Universal access 1. Universal access and participation
1.1 All Victorian children and families have access to, and are encouraged to engage with, the Maternal and Child Health Service from the birth of the child until the child commences school.
1.2 Service information supports families accessing the Maternal and Child Health Service.
2. Responsive service delivery
2.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service is relevant and responsive to the needs of the child and family in service delivery and setting.
2.2 The vulnerable child, mother and family are identified and supported to engage with appropriate services, including the Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Service.
2.3 The Maternal and Child Health Service identifies and responds to the child at risk of, or experiencing, neglect or abuse.
3. Culturally competent service delivery
3.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service provides a culturally competent service to the child and family, including a service appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Standard 2: Optimal health and development 1. Health and wellbeing of the child 1.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service utilises monitoring, intervention and promotion of health and development to optimise the child’s health, wellbeing, learning, development and safety.
1.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service optimises the child’s health, wellbeing, learning, development and safety by recognising and acknowledging the determinants of health.
1.3 The Maternal and Child Health Service utilises validated tools and assessments to optimise the child’s health, wellbeing, learning, development and safety.
1.4 The Maternal and Child Health Service provides the family with information for the promotion of health and development of the child.
2. Health and wellbeing of the mother
2.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service utilises monitoring, support and intervention to improve the health and wellbeing of the mother.
3. Role of the father
3.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service recognises the unique role of the father in the health and development of the child and supports him in this role.
4. Role of the family
4.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service recognises and promotes the role of the family in the health and development of the child.
5. Service delivery based on evidence
5.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service delivers evidence-based and/or best practice monitoring, intervention and promotion of health and development.
5.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service promotes evidence-based service delivery through the participation in and support of research.
Standard 3: Partnerships and collaboration
1. Working with mothers and families
1.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service provides child-focused, family-centred practice, working in partnership with the child and family.
1.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service provides child-focused, family-centred practice to strengthen the capacity of families to make informed decisions about the child’s development and the family’s health, safety and wellbeing.
2. Working with other services and organisations
2.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service facilitates linkages and referrals to relevant community and professional services in order to meet the identified needs of the child and family.
2.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service collaborates with relevant services to promote and support integrated service delivery when the child and family are accessing other services.
3. Working with the community
3.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service works with its local community to strengthen community capacity.
4. Standard 4: Competent and professional workforce
1. Workforce
1.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service employs a workforce qualified to meet the objectives of the Maternal and Child Health Service.
1.1 The Maternal and Child Health nurses maintain the requirements of their registration.
1.2 The Maternal and Child Health workforce has knowledge of, and complies with, their legislative requirements.
1.3 The Maternal and Child Health workforce has knowledge of, and complies with, these standards and the Maternal and Child Health Program Resource Guide for their relevant service.
2 Human resource management planning
2.1 Human resource management supports the delivery of the Maternal and Child Health Service.
2.2 The recruitment processes for the Maternal and Child Health Service support a competent and professional maternal and child health workforce.
2.3 Human resource planning identifies and responds to the current and future Maternal and Child Health Service workforce’s needs for the Maternal and Child Health Service.
3 Performance development and continuing education
3.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service supports performance development of the maternal and child health workforce. 3.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service has a learning and development system to support a competent maternal and child health workforce.
Standard 5: Responsive and accountable service delivery
1. Leadership and direction
1.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service has a planned approach to service delivery and development, fostering the delivery of a safe and quality service.
1.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service, including management and the workforce, has a shared understanding of the Maternal and Child Health Service vision and the future service direction and work together to implement the strategic and operational plans.
2. Accountability
2.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service (and the local government or governing authority) has a management structure to support the delivery of a safe and quality service.
2.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service complies with, and operates under, the relevant legislative requirements and by-laws, and in accordance with the Municipal Association of Victoria/DEECD Memorandum of Understanding.
2.3 The Maternal and Child Health Service maintains effective policies and procedures and other required documents and processes to provide a safe, quality service and to comply with these Standards.
2.4 The Maternal and Child Health Service provides clinical and corporate accountability.
3. Information systems
3.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service maintains accurate and appropriate health information for the child and family.
3.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service ensures child, mother and family information is secure and safe.
3.3 The Maternal and Child Health Service maintains appropriate information systems to support data use and accessibility.
Standard 6: Quality and safety
1. Improving performance
1.1 Quality processes within the Maternal and Child Health Service support improvement in health and wellbeing outcomes for the child and family and in delivery of the service.
1.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service has a clinical risk management system to maintain and enhance the safety and quality of the service provided to the child and family.
1.3 The child and family accessing the Maternal and Child Health Service have opportunities to express their views on the service.
2. Safe and accessible environment for the child, mother and family
2.1 The environment of the Maternal and Child Health Service is safe and accessible for the child and family.
2.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service supports safe practice and a safe environment for the child and family accessing the service, and its workforce, through effective infection control guidelines.
3. Safe practice and environment for the maternal and child health workforce
3.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service provides a safe environment for its workforce through management of, compliance with, and occupational health and safety legislative requirements.
3.2 The Maternal and Child Health Service provides a safe environment for its workforce through emergency management.
3.3 The maternal and child health workforce upholds its duty of care to ensure its work is delivered in a manner that is not harmful to the health and safety of themselves or others.
4. Provision of support for service delivery
4.1 The Maternal and Child Health Service supports quality service delivery through appropriate and maintained equipment and environments.
5. Scope This policy applies to staff working within the Latrobe City Maternal and Child Health service and families living or visiting Latrobe City who may access the Maternal and Child Health service.
6. Principles of Management The Victorian Maternal and Child Health program standards, MCH service guidelines inform the Latrobe City Maternal and Child service about the framework, governance, workforce, policy, legislation and other obligations to support the delivery of professional, safe and high-quality care within the MCH service: Maternal and Child Health program standards Maternal and Child Health service guidelines
7. Accountability and Responsibility Accountability and responsibility for this policy is outlined below.
7.1 Council
- Responsibility to ensure this Policy is consistent with Latrobe City Council Strategic Direction and other Latrobe City Council Policy
- Responsibility for the decision to approve this Policy by Council Resolution
7.2 Chief Executive Officer
- Overall responsibility for compliance with this policy
- Overall responsibility for enforcing accountability
- Overall responsibility for providing resources
- Overall responsibility for performance monitoring
7.3 General Manager
- Responsibility for compliance with this policy
- Responsibility for enforcing accountability
- Responsibility for providing resources
- Responsibility for performance monitoring
7.4 Manager
- Develop frameworks and procedures in compliance with this policy
- Enforce responsibilities to achieve compliance with frameworks and procedures
- Provide appropriate resources for the execution of the frameworks and procedures
7.5 Employees, Contractors and Volunteers
- Participate where required in the development of frameworks and procedures in compliance with this policy.
- Comply with frameworks and procedures developed to achieve compliance with this policy.
8. Evaluation and Review This policy will be reviewed on request of Council, in the event of significant change in the Executive team, significant changes to legislation applicable to the subject matter of the policy or, in any other case, during each Council term (generally four years).
9. Definitions NA
10. Related Documents NA
11. Reference Resources
Maternal and Child Health program standards
Maternal and Child Health service guidelines