Greater Shepparton City Council along with Victorian State Government launched the free Maternal Child Health (MCH) App – developed by Victoria’s trusted Maternal and Child Health Services – which gives families access to comprehensive information matched to the age range of their child.
The app provides reminders about upcoming MCH appointments, seasonal warnings, a list of useful contacts and an interactive Q&A function with links to trusted information online.
Tips and useful advice are available on a range of topics, such as meals and snacks, sleeping and settling, learning and development, child behavior, injury prevention, communication and play-based learning.
Developing the app included working with experts from the Royal Women’s Hospital, University of Melbourne and Deakin University to design a training package for early childhood professionals to better support families affected by trauma, particularly those experiencing family violence.
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor Kim O’Keeffe said “having resources for young families at the touch of our phone is great. I wish we had this type of information available when I had my family. Parents have so much to remember, so I am sure this app will be very helpful for families to just check information if they are unsure.
“Of course if parents are concerned they can always contact their MCH nurse, but this app is a great option to check up on information” said Cr O’Keeffe.
The app can be downloaded from the Apple Store and Google Play or at: education.vic.gov.au/mchapp.
