Ms THEOPHANOUS (Northcote): Last month I joined my friend and colleague the member for Footscray to visit Tweddle, an early parenting centre (EPC) located in her electorate. Tweddle has been supporting new parents, babies and toddlers for more than 100 years, and while not located in Northcote it has special significance to many families in my community. Last year a full quarter of all participants in Tweddle’s day program in Footscray came from the Darebin area.
Any parent can tell you how tumultuous those early years can be. Families at Tweddle are supported with sleep and settling, bonding and mental health. Local families are also benefiting from Tweddle’s residential and in-home supports delivered by highly skilled nurses, social workers and parenting practitioners. Parenting is tough. It can be frightening, it can be isolating and it can be consuming. The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System highlighted that women are at greater risk of developing mental illness during the perinatal period than at any other time. It recommended dedicated infant, child and family mental health and wellbeing services, a recommendation embraced by my community of Northcote, particularly as the inner north is impacted by growing demand for them. The first thousand days are critical to the development and wellbeing of babies and toddlers, so services like Tweddle are vital to ensuring parents and kids get the support they need. Tweddle is one of only three EPCs currently operating in Victoria but is soon to be joined by seven more as we expand this critical network. A huge thankyou to CEO Jacquie O’Brien and her amazing team for the important work they do every day supporting our local babies and families. I am looking forward to working to amplify important services like this one close to home.
