Program funding that helps mums and dads manage sleep behaviours in newborns has been axed, leaving first-time Wangaratta parents out in the cold.
Wangaratta councillor Tania Maxwell raised the issue at the June council meeting in a special report highlighting the fallout from the state government's 1 July cessation of the Maternal Child Health - Sleep and Settling Program funding.
She said it was vital that parents have access to skills, knowledge, and resources to help them adapt to those sleepless nights, unrest within the family home, and at times a loss of income.
“The settling and sleep group program provided that, and I'm extremely concerned what that now means for families who will no longer have access to the program through this council,” Cr Maxwell said.
“Not only is this support effective for entire families, but it also provides opportunities for maternal child health workers to monitor changes in parents' emotional and social wellbeing.
“Without this support, there is a risk of increases in postnatal depression, family stress, anxiety, exhaustion, as well as relationship conflict.”
Statistics show that one in five women will experience perinatal depression which can last for months and even years after the year of arrival of a newborn.
Dads are not exempt from this either – it’s reported that one in 10 men will experience depression and anxiety after the birth of a child.
And Cr Maxwell said those statistics are probably much higher due to the lack of recording specifically by men.
“To reduce these statistics, it is imperative that ongoing funding and resources are made available to those who require access to those sleep settling techniques,” she said.
“What is important to the team in maternal child health is having the opportunity to present anticipatory guidance for sleep and settling issues, giving consistent advice on typical sleep behaviour across developmental stages, and while also promoting a secure attachment between the parent and the child.
“The importance of attachment between parents and their child can never be underestimated.
“Prevention of sleep issues is best supported by face-to-face contact contact and parent education, at times of peak developmental change in childhood.
“This has been successfully implemented previously in our group-based sleep and settling program.
“Sudden withdrawal of group-based sleep and settling funding may have a significant impact on maternal child health services of the families we support.”
More than 700 babies are born at Northeast Health Wangaratta every year.
About 107 first-time parents were offered the sleep and settling group-based intervention in 2024-25.
Sleep and settling funding for the Rural City of Wangaratta was $18,324, which supported 30 sessions over that same period.
Cr Maxwell encouraged local residents to write to local MP Tim McCurdy or Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn to advocate for a funding reinstatement.
Rural City of Wangaratta confirmed it will not deliver the program in 2025-26 as a result of the state government's decision to cut funding.