Distressed Parents Turn to Ngala

Posted on: Thu 28 July 2011

Distressed parents are turning to Ngala for vital help with their babies when government Services are unable to meet their needs

The aims of the Western Australian Child Health Services are to support the needs of families with babies and young children through the provision of universal child health services.  Over the past few years the number of births in Western Australia has increased significantly, as has the number of families moving to Western Australia from interstate or overseas.  However, during this time there has been little government investment in staffing levels of child health nurses to meet this growth in families’ needs for services.

With ever increasing requirements from new parents for assistance and support, recent government studies such as the Auditor General’s Report in Nov. 2010  highlight the challenges Child Health services face in providing an across the board, inclusive service to parents with young babies throughout the state.

Ngala, Western Australia’s leading not-for-profit provider of early parenting services for families with children 0 to 6 years receives 20,000 calls each year from parents expressing their concerns that the contact and availability of the Child Health nurse often does not adequately support them through the first critical points in their baby’s development. The policy now for early discharge from hospital also means that parents do not have ready access to immediate assistance during these critical early stages, which are also essential learning processes for new parents.

Ngala recognises that what happens in the crucial first years has an immediate affect on the long-term health and development outcomes for children.  The first few weeks after the birth of their child is a crucial time for parents to adjust to their new role and to establish breastfeeding.

Similarly, suffering sleep deprivation following the arrival of a new baby can have an immediate, adverse effect on the emotional health and wellbeing of parents, and this may put extra stress on their relationship during this time.  Reasons for a parent’s fatigue may be because their baby is crying, not settling or feeding well and this can all jeapordise a good start for the baby.

Many parents with persistently crying babies turn to overstretched hospital emergency departments for help.  However, there are a number of resources available for distressed parents to turn to that will help them deal with the many challenges during the first few months of their baby’s life.  These challenges can range from managing their baby’s crying, sleep patterns and of course to providing them with useful strategies to help them deal with their own fatigue.

Ngala’s provides and and promotes a range of services and programs that help families develop resilience, life skills and their own resources to enjoy an independent and fulfilling family life.  The staff at Ngala’s Helpline and online forums will provide a listening ear, and offer advice to parents to help them develop confidence in their parenting skills, they will also provide reassurance and clear up-to-date information and referral.

Ngala recognises that a child's family remains the primary means for meeting the needs of young children. Therefore Ngala strives to work with families to ensure that the child is central to any decisions taken and that the health and well being of all family members are enhanced to their full potential. 

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