New Parents To Benefit From Cowra Tresillian Centre

Cowra will benefit from a slice of $12.2 million in State Government funding, with funds committed to building a Tresillian Centre in Cowra as part of the 2021/22 NSW Budget.

The Tresillian and Gidget Foundation Australia operates Regional Family Care Centres, which provide support for new parents in settling baby & sleep difficulties, breastfeeding & bottle-feeding, introducing solids, caring for multiple babies, understanding baby’s cues, toddler behaviour, and parental emotional & psychological well-being.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke MP welcomed the announcement and said the Centre would be a vital addition to local support services and programs.

“We want parents across the Cowra region and further afield to feel supported to give them and their child the best start in life,” she said.

“Caring for a newborn doesn’t always go as expected and this new Centre will provide crucial expert care for mum, dad and bub when the going gets tough.”

“The stand alone Centre will provide day services to young families including individual consultations and parent education programs.” Ms Cooke said the Centre is an exciting first step, with the campaign for a Tresillian Residential Unit as part of the Cowra Hospital redevelopment set to continue. “It is fantastic to have this new Centre locked in, and I will continue to fight for a Tresillian Residential facility as part of the Cowra Hospital redevelopment, as a natural extension of Tresillian day services,” she said.

Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the local centre would benefit the whole community.

“We know that up to 50 per cent of mums whose babies have sleeping or feeding issues, suffer from post-natal anxiety and depression. This centre will have Tresillian nurses and a Gidget Foundation mental health clinician working together to help the baby and parents,” Mrs Taylor said.

“I know how difficult it can be adjusting to life with a newborn and having services like this close to home really will be life changing for local families.” The new centre in Cowra will be one of six, including Goulburn, Grafton, Armidale, Griffith, and Muswellbrook. They will complement the existing centres in Queanbeyan, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Taree and Broken Hill, which have provided more than 14,000 services to families in the past two years.

Purpose-built Tresillian2U vans are also included in the funding, and will travel to local communities from their bases in Kempsey, Tweed Heads, Bathurst, Queanbeyan and Inverell and will offer further personalised care and support.

• Topics:
• Grant / Funding
• Health Smart
• Parenting