New Directions

Indigenous Australians Health Program

The New Directions program endeavours to engage the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in the Circular Head community. The primary focus of the program is to assist families with children aged 0-10 with their child and maternal health needs. This focus is imbedded in all the programs that New Directions operate by incorporating and promoting relevant health information to families. The program aims to increase antenatal care for Indigenous women and support baby care for the parents of Indigenous children.

As part of the New Directions program, coordinators engage in a number of support services for new parents and their children. For the children, this can include, but is not limited to: weight gain checks and management, immunisation status, early signs of developmental milestones and referrals to any allied health services for children. For the parents and mothers: breast feeding consultation, health and nutrition, parenting skills, antenatal and post natal support and family planning/contraception. This service can happen in the private space on the office premises, but for the most part, this service has coordinators engaging in, in-home-visits and in transports to health services/providers.

Programs

Aligning Family Circles

Sessions/Updates: Check New Directions Facebook page

Aligning Family Circles is designed to support family networks, build connections, and strengthen community. Sessions are offered across a range of themes, including our Strong Mums exercise sessions and Baby Village sessions, and may include cultural activities, health and wellbeing information, and opportunities for self-care.

Each session may look a little different, but all are guided by the same goal—bringing families together to connect over shared experiences, support one another, and grow stronger as a community.

This group supports the entirety of the family network to bond and create connections over mutual interests, life situations, and family growth, with a central aim of building stronger, supportive communities, as reflected in Aboriginal culture.

Group of mums and babies in the swimming pool

Water Awareness

Wednesdays
(Select Dates: 6 week block)

For a 6 week block, in collaboration with SWIRL, New Directions facilitates free swimming lessons to any active client. The 2 x 30 minute sessions book out quickly, so bookings are essential, with each session divided by age (6-18 months & 18 months +).

Bookings Essential!

New Parents Group

Tuesdays
(Select Dates: 7 week block)

Every 6 months, New Directions host a New Parents Group for a 7-week block to capture all new-babies born in that period. The program is a chance for all new parents to come together to meet other new parents in the same depths of parenthood. Developing a culturally safe and inclusive environment encourages connections and friendships to form. Each week the program is based around an informative session to support new parent education. Examples of topics we covered are: breastfeeding, first aid, baby milestones, sleep and settling, postpartum physio, massage techniques, mental health and contraception.

Bookings Essential!

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