Mums, dads and carers coming to terms with one of the country's most devastating natural disasters will benefit from a NSW Government partnership with mobile parent support service Tresillian in and around the Tweed.
Minister for Women, Regional Health and Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said following the devastating weather events this year, the deployment of the Tresillian 2U outreach service has been fast-tracked to provide face-to-face support and advice to parents and carers of children aged 0-3 years.
"Welcoming a new addition into the world is incredibly rewarding, but can also be a challenging time for many. To ensure new parents and carers feel supported in Northern NSW, we are sending in a team of friendly experts from Tresillian to provide face-to-face advice and run group family programs," Mrs Taylor said.
"The 2U van will be based in Tweed and Murwillumbah from today to ensure everyone that needs help, receives it."
Member for Tweed Geoff Provest welcomed the announcement and said this is fantastic news for parents and carers of the Tweed.
"The Tresillian 2U Van will focus on serving those in our community most impacted by floods to ensure vulnerable new parents are first in line for support," Mr Provest said.
Tresillian is finalising a rotating schedule for community visits in partnership with local services, with the intention that the van will park at prominent, family-friendly locations, including libraries, community health centres and preschools.
Tresillian CEO, Adjunct Associate Professor Robert Mills, said Tresillian 2U services are staffed by Tresillian Child and Family Health Nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers to provide additional cultural support for families identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
"When parents are forced to process traumatic, tragic events, it can make it harder for them to respond to the emotional needs of their children," Adjunct Associate Professor Mills said.
"Our teams will support parents and carers to navigate this distressing time, as well as provide practical strategies to help them grow in confidence."
"Tresillian 2U vans are kitted out with an infant sleep and settling coaching space, with a space for child developmental checks, as well as having lots of resources for parents to watch and learn from."
Northern NSW Local Health District Acting Chief Executive Lynne Weir highlighted the partnership between Tresillian and the Local Health District which benefits families.
"By working closely together, clinicians can more easily refer parents or carers who may require additional support, and the partnership ensure families are supported by the large network of health services," Ms Weir said.
To find out more about Tresillian2U service locations, please visit Tresillian 2 U Mobile Van.
To find out more about other Tresillian services, including those offered at Lismore and Grafton, please visit: Tresillian - Early Parenting Support.
The van has been funded as part of the $12.2 million investment over 2 years announced in the NSW 2021-22 budget.
