Pregnancy, Birth and Baby home

Child health centres

Key facts

  • Child health centres give free information and support to parents of young children.
  • Health professionals check your child's growth and development at key stages.
  • Staff are trained to spot families and children who might benefit from referral to another health professional for treatment.
  • While you're pregnant, you can find out what child health services you can use after your baby is born.

    • What is a child health centre?

    Child health centres provide information and support to parents and carers of young children from the time they come home from hospital to when they start school. All Australian states and territories offer free community services that specialise in the health and wellbeing of mothers and their babies.

    Health professionals at these centres support families and monitor a child's health and development during the important early years. They help identify any concerns early, offer advice, and refer families to other services if needed. This will help support children's success in life and learning.

    These centres have different names depending on where in Australia you live. For example, you might hear them being called:

    • early childhood health centres
    • community health centres
    • community health services
    • child and baby health clinics

    What health professionals work at child health centres?

    What do child health centres offer?

    Child health centres offer information and support on:

    You can talk to a child health nurse about your baby, your family and yourself. Let them know if you have any worries or if you're finding it hard to cope. Your child health nurse can help connect you with other services and supports.

    Child health centres do health and development checks at different points in a child's life. They also give you information on different parenting topics.

    The child health nurse is trained to spot families and children who might need to be sent to another health professional for treatment. They will also support families when there is a health or development problem.

    Child and family health services may also provide parenting groups and playgroups.

    What are parenting groups?

    Parenting groups are meetings where parents and carers can get support and guidance on their children's health. They are usually led by a healthcare professional.

    Parenting groups have been shown to help parents and carers feel less anxious, stressed, angry and guilty, while also feeling more confident and satisfied with their partners.

    They are a great way to meet other parents so you can learn from and support each other. Many child health centres arrange parenting groups.

    What are playgroups?

    As your baby gets older you may want to join a playgroup. Playgroups are regular gatherings where your child can build social skills through play.

    You can find registered playgroups at Playgroup Australia (Opens in new tab).

    Read more on parenting and playgroups.

    When do I go to a child health centre?

    You should visit a child health centre soon after your baby is born, ideally within the first 1 to 2 weeks. In most states and territories, your baby will be automatically enrolled with your local child health centre through a notification from the hospital or midwife.

    A nurse may visit you at home first, or you can choose to go to the centre yourself or see your regular general practitioner (GP). After that, you'll be offered regular appointments to check your child's health, growth and development and for immunisations.

    In some areas, appointments are optional, and you can drop in during opening hours. In others, you may need to book in advance. Check with your local child health centre.

    Don't forget to bring your baby's infant health record when you go to a child health centre. Details on how to contact your local child health nurse can be found in this record.

    If you have any questions or need support, contact a child health nurse at your local child health centre or your GP for help.

    Resources and support

    Find out more about child health centres in your state or territory:

    NSW Government has information on joining a parenting group or playgroup (Opens in new tab).

    Parent Line (Opens in new tab) is a free telephone counselling and support service for parents and carers.

    Find out about local support groups through the Australian Breastfeeding Association (Opens in new tab).

    Dads can also join specific Dads Groups (Opens in new tab), which are for local dads to be supported by each other, local councils and child health centres.

    Languages other than English

    Parent Line (Opens in new tab) offers parenting support for parents and carers from culturally diverse backgrounds. The child health nurse is trained to support families and children, and help when they need a referral.

    Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

    Baby Coming You Ready (Opens in new tab) is a culturally safe support program for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander new parents and parents-to-be.

    Perth Children's Hospital provides a range of child health facts specifically for Aboriginal children, young people and families - Keeping our Mob Healthy – Child Health Facts (Opens in new tab).

    Find an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) or Affiliate (Opens in new tab) near you.

    Information for sexually and gender-diverse families

    Rainbow Families (Opens in new tab) organises local family catch ups (Opens in new tab) for LGBTQ+ parented families.

    Speak to a maternal child health nurse

    Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 (Opens in new tab) or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

    Last reviewed: June 2025

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