By CASEY NEILL
NOBLE Park’s Queen Elizabeth Centre needs a helping hand to get vulnerable families back on their feet.
QEC provides support, care and guidance to parents with children aged up to four years who are experiencing difficulties, from sleeping and feeding to mental illness.
“Often there’s a lot more going on with a family,” residential services manager Emily Herde said.
“It’s all about the interaction and all the other stuff is a flow-on effect.”
Families can live at the centre’s 16-room ward for five days to receive intensive help from nurses, social workers, psychologists and more through group sessions and activities.
QEC needs volunteers to welcome these families on a Monday and help them to check out on a Friday.
The volunteers will receive training and ongoing support and need to develop a rapport with families, offer compassion, and communicate and listen effectively.
Ms Herde said a friendly and relaxed greeting set the tone for a family’s stay.
“It’s nice to have someone not focusing on the clinical things,” she said.
“It’s a big deal for these families to admit that they need help.”
QEC started as a baby health centre in North Richmond in 1917, developed into a nurse training ground and in 1934 became a registered public hospital.
Its focus shifted toward at-risk children as nurse training moved out of hospitals and into the higher education sector, and in 1986 became QEC.
The centre moved to its current purpose-built facilities in Noble Park in 1998.
Qualified nurses also triage calls for help and Ms Herde said some parents might just need advice over the phone or from the QEC website while others are referred to more intensive programs.
As well as the five-day residential program, there’s a Day Stay workshop and an eight-week therapeutic playgroup program Playsteps.
Participation in the 10-day residential program is by Victorian Child Protection Service referral.
QEC’s outreach program includes 12 weeks of home visits to help with sleep, settling and more.
“Not everyone can come into Noble Park. It just means our reach is much greater,” Ms Herde said.
The centre also helps parents line up ongoing support and empowers them to tackle issues on their own.
QEC operates with state and federal funding and families with a Medicare card don’t have to pay for the service.
Call the people and culture team on 9549 2732 or email Ms Parry at peopleandculture@qec.org.au to volunteer.
The Queen Elizabeth Centre is at 53 Thomas Street, Noble Park.
Visit www.qec.org.au for parenting resources and more information about the centre or phone 9549 2777.
