For professionals

• Connecting, listening and responding: A blueprint for action – Maternity care in NSW NSW Health’s key maternity policy which aims to strengthen maternity services to ensure care is collaborative, equitable and women-centred – NSW Health
• Early Childhood Oral Health details how you can support better oral health outcomes for children
• Pregnancy, birth and the first 5 years which includes resources for families and health professionals – NSW Health
• Resource Hub provides resources on pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and child health and development
• The first 2000 days of life provides further evidence-based information professionals can use to inform parents and carers – NSW Health

• Small Bites for Big Steps provides video series and professional development courses for early childhood educators – NSW Government
• Your career in early childhood includes information on starting, upskilling or developing your career in early childhood education and care – NSW Department of Education
• ECEC resource library features a range of resources for services, providers and educators which can be easily filtered by topic, quality area, and resource type – NSW Department of Education

• Resource centre helps professionals find policies, forms, factsheets, reports, research and more from across the whole Department of Communities and Justice – Department of Communities and Justice
• Targeted Early Intervention Program includes information for professionals who work with families that could use more support – Department of Communities and Justice 

NSW Health is designing an online version of the existing Child Health Record also known as “The Blue Book”. 

• The online version enables parents and carers to access their child's health record information via the secure My NSW Health app.
• The My NSW Health app is linked to the single digital patient record (SDPR) providing the ability to easily access and share existing health information from hospitals and community settings.
• Relevant child development and parent and carer support information and resources will be available.
• Reminders for important health and developmental checks and vaccinations will be provided as key milestone approach for an individual child.
• Through routine health and development checks opportunities for early intervention can be improved in the first 2000 days. 

• The free health and development checks are available for 4-year-old children in their preschool or long day care services.
• Many 4-year-old children do not attend their recommended health and development checks, meaning parents and carers are missing out on important information about their child’s health and development before starting school.
• Making the 4-year-old health and development check available in preschool settings will make it easier for parents, carers and children to access these important checks and help them ensure their child has the best start in life and learning.
• Health professionals from local health districts will be conducting the checks. ECEC staff will support children during the checks.
• The program is opt in and ECEC services will let families know when this program is coming to their service.
• The 4-year check is also available through their doctor or local child and family health service. 

There are currently 9 Aboriginal Child and Family Centres (ACFCs). In March 2024, the NSW Government approved the expansion of the program to allow for 6 new ACFCs.

• Aboriginal Child and Family Centres provide culturally safe services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families with children aged 0-8 years.
• This includes early childhood education and care, parent and family support and maternal and child health advice. Adult education opportunities are also available.
• ACFCs in NSW are operated by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to suit local needs.
• There are currently 9 existing centres with 6 additional centres being delivered in the coming years to ensure more communities have access to these important services.
• Centres are currently located in Ballina, Brewarrina, Doonside, Gunnedah, Lightning Ridge, Minto, Mount Druitt, Nowra and Toronto.

Pregnancy Family Conferencing has been expanded statewide to include regional and remote districts across NSW

• Pregnancy Family Conferencing is a strengths-based, trauma-informed program offered to expectant parents and their families where significant child protection concerns have been identified for the unborn baby.
• The program is a partnership between NSW Health and NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and aims to provide a forum for families and services to have open and transparent conversations about child protection issues.
• By working with expectant parents during pregnancy, the program supports families to connect with services and resources that can strengthen their wellbeing and preparation for parenthood.
• PFC has been operating in 6 metropolitan sites throughout Greater Sydney for several years and has since been expanded to include regional and remote districts across NSW.
• PFC is currently available to eligible families in 12 local health districts.

Sustaining NSW Families is available at 17 sites across NSW.

• Sustaining NSW Families is a health home visiting service which promotes child health and development, helps families work together and build strong bonds; supports parent health and wellbeing. Learn more about how it works and eligibility on the NSW Health website.
• The program starts in pregnancy or shortly after giving birth and continues until the baby’s second birthday.
• Specially trained Child and Family Health nurses lead the program with support from social workers and other allied health professionals.
• Families need a referral and to meet eligibility criteria to take part in the Sustaining NSW Families program.