Tweddle Training to Support Women’s Prevention and Recovery Care Team

By Kerrie Gottliebsen

Tweddle’s Professional Development educators have had the privilege to deliver specialist training to the team heading up the western region Women’s Prevention and Recovery Care centre (WPARC).

Melbourne’s western suburbs are at the forefront of family service innovation. The opening of Victoria’s WPARC located near Sunshine Hospital is the first in the state to provide accommodation for women to stay with their children and remain connected with their families.

Decades of research evidence reinforces that the quality of the caregiver/child relationships are the greatest indicators on health, social and life outcomes for a family and specifically the child. WPARC are reducing barriers to women with young children accessing and engaging with the care and support they so crucially need.

WPARC and Tweddle have partnered to strengthen the clinical service response for families, including women and children. Tweddle and WPARC have shared 2 days learning and sharing skills, knowledge, and experience through Tweddle’s delivery of The Importance of the First 1000 Days training and Keys to Caregiving parent-child relationships training.

WPARC practitioners reflected the importance of maintaining a child centric lens through the assessment, care planning, delivery, and onward referral of the mother and broader family.

As Tweddle journeys through the excitement of a redevelopment of site and service provision, we are thrilled to be connecting with WPARC to improve referral pathways and work towards limiting time between accessing care, treatment and support that meets the needs of the whole family.

The $8.4 million facility will provide vital mental health services to women who need short-term mental health care and will support 150 women each year.

With around-the clock clinical care, the 12-bed residential facility has a communal kitchen, dining and living areas, breakout spaces and outdoor space for leisure and recreational activities and is the first purpose-built PARC for women in the western suburbs.

A key recommendation from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, Prevention and Recovery Care services provide care for people who no longer need hospital treatment for mental illness, while also reducing pressure on hospital beds by providing early intervention care.

Operated by the NorthWestern Mental Health Service, the centre was designed in consultation with people who have lived experience of the mental health system.

For more information about Tweddle’s Professional Development and Training opportunities, contact (03) 9689 1577 or visit Professional Development – Tweddle