Embedding Health Support into Playgroup: Lessons from Doveton College
Embedding Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services in playgroup increases Key Ages and Stages (KAS) health check attendance among families from refugee-backgrounds.
A recent pilot at Doveton College is showing how schools can be powerful community platforms for improving family access to vital services.
Under the Our Place approach, site partners identified that many refugee-background families – especially those recently arrived in Australia or with children born overseas – were not engaging with Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services, often missing important Key Ages and Stages (KAS) health checks.
To address this, Our Place Doveton, 54 Reasons and the City of Casey embedded a MCH Nurse into a weekly settlement playgroup run by 54 Reasons at Doveton College. The familiar, welcoming setting allowed families to connect with the MCH service, build trust with practitioners, and receive timely and tailored information, appointments and referrals – some for the very first time.
“We saw families who hadn’t accessed MCH before now attending KAS visits. Families now come to appointments with more confidence and questions. They’re more prepared.”
MCH Nurse
The pilot highlighted common barriers to engagement, including low awareness of MCH services, language and literacy challenges, and a lack of trust in unfamiliar or formal service settings. By embedding MCH support in a trusted environment and enabling regular, informal interaction, the program fostered confidence and stronger relationships between families and service providers.
The results have been transformative:
- 511 total attendances were recorded across 20 sessions
- Key Ages and Stages (KAS) health checks booked in Term 4 doubled compared to Term 3
- 5 families attended the MCH nurse for the first time
- Parent-initiated engagement increased by 25%
- 100% of focus group participants made at least one positive change at home
- Families were connected to a range of services, including GPs, dental clinics, speech pathology, and community education programs.
Parents also reported stronger knowledge about child development, nutrition, dental care, sleep routines and managing screen time, sharing the positive changes they had made at home.
Elfie Taylor, Our Place Director Early Years, believes the insights from the pilot highlight how schools can act as trusted community hubs for families.
“The program shows how an integrated, place-based approach can help to break down barriers and improve access to support families need. The success of the Doveton pilot points to a scalable model for improving MCH engagement in culturally diverse communities to ensure more families can access the services and support they need early in their child’s life.”
Elfie Taylor, Our Place Early Years Director
Insights from the pilot highlight six key principles for expanding this model:
- Integration – Embed services in trusted, accessible community settings
- Trust – Build relationships through regular, informal interaction
- Accessibility – Use bilingual support to reduce language barriers
- Communication – Share information in practical, culturally relevant ways
- Flexibility – Offer onsite appointment options aligned with families’ routines
- Collaboration – Partner with community organisations for outreach and support
For more information about the Maternal and Child Health in Playgroup pilot program, contact Elfie Taylor elfie@ourplace.org.au, or download the Impact Summary Report.
