Our Services: Clinical Services

Parent Infant Service

Parent Infant Service at Albert Road Clinic provide:

• Inpatient Services
• Day Program
• Outreach Service

To download a copy of the brochure, click here.

Inpatient Services

The Parent Infant Unit is an 6 bed / 6 cot Unit, run by a multidisciplinary team of experienced professionals, with particular expertise in parent-infant problems.

Members of the team may include:

• allied health
• psychiatrists
• nurses
• mother craft nurses
• general practitioner
• paediatrician

The aim is to provide the highest standard of care for those experiencing difficulties in the first 18 months following the birth of a baby. Staff do not take over the care of the infant, but are here to help and support in the role of parenting.

For families in distress, the Parent Infant Unit provides expert assessment and treatment of the psychological, physical and behavioural problems, which can be experienced by parents and their infants postnatally.

Our service is special in that we focus on the whole family and the interactions involving mothers, fathers, babies and their siblings.

Common difficulties experienced include:

• continually feeling exhausted, depressed, anxious, angry or unable to cope
• tension and conflict resulting from relationship difficulties
• lack of confidence in baby care or parenting abilities

The program's key aspects include:

• family support or milieu therapy in a safe supportive unit where parents can learn and practice new ways of caring for their infant
• individual therapy is offered to mothers to help deal with their individual needs, concerns and conflicts
• couple or family therapy to help cope with the stress associated with a new baby (as required)

Day Program

Program runs 5 days a week covering various aspects of mother-infant difficulties with the aim to improve mother's mental health wellbeing and to improve attachment between mothers and their infants. Generally, mothers and their infants will attend 1 day per week for a period of 3 months.

Outreach Service

A service where staff will visit the mother and infant in their own home, with the aim to provide support and education to families in consultation with their individual psychiatrist.

Making a Referral

For further details call (03) 9256 8322 and speak to the Intake Coordinator. Private health insurance is strongly recommended.