Baby bundles an opportunity to connect with parents
The Parenting Research Centre was pleased to help the Victorian Government design the State’s first baby bundle.
The practical products and reliable information contained in the bundle convey important messages about infant safety and wellbeing, creating a unique opportunity to connect with new parents on laying the foundations for healthy child development.
“Raising children is not always plain sailing, and when the waters get rough it’s important that parents have access to good support and reliable information.,” said Parenting Research Centre CEO Warren Cann.
“Children are the winners when we invest in supporting parents.”
First baby bundles delivered
Parents welcoming their first baby at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital have already received the bundles. Families across Victoria will receive them in mid July. The bundles will reach 35,000 families in total.
The bundle contains important information for parents, including a booklet developed in collaboration with raisingchildren.net.au that provides vital information on child health, safety and learning and emergency contacts.
“We know from 10 years of experience with raisingchildren.net.au that sleeping and feeding are the top things new parents want to know about,” Mr Cann said.
A lifelong journey
“A key thing parents can do is think of themselves as someone beginning a lifelong learning journey when they become a parent. It’s important for parents to be kind to themselves and gather the practical and emotion support you need as well as seeking out information.”
The bundle also contains products for new parents such as a nappy bag and picture books from Victorian authors. The four picture books are relevant to various stages of a child’s development. Almost 1,200 people had their say on which books to include in the bundle. In total they nominated 332 different books.
The Parenting Research Centre was a member of the expert panel that assessed the potential contents of the Baby Bundle.
“We’re delighted to be involved in this initiative, part of the Government’s wider package to support parents,” Mr Cann said.
Learn more
- Read about our raisingchildren.net.au partnership
- Watch the nine news coverage of the Baby Bundle delivery
- Read the Victorian Government media release