16 June 1998

PARENTLINE A NEW HELP LINE FOR PARENTS- NAPTHINE

A new $2.6 million Victorian Government initiative will offer an extra layer of expert help to the parents of Victoria’s 1.25 million dependent children, the Minister for Youth & Community Services, Dr Denis Napthine, said today.

Launching Parentline - a seven-day-a-week, 24-hour confidential help service - Dr Napthine said the Government recognised that being a parent could be as fulfilling as it could be exasperating

“Every child is different, and rewarding. But with great rewards come great challenges, and no child comes with an instruction manual. Usually you get only one chance - and no rehearsal - at being a good parent to each child,” Dr Napthine said.

Victoria has 610,000 families with dependent children.

“By providing thoroughly professional and specifically trained advisers as sounding boards or as referral points to other services, the Government wants to offer every parent an opportunity to get it right the first time.”

Tomorrow, a series of television, print and radio advertising will begin to quickly build the profile of the new Parentline service.

Parentline will be a ‘round-the-clock, easily accessible phone service with staff drawn from fields as broad as psychology, social work and nursing.

All staff undergo intensive pre-service training to refine their knowledge and adapt their advice skills to the telephone medium.

The specially trained staff will be able to offer parents instant advice and prompt suggestions on where to go for extra help.

Parentline will have a broad scope, offering help to parents of children aged from 0 to 18 years old.

The 24-hours Parentline contact number is 13 22 89.

“Advisers will be there all the time and every day to help parents cope at whatever time they need it most,” Dr Napthine said.

“Whether the problem is big or small, whether it is about a toddler having a tantrum, teenagers staying out all night, or a suspicion of drug use, Parentline will make the phone an instant link to a vast and professional resource.

“We want to send a message to parents that this Government understands and respects the difficult role of parenting.

“As a Government, we recognise parenting is a skill learned along the way, and we want to share some responsibility by providing strong supports to help parents build the skills that can make a difference.

“The instant access is vital because the sooner parents get the support, guidance, reassurance and information they need, the fewer the families that will reach breaking point and then require crisis intervention.

“In the end, supporting parents and strengthening families is about reinforcing the foundations of our society and evading the toll of family breakdown, a toll that falls heaviest on the most vulnerable - children,” Dr Napthine said.

Parentline joins a raft of other services that underpin the Victorian Government’s resolve to lend a hand where possible to the State’s parents.

Under a $1.2 million three-year funding umbrella, the Government has created a research, training and information service for professionals called the Victorian Parenting Centre.

Also, the $4.8 million Regional Parenting Resource Service is a three year program that will provide specialist parenting help and education services in each of the nine Victorian regions, Dr Napthine said.

The $6.5 million Strengthening Families project is aimed at offering timely intervention and support to families that are already experiencing some strain.

Similarly, the $500,000 Family Intervention Service offers more targeted and intensive help to families that find themselves in great difficulty.

“With this broad foundation of help, and the new Parentline service, the Government has ensured that every parent has access to the level of support they need,” Dr Napthine said.

NOTE: The Minister for Youth & Community Services, Dr Denis Napthine, will launch Parentline at 12 Midday, TUESDAY, 16 June 1998, at the North Carlton Primary School, Lee Street, Carlton North.

Media Inquiries:

Anne Stanford, Minister’s Press Secretary, 9651 5799, 0418 530 280

Serena Williams, Minister’s Press Secretary, 9651 5799, 0412 683 876

Alex Messina, Department of Human Services, Media Unit, 9616 7701

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