Around May of 2024, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) approached the Manjimup Family Centre with a proposal to partner with them to deliver wrap around support for vulnerable families in and around Manjimup. WACHS noticed a high number of presentations at the Emergency Department for social/welfare issues rather than for medical emergencies and were keen to find a way to support the families in need with young children in the area. From the Centre’s initial discussions with WACHS, the concept of Moort Mia (Family Home) was born.
Moort Mia runs on Tuesday afternoons, and participants are referred/invited to attend. The program targets families with children under 5 who are vulnerable for any reason. Families are provided with lunch on arrival and then enjoy a facilitated playgroup session. The Centre provides a wraparound care and are responsive to the needs of the families. There are often giveaways, such as clothing, household items and food. Staff from WACHS are also usually in attendance, and will provide impromptu care and advice as needed, for example childhood vaccinations are provided opportunistically during the session. Advice on topics such as breastfeeding, solids, dental care, development and other issues are also given as needed, and visits from other specialisms often use the session to catch up with families. The Centre staff provide fun and engaging activities for the children.
The group has been very successful and has now been running for 1.5 years. This group has engaged a demographic in the community that has traditionally been very hard to reach. Participants who were hesitant about attending initially have now come to trust staff and are finding value in the program.
Moort Mia is one of Manjimup Family Centre’s most successful examples of how much can be achieved when organisations collaborate/partner to find innovative solutions to problems.