Coughs, colds, sprains, rashes – your local pharmacist can give you expert advice on many health issues.
For free expert advice and reassurance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222, or for the one-off treatment of minor illnesses and injuries seven days a week from 7am-11pm, see a specialist nurse at our Walk-in centre.
For ongoing comprehensive healthcare for everyone, including those with acute problems, children under two years and those with complex medical problems, see this listing of GP’s by suburb.
For serious illness or injury requiring urgent attention, call 000 or go to your local hospital Emergency Department.
Child and Youth health services A-Z
Playgroup is an informal session where parents, carers, babies and children aged 0 to school age come together in a relaxed and friendly environment. Playgroup gives children an opportunity to have fun, make new friends, and develop new skills through informal play. Please call 1800 171 882 to find your nearest playgroup location in the ACT.
The ACT Public Library's kids homepage provides information about the collection and services for young people. You can even get online help with your homework from live tutors. Public libraries are located throughout the ACT.
This directory provided by the ACT Government's Department of Education and Training provides a detailed listing of pre-schools, primary schools, special schools, high schools and colleges, including non-government schools. It contains information for teachers, parents and students, including term dates, curricula, assessment and reporting. Contact the Department of Education and Training on (02) 6207 5111.
ACT Health's Community Asthma Support Service provides children, youth, families and community groups with up to date asthma education and support. Call Community Health Intake on (02) 6207 9977 between 8am and 5pm weekdays.
The Nurse Audiometry Service provides a full hearing assessment for children over 18 months. Call the community Health Intake on (02) 6207 9977 to make an appointment.
Helping Children with Autism is an Australian Government initiative to address the need for support and services for children with ASDs. There are many different elements to the package including Autism Advisors, an Early Intervention Panel of Service Providers, Early Days family workshops and PlayConnect Playgroups.
Autism Asperger ACT Inc. is committed to improving the understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) within the local community and the effect upon families / carers of a person with ASD. We aim to provide support for those families through sharing our time and the information we have on this disability.
Barnardos Childrens Family Centre offers family support, out-of-home care and supported accommodation services for disadvantaged children, adolescents and their families.
Maternal and Child Health (MACH) nursing services provide a range of information, strategies and skills to promote breastfeeding in the community. To access these services, phone Community Health Intake on (02) 6207 9977 between 8am and 5pm weekdays.
The overall aim of the framework is to identify strategies to increase the number of infants from birth to six months being exclusively breastfed, and to encourage ongoing breastfeeding with complimentary foods until at least 12 months of age and beyond.
Physical Culture is a dance-sport for girls from 3 years. It aims to build confidence, posture, strength, grace, and flexibility through exercise. Phone (02) 6251 7525 or email: brisso5@optusnet.com.au
Bored at home with the kids? Canberra kids provides a fairly comprehensive calendar of events that lists child-friendly events in and around Canberra for parents and grandparents.
These services are for all children under the age of 14 years who live or attend an ACT school, or young people over the age of 14 with access to a Centrelink-issued Pension concession or Healthcare Card. Call the Moore St Health Building in the city on (02) 6205 0978 or 6205 0982; Belconnen Health Centre on (02) 6205 1541 or 6205 1202; Phillip Health Centre on (02) 6205 1463 or 6205 1695; or Tuggeranong Health Centre on (02) 6205 2768 or (02) 6205 0585.
This excellent website presents health information just for kids, including how to be a happy healthy teenager, and healthy choices, relationships and advice.
The Child At Risk Health Unit (CARHU) provides medical examinations and family assessments of child abuse, neglect and/or domestic violence. Contact the Duty Worker on (02) 6244 2712 during business hours for consultation on health related concerns about children/young people suspected of being abused.
Child health checks are offered through Community Health child health clinics and home visits by Maternal & Child Health nurses. Call the Community Health Intake on (02) 6207 9977 between 8am and 5pm weekdays.
The ACT Government's Office of Children, Youth and Family Support provides services to support children, young people and families reach their potential in decision making about their lives. Phone 13 3427 for further information during business hours.
The role of the Australian Government's Child Support Agency is to support separated parents to transfer payments for the benefit of their children.
The UK website DadAtHome was formed to offer a unique reference point on being a househusband or a stay at home dad. The website offers lots of advice for stay-at-home dads.
ACT Government Health Directorate recommends Child health checks at key developmental ages as specified in the child's Personal Health Record (PHR Blue Book). These Maternal and Child Health (MACH) clinics provide an opportunity for you to gain important information, support, advice and education relevant to caring for your child. No appointment is needed for brief 15-20 minute consultations at these locations. Pre-booked longer appointments are also available.
The Australian Government's Family Assistance Office gives families better access to government services. Instead of going to different agencies to get family assistance, families are able to get all their payments from just one place. Family Assistance Offices have been set up in Medicare, Centrelink and Tax offices, offering a range of payments to support families with their work and family responsibilities.
The Richmond Fellowship of the ACT is a Family Counselling Service that offers a free service, catering to young people 12 to 25 years of age and their parents, family members and carers, regarding a broad range of issues. Our counselling is oriented toward the goals of the individual and/or the family and they aim to work with you to find creative solutions. Any family member or involved professional may contact us regarding referral during business hours. Our referral forms are also available on our website.
The Australian Government's Family Relationship Centre Canberra provides families (whether together or separated) with information and advice about family relationship issues. The centre is located in Woden and open 9-5pm weekdays. Call the Family Relationship Centre Canberra on (02) 6122 2444.
Red Cross first aid training courses are held on Level 1, Brindabella Specialist Centre Cnr Hindmarsh Drive & Palmer Sts in Garran. See this course schedule for more information, call 1300 367 428 or email: firstaid@redcross.org.au
St John holds regular 'Caring for Kids' first aid courses at the St John Ambulance Australia ACT Training Centre in Deakin. Money raised from their training is used to support volunteer community endeavours. Contact St John Ambulance Australia (ACT) on (02) 6282 2399 for details.
The Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service® is now available in the ACT, so there's no better time to get healthy than now! Get Healthy is a free, confidential telephone-based Service funded by ACT Health, which helps people make lifestyle changes regarding healthy eating, being physically active, and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
GymbaROO specialises in developmental education for babies 6 weeks to 5 year olds. The GymbaROO program is specifically designed to develop essential motor skills in children and to inform parents of the importance of early childhood development to health, learning and behaviour. Activities involve a wide range of movement experiences for children, using specially designed and constructed equipment. Phone 0422 312 457 or email: kristie@gymbaroocanberra.com
headspace ACT provides support, information and assistance for young people aged 12 to 25 years who are experiencing emotional or mental health issues and/or a substance use issue.
The Healthy Kids website from the NSW Government links good food habits and daily physical activity. If your child has these, they're well on the way to a healthy life. But achieving this isn't always so simple. This website shows you how to do it and links you to many other sites on this important topic.
Child immunisation is available through your local family doctor (GP) and by appointment through the Child, Youth and Women's Health Program. For advice and general information on immunisation, call the Immunisation Information Line on (02) 6205 2300.
Parents can now get electronic copies of their children's immunisation records as part of this new service offered by Medicare Australia. Children less than seven years old enrolled with Medicare should be automatically listed on the online register. Parents can register with Medicare Australia or telephone 132 011 for more information.
Workshops offered by Certified International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) Instructors are suitable for well babies and families. Families experiencing attachment difficulties, sleep issues, disability, illness, prematurity, mental illness, and post-natal depression can be accommodated in general workshops, and specialised workshops are also offered. Parents can locate a certified infant massage instructor of their choice via the association web-pages.
Kidsafe's main activities have been to conduct child safety campaigns on issues such as the prevention of injuries from motor vehicle crashes, drowning, burns & Scalds, poisonings, falls and other similar safety problems.
Kids at Play is all about advancing the health and wellbeing of ACT children aged 0-5 years, by promoting healthy eating and physical activity to families and the early childhood sector. The program offers a number of resources to assist early childhood services and parents, including factsheets, posters, a Kids at Play manual and this Kids at Play website.
KidsMatter aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children, reduce mental health problems amongst children, and achieve greater support for children experiencing mental health difficulties, and their families. It includes KidsMatter Early Childhood, designed for implementation in preschools and long day care; and KidsMatter Primary Schools, designed for implementation in Australian primary schools.
Lab Tests Online Au is a free web site where patients and their carers can find trustworthy and accurate information about the range of pathology tests and screens that are used to diagnose and monitor conditions and diseases.
Livewire is a free and exclusive online community for teenagers living with serious illness or disability in Australia. Make new friends, catch the chat events and guests in the chat room, have your say in the forums and check out all the latest music, movies, TV and sport news and goss, plus hot interviews and games!
Being medicinewise will help you make better health decisions for you and those you care for. We all take medicines, but too often we take them for granted. Being medicinewise will help you to get the most benefit from your medicines.
Mental Health ACT provides specialist treatment and support to those people experiencing a moderate to severe mental illness. This support requires co-operation with other community agencies to ensure that the individual needs of the client are met. An extensive range of government and non-government bodies provide support services to those with mental health needs in the ACT region. Call Mental Health ACT on 132281 or the Crisis Assessment and Treatment (CATT) Team on 1800 629 354 (24 hour service), or 6205 1065.
This Australian Government website provides information to parents and carers on government initiatives and issues affecting young children, as well as providing information on the different child care options that are available.
NAPCAN provides parenting brochures, training, support networks and information. NAPCAN has also produced a Safe Sleeping Chart that can be hung above a cot and provides a constant reminder of safe sleeping practices, and gives guidelines for appropriate bedding and sleeping clothing. To obtain a chart for a gold coin donation phone NAPCAN on (02) 6247 8060 or email: act@napcan.org.au
Here you'll find the latest ACT Health guidance on nutrition issues. See the Australian Dietary Guidelines for sound general nutrition advice and our information for new mothers and also our listing of publications and upcoming free nutrition courses in your local area.
The PatCH webpage provides information about children's health services at The Canberra Hospital and what you may expect if you visit.
Parentlink's purpose is to increase parenting confidence and skills by linking parents with information, guidance and support services in the community. Phone 133427 or email: parentlink@act.gov.au
This Australian Government website provides information that can help parents and other carers with the day-to-day decisions that surround raising children. The creators believe that positive outcomes for children across a range of areas can be achieved when parents have access to information based on the best science in parenting, child health and development.
Everyone has the right to feel safe and to live without fear. There are strategies and precautions you can take to maximise your feeling of safety - check out this fact sheet for more info.
The ACT Government's Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services provides this resource listing of respite care services available in the ACT, including short & medium term respite care in the home, emergency respite care, occasional relief for the families of children with a physical handicap or moderate to severe disability.
The Richmond Fellowship of the ACT is a Family Counselling Service that offers a free service, catering to young people 12 to 25 years of age and their parents, family members and carers, regarding a broad range of issues. Our counselling is oriented toward the goals of the individual and/or the family and they aim to work with you to find creative solutions. Any family member or involved professional may contact us regarding referral during business hours. Our referral forms are also available on our website.
Come to Rhyming Connections - an ACT Health funded service - and spend some quality time with your young child learning songs, rhymes and stories together. This 10 week Parent Child Mother Goose Program is an excellent social activity for both you and your child.
School Health Services include National Funded Immunisations in Year 7 and Year 9, Kindergarten Health Check, School Youth Health Nurses and Nurses in ACT Special Schools. Contact the Child, Youth & Women’s Health Program School Administrator on (02) 6205 2086.
School Safe is an initiative that recognises that schools are the second most common injury site for children. Fundamental to School Safe is the knowledge that most of these accidents are preventable.
The National Self-Detection Program for Scollosis (NSDP). The online discussion and Interactive medical advice forum at Scollosis Australia.
This website provides useful information for patients with scoliosis and their parents. It covers the causes, symptoms and treatment of scoliosis, including brace treatment, scoliosis surgery, correction rods, x-ray, inheritance and details of the National Self-Detection Program for Scoliosis together with a self-detection brochure.
SIDS and Kids Safe Sleeping gives important information about the evidence around SIDS risk reduction and sleep accidents. Since it's inception in the early 1990's, the campaign has saved the lives of over 4,500 Australian babies.
For information and assistance regarding sleep for your baby or child, information sessions are available for children aged 0-3 mths through Early Days; Age 3-8 mths; Age 9-18 mths, and Age 19 mths–3 years.
People are often prepared for the deaths of elderly parents, friends or relatives who have a serious illness, but we are rarely prepared for the impact of sudden death. We are usually even less prepared for the suicide of someone we know.
Orthoptists provide vision screening service for children from birth to 6 years if issues are raised following an initial Maternal & Child Health vision screen. Call Community Health Intake on (02) 6207 9977 between 8am and 5pm weekdays.
Wheelies is a free community service for all those people who need to use a wheelchair and still want to get out and travel.
Australia's best source of up-to-date information about media and children, for parents and caregivers, professionals, students and researchers. The site contains over 300 movie reviews and practical information to help you combat childhood obesity.
Youth InterACT aims to encourage 12-25 year olds from a range of backgrounds and experiences to have their say about youth issues in Canberra. It provides information and details of youth services in the ACT region. Contact Youth InterACT on (02) 6205 0632.
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