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Karitane

Karitane is a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity offering free evidence based support to families with children from birth to 5 years around the unique challenges of parenting including sleep and settling, feeding and nutrition, establishing routines, toddler behaviour and perinatal mental health. They offer both face to face and virtual services to support you every step of the way.

Vision and mission

To provide accessible, evidence based services that support families to parent confidently. Through research, advocacy and collaboration Karitane promotes excellence in their care across a diverse community.

How Karitane can help

Karitane services are evidence based and delivered by a caring and highly trained professional team of child and family health nurses, paediatricians, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists offering complete holistic care.

Karitane's team guides, supports and educates families through a wide range of services including:

  • Parent helpline
  • Parenting Centres
  • Residential Services
  • Virtual Home Visits
  • Virtual Breastfeeding Clinics
  • Mental Health Services
  • Toddler Clinics - Internet - Parent Child Interaction Therapy
  • Community Programs

Parents can self-refer or referrals can be made by child and family health nurses, GPs or health/ community professionals online at www.karitane.com.au/referral

Information lines / help lines

  • Have a parenting question? Call the Karitane Careline and speak to a friendly and experienced child and family health nurse on 1300 CARING (1300 227 464). Remember, Karitane is there for you every step of the way.
  • ForWhen — Mental health support for expecting and new parents. ForWhen provides new and expecting parents — mums, dads, and guardians — with a caring, supportive mental health navigation service, to guide you and your family throughout your perinatal journey, from conception, up until your child is 12 months old. It’s a national support line that connects you to the right service that can help you understand what you’re feeling and provide the guidance and support you need at the right time. All you need to do is call 1300 24 23 22 or visit forwhenhelpline.org.au.

Recommended links

Last reviewed: March 2022

Information from this partner

Found 19 results

Wrapping your Baby

The reflexes of newborn babies often startle them easily and tend to wake them during sleep. Many parents have found that wrapping babies until they’re three to four months old (the time when these reflexes begin to disappear) helps reduce strong startle reactions and improves sleep.

Read more on Karitane website

Bottle Feeding

At Karitane, we recognise and appreciate the unique and special differences of every family. Your parenting choices should always be respected. Feeding can be an enjoyable, shared family experience, and a great form of bonding. In the early stages of feeding, you and your baby will both learn a lot from one another. Be patient – enjoy the experience together.

Read more on Karitane website

ForWhen Helpline - Mental Health Support for Parents

ForWhen is a new and free parent mental health service designed to help expectant parents...

Read more on Karitane website

Becoming a Dad

Welcome to your ‘new normal’. There’s a lot to think about when you’re a new dad and as you adjust to fatherhood you need to look after your baby, yourself and your relationship. The role of being a dad is changing, dads are much more involved and this might be very different to your own childhood.

Read more on Karitane website

Sleep and Settling

At Karitane, we encourage sleeping strategies that respond to your baby’s cues. Doing so will help them feel contained, safe and secure.

Read more on Karitane website

Settling your Baby 0 6 mths - YouTube

This video discusses age appropriate sleep and settling strategies for babies’ 0-6mths. It includes safe sleeping, recognising and understanding your baby’s ...

Read more on Karitane website

Crying Babies

Most babies have periods of crying which may last one to three hours, once or twice a day.

Read more on Karitane website

Adjusting to Parenthood

Becoming a parent is such an exciting time in your life! But as with anything, it comes with its share of stresses and challenges. The transition into parenting is one that occurs over time. Be kind to yourself. Always allow for space to grow and learn as parent. 

Read more on Karitane website

Depression and Anxiety

Depression and its related symptoms are much more common than you might expect. On average, up to 1 in 7 mums and 1 in 10 dads will experience post or perinatal depression and anxiety.

Read more on Karitane website

Routines

Every home is unique which means there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to developing routines. What’s appropriate for the age of your baby and what works in your home is important when developing your routine.

Read more on Karitane website

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