Parent & Infant Unit

At the Parent & Infant Unit, we can see parents through pregnancy and up until the infant is 12 months of age.

We work collaboratively with parents to assess and treat the mental health of the parent and support and strengthen the attachment relationship between parent and infant within an inpatient setting.

People often associate perinatal mental health with women or mothers, but we recognise the diversity in parenting and provide services for all parents, including fathers.

We work closely with our Perinatal Community Mental Health Team, who can support you with an admission as part of a wider treatment plan, and provide community based mental health treatment following post discharge from our unit.

The Parent & Infant Unit is an inpatient unit, which means both parent and infant are admitted/stay in our purpose-built unit. Your baby will stay with you in your room, and wherever possible you will be supported in the care of your baby.  

The unit is located in Newington in a quiet residential area of Ballarat. We have large outdoor spaces with native gardens which you can enjoy during your admission.
The unit has warm and earthy tones with open communal areas which you share with up to 4 other parents.
There are 5 bedrooms, each with individual ensuites. Two of these rooms have double beds which we use to support partners staying and being involved in your admission.

Meals are provided for you and your infant during your stay.

Within the Parent & Infant Unit we have a range of perinatal specialist staff who would be involved in aspects of your care. Some of these include Psychiatrists, Nurses & Midwives, Maternal Child Health & Allied Health staff.

We have a collaborative approach with families, setting individual treatment plans and encouraging partners or your support people to also be involved in your treatment and recovery.

We provide inpatient care for parents during pregnancy up until your infant is 12 months of age.

The Parent & Infant Unit is an open mental health unit which means all parents admitted are voluntarily engaged in treatment.

We care for people living in the Grampians Area Mental Health Service and the Glenelg Area Mental Health Service (South Western) regions which includes the following municipalities;

Grampians Area Mental Health

• City of Ballarat
• City of Hindmarsh
• Shire of West Wimmera
• City of Horsham
• Shire of Yarriambiack
• Shire of Northern Grampians
• Ararat Rural City
• Shire of Hepburn
• Pyrenees Shire Council
• Shire of Moorabool
• Golden Plains Shire

Glenelg Area Mental Health

• Glenelg Shire Council
• Southern Grampians Shire Council
• Moyne Shire Council
• City of Warrnambool
• Shire of Corangamite North

Visitors are welcome at the Parent & Infant Unit, however due to COVID-19 there are visitor restrictions in place which can change frequently.
Please check with the Parent & Infant Unit staff for updated visitor restrictions before planning your visit.

All Grampians Health facilitates are completely smoke free.
There are a range of options we can support you if you choose to reduce or quit smoking during your admission, which we can discuss with you during your stay.

For clients:
You can refer yourself or someone that you’re concerned about to our Mental Health Service by calling our Access and Triage Team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for information, assessment and referral.

For health professionals:
Health Professionals can refer directly through to the Access and Triage team.
If the referral is non-urgent, and does not require an immediate or urgent response, a referral letter may be faxed. Title: Attention Access and Triage Team – Perinatal Fax: (03) 5320 4028

Access and Triage: 1300 247 647
Please follow prompts to make “new referral” and “Ballarat region”.
All perinatal triages for the Grampians and South West regions are taken by our Ballarat Access and Triage Team.