Healthy Beginnings for HNEKids
A quiet revolution is taking place in the Hunter New England region - one that is transforming the way families embark on their journey of parenthood by providing expert guidance in the early years of a child's life. It's called Healthy Beginnings for HNEKids.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between Hunter New England Child and Family Health Services and Population Health. Glencore Coal supports the initiative as part of our Community Investment Program.
At its core, Healthy Beginnings for HNEKids harnesses the power of technology to deliver timely and tailored guidance direct to families via text message.
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Hear from the Healthy Beginnings for HNEKids and Glencore team about this fantastic initiative.
Hear from the Healthy Beginnings for HNEKids and Glencore team about this fantastic initiative.
Providing guidance, one text at a time
Picture this: a new parent, cradling their bundle of joy, experiencing the simultaneous joy and uncertainty that parenthood brings. In these crucial early days, the right kind of support and guidance can make all the difference.
Through this initiative, families receive informative text messages that align with the age and stage of their child. The text messages provide information on everything from feeding practices to child development and milestones.
And the messages aren't just one-way; for those who want to know more they include evidence-based web links to additional information and resources, as well as contact details for further support or referral services.
A trusted source of support for Lindsey
Lindsey is one of many parents who joined the program after becoming a mother to daughter Winter in 2022.
Lindsey and Winter.
Lindsey said the program has been invaluable during her first year of parenting.
“The text messages have been incredible for our family, particularly during the newborn stage,” she said.
“You’re up for 2am and 3am feeds and often looking at your phone, so to have information there to read is really useful.”
“There is so much information out there now which can be a real challenge for new parents. These texts are coming from medical professionals so they’re a trusted source of information for me.”
Nurturing our tomorrow, today
The overarching goal of Healthy Beginnings for HNEKids is to foster healthier outcomes for children while connecting parents, caregivers and families to vital support.
It recognises that the journey of parenting is both rewarding and challenging and seeks to empower families with the tools they need to make informed choices.
A website linked via a HNE text.
Since the pilot program began, Healthy Beginnings for HNEKids has reached more than 3,500 families in the region and more than 170,000 texts have been sent.
In an era where information is abundant but sometimes overwhelming, these bite-sized messages bring clarity and focus. They help to bridge the gap between medical expertise and the daily lives of families, making knowledge accessible and actionable.
Combining collaboration and care
Healthy Beginnings for HNEKids came to fruition thanks to the dedicated efforts of health professionals at John Hunter Children’s Hospital who joined forces with local families and partners like Glencore.
Program participant Lindsey Mulville, daughter Winter and Glencore Community Relations Coordinator Tracey Snedden.
We value the opportunity to contribute to programs that encourage healthy lifestyles and better health care. We’re proud to have invested more than $450,000 in this initiative to date.