Isolation and overwhelm for new mothers is a problem right across Australian communities.
But here at The Babes Project we have ten years of experience supporting new mothers and we know that our holistic and nurturing perinatal care can transform their experience of early motherhood, as we empower her to build confidence and skills for the challenges ahead.
What are we doing and why are we doing it?
With a proven record across two Victorian centres, The Babes Project will soon offer its vital perinatal program to women in Cairns, Queensland, who face challenges including teen pregnancy and single parenting, mental health, domestic violence, drug and alcohol issues, family breakdown and isolation.
In 2017, births to teen mothers in Cairns was at a rate of 25.9 per 1000 births, ahead of 15.0 Queensland-wide, and 11.8 in Greater Brisbane. One in four teen mums nationally identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and we know that local community agencies are calling for better support for new mums.
Our CEO and Founder Helen Parker experienced her own pregnancy as a young uni student and it is this experience that drives The Babes Project pursuit to ensure other women can access the support she found so hard to secure. Negative attitudes around having children at a young age, or without a partner, or in a range of challenging situations, are often leaving women to raise children alone and vulnerable – and that’s a bad outcome for the mother, and for the baby.
However Babes program graduates are the thriving proof that local, face-to-face, and independent support really works to get new mums through tough times. So we're super excited to be doing something positive and empowering for the women of Cairns.
About The Babes Project Cairns
Babes already has a space at Shop 3, 21-23 Sheridan St, in the Cairns CBD (and near the Cairns Hospital). And local social worker Cristy Mock will be managing a team of pregnancy support volunteers that will be recruited over the next few months. It is this team that will nurture, educate and walk alongside so many pregnant women and new mums doing it tough in Far North Queensland.
And The Babes Project's incredible perinatal care program, developed and proven across a decade, will be front and centre of the Cairns service too, hopefully supporting hundreds of women through their most vulnerable and confronting days.
How you can help:
Now, we need you – and the mums of Australia do, too!
Will you help us get the doors open of The Babes Project Cairns?
Will you help women become confident parents of thriving families?
Every donation counts and the more we raise in 34 days, the stronger our Cairns service becomes.
