𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 — 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀

We, the undersigned, stand united with 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗺 and 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘆, one of Australia’s leading gender equity and fatherhood advocates, in their bold campaign to rename Victoria’s "𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀" to "𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀" and make services inclusive. This transformation will reshape the future of public health services for families, ushering in a new era of equality, inclusivity, and support for all parents—fathers, mothers, non-binary caregivers, and diverse family structures.

𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹

The way we support parents from the very start of their journey shapes the future of families, workplaces, and society. Right now, our services fail to recognize the true diversity of contemporary families. The name "Maternal and Child Health" reflects a narrow view of parenting, one that excludes fathers, non-binary parents, and other caregivers who are playing pivotal roles in raising children. This must change.

- 𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝟱 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 are now led by fathers, and single-father households are the fastest-growing family demographic in Australia, projected to increase by 40-65% by 2041.

- 𝗠𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 are under recognised, with limited targeted support. Fathers often face their challenges in isolation, without access to services designed for them.

- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀, discouraging many fathers and other caregivers from fully engaging with vital health services.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀:

𝟭. 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗢𝗻𝗲. Renaming the centres to "𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀" ensures that all parents, regardless of gender, are recognised and supported as equal partners in raising their children. This not only promotes equality at home but opens pathways for 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 in the workforce and education by encouraging shared caregiving roles.

𝟮. 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱-𝗢𝗻: Addressing 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀' 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 (𝟭𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟬 men 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 and 𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝟱 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻) through expanded, inclusive services will dramatically improve early interventions, ensuring men receive the care they need. Healthy, supported fathers are more engaged, contributing to healthier, happier families.

𝟯. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆. By normalising the active role of all parents, regardless of gender, we will create stronger family dynamics, improved relationships, and healthier children. The ripple effect of this change will shape more inclusive workplaces, communities, and support networks that reflect and celebrate the diversity of modern families.

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

This campaign, led by 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗺 and 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘆, and endorsed by the undersigned, is about more than just a name change. It’s about transforming the way we see and support families, beginning with their most crucial years. The shift to 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀 will send a powerful message that all parents matter, that caregiving is shared, and that families come in many forms—all deserving of equal recognition and support.

𝗪𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲.

It’s time to rename and expand these centres, transforming how we care for and empower parents and children, and creating a future where all families thrive.