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You can choose to become a parent. This will mean continuing the pregnancy, having the baby, and parenting the baby when it is born.
Whether you choose to parent might depend on your life goals, your personal circumstances, your relationships and the help you have for parenting.
It may also depend on your feelings, values and culture around parenthood and other pregnancy options.
Remember that social attitudes around parenting are very different now than they used to be.
Families do not look, and are not meant to look, a single way. People from all walks of life are parents in different and positive ways.
There are also support services to help you parent.
If you choose to become a parent and continuing the pregnancy, you should make an appointment with a GP for early pregnancy care.
More information about the steps to take if you are thinking about or decide to continue a pregnancy is available from Canberra Health Services.
Individual case management to help support women with their individual needs. Support can include assistance with housing, life skills, mental health, child birth, parenting, advocacy and appropriate referral to other support services. Karinya House supports women living in on-site accommodation as well as women living in the community.
Women who are pregnant or have a baby under 3 months and who do not have safety, shelter or a positive support network are eligible for help.
You can refer yourself to Karinya House. You can find more information here or call 6259 8998.
Evidence based perinatal mental health support and information for families in the ACT. Perinatal means the time from when you become pregnant to soon after you have given birth.
The Perinatal Wellbeing Centre services are available during pregnancy and up until your youngest child is 2.
You can find more information here or call 6288 1936.
Information and systemic advocacy for single mothers around income support, child support and housing. You can find more information here.
Support to parents and carers for their child’s health, wellbeing, learning and development. This includes parenting support, referrals to other services, playgroups and parenting groups.
ACT Government runs Child and Family Centres in Gungahlin, Tuggeranong and Belconnen.
You can find more information here.
Free telephone and face-to-face confidential counselling services to parents and carers. You can find more information here or call 6287 3833 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Culturally safe health care for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
This includes the Australian Nurse-Family Partnership Program (ANFPP): a home visit program for first time mums (or first time mothering) who are having an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander baby. You can access this service from as early as 16 weeks of pregnancy.
There is also an Aboriginal Midwifery Access Program for women pregnant with a First Nations baby. It is a shared care program between a Winnunga midwife and a GP from a Canberra hospital.
Winnunga also runs a Women’s Group, Cooking Group and Wellbeing Group for registered Winnunga clients.
You can find more information here, call 6284 6222, or visit 63 Boolimba Crescent, Narrabundah ACT 2604.
Telephone: 02 6290 2166
Available Monday–Friday
9am–5pm
Women’s Health Matters manage and update the site. You can read more about us here.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.
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