Mental health support: Residential centre to be built for infants and kids under 11

Infants and very young children in need of mental health help will get the support they need, with Victoria’s first live-in centre for kids under 11.

The unprecedented focus on early intervention for infants and children under 11 is designed to prevent mental health deteriorating. Picture: News Corp

Victoria’s first residential mental health centre for children under 11 is to be built, in an effort to help kids as quickly as possible.

The 12-bed facility planned for Macleod is one of the first major steps in rebuilding the state’s broken mental health system, in line with the Royal Commission recommendations to focus on children and young people.

While it will provide intense residential mental health treatments, the specialist $7.3 million Grieve Street centre allow children under 11 to stay with their families in a supported environment.

The unprecedented focus on early intervention for infants and children under 11 is hoped to prevent their mental health challenges escalating and becoming more complex - issues which were highlighted by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s mental health system earlier this year.

Staffed 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, the new child and family mental health centres will involve specialist clinicians providing therapies for issues including medication management, resolving disputes, school refusal and other challenging behaviours.

Mental Health Minister James Merlino said the service would be operated by Austin Health, with site preparations set to get underway in coming weeks.

“We are building a new mental health and wellbeing system from the ground up and that means delivering services dedicated to supporting young children in their recovery while keeping them with their families,” Mr Merlino said.

Up to three families will be able to stay onsite while children receive flexible, family-centred therapy and support.

Plans for the building feature private rooms alongside shared living spaces and a kitchen, dining, lounge, laundry and family activity areas, outdoor garden areas, as well as clinical consulting areas.

Further children’s mental health centres are expected to be announced by the State government after the Royal Commission called for a new parallel mental health system, with one stream for infants, children and young people and another for adults.