Services

smalltalk supported playgroups

Enrol now for Term 2 in 2024!

Do you have a child or children aged under five years of age? You may be eligible to attend a smalltalk supported playgroup.

smalltalk is a national program developed by the Parenting Research Centre to promote evidence-based strategies parents can use to enhance learning at home for children from birth to school age.

When you attend a smalltalk playgroup you can:

Have fun with engaing activities for you and your child.
Help your child's learning and development.
Connect with other families in your community.

smalltalk supported playgroups include a healthy snack for your child and run during school terms on the following days and locations:

Ironbark - Monday 9.30am - 11.30am

Kangaroo Flat - Tuesday 9.30am - 11.30am

Eaglehawk North - Wednesday 9.15am - 11.15am

Heathcote - Thursday 9am - 10.30am

Eligibility

smalltalk playgroups are for families who have at least one of the following characteristics:

A family member in the household holds one of the following:

- a Commonwealth Health Care Card
- a Commonwealth Pensioner Concession Card
- a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card or White Card
- Refugee visa (subclass 200)
- In-country Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 201)
- Global Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 202)
- Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa (subclass 786)
- Protection visa (subclass 866)
- Emergency Rescue visa (subclass 203)
- Woman at risk visa (subclass 204)
- Bridging visas, A-E.
In addition, the following families are also eligible:
- families in which a family member identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- families who are looking after children in kinship care arrangements (out of home care)
- families referred from Child FIRST or Child Protection
- families referred from or receiving Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Services.
For more information please contact Tiffany Holschier on 0498 642 909 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

smalltalk in-home support

In-home support involves a qualified facilitator visiting a family in their own home. Parents receiving in-home support may also be attending a supported playgroup. During these home-based sessions, parents see practical examples of the smalltalk strategies, and can practice these ideas with guidance from a qualified facilitator.

Duration

In home support sessions vary depending on if the family is also attending a supported playgroup.

If a family is attending a supported playgroup, the facilitator will implement five in-home coaching sessions (one session a fortnight). If the family isn’t attending supported playgroups, the trained facilitator will implement 10 in-home coaching sessions (one session weekly). Sessions can run for 1-1.5 hours.

Aim

To support parents to raise happy, healthy children by:

Seeking and sharing scientific knowledge of effective parenting.
Developing research-based practical solutions to contemporary parenting challenges.
Building the capability of the community to support parents.
Providing parents with ideas and information to create a positive learning environment to support children’s learning and development.
Getting more families into a supported playgroup.
Helping families and children to connect with other support services.

Eligibility

The target group for In-Home Support is families who are eligible to attend Supported Playgroups (see above) and have at least one of the following characteristics:

parent aged 25 years or less
mother has not completed high school
single parent family• ten or less books in the home.

For more information please contact Tiffany Holschier on:0498 642 909 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Chronic disease

Living with chronic disease

Our staff can work with you and your doctor to help you manage. For more information on what we can do for you please call our site closest to you.

Your confidentiality will be respected and is covered by privacy laws.

If you are facing an emergency, call 000.

Bendigo
Address: 171 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo
Phone: 5406 1200
Hours: 9am to 5pm

Eaglehawk
Address: 3 Seymoure Street, Eaglehawk
Phone: 5406 1200
Hours: 9am to 5pm.

Kangaroo Flat
Address: 13 Helm Street, Kangaroo Flat
Phone: 5406 1200
Hours: 9am to 5pm.

NDIS physiotherapy Bendigo services

Our Physiotherapy team provide Early Intervention or Therapeutic supports to help children with an NDIS plan achieve their physical goals.

We can help you by:

Making time to discuss your plan.
Working together as a team with your family and other supports.
Discussing the frequency and flexibility of service.
Supporting Assistive Technology and Equipment applications and prescription.

We will work with your family to:

Set goals
Find fun ways to put therapy into daily life
Keep checking our progress
Improve the strength and movement of children under our care so they can fully participate in their community.
You can meet with our physiotherapist through a Telehealth or face-to-face appointment.

Please call 5406 1200 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to make an appointment or discuss your plan with our physiotherapist.

Having trouble with your feet? We also have a podiatrist available to work with you.

Have you seen our new flyer for the NDIS physiotherapy service? To check it out pdf click here (3.79 MB)

Last updated: September 2020

Quit smoking

Want to quit smoking?

Don't listen to people who tell you it can't be done, take the first step and let our trained Quit educator and community health nurse show you the way.

Our Fresh Start Smoking Cessation Program aims to help people who want to quit entirely or reduce their smoking.

Our Quit educator will use a one hour assessment and then a series of follow up consultations to develop a strategy based on your individual needs that offers you the best chance of getting off the smokes.

Behaviour and emotions play a major role in why people smoke and we will identify the type of smoker you are and your triggers to develop your strategy.

We can also provide information on products and medications to assist with nicotine addiction and withdrawal.

An appointment costs $5 with a healthcare card or $10 without a health care card - pocket change compared to the cost of a packet of smokes!

To book an appointment with our quit educator call our Eaglehawk site on 5434 4300.

So, the million dollar question is - will it work?

Well, there's no guarantees but we can let a past Quit program participant offer their view.

"The Quit program gave me an opportunity to look at the reasons why I smoke," they said.

"It made me realise that I had certain behaviours attached to smoking. Once I knew what these behaviours were it was a lot easier to change them.

"It was good to talk to someone to help me understand why I smoke and help me change the habits that I have formed."

Well, what are you waiting for? Call our Quit educator on 5434 4300 - it's time to butt out!

Cradle to Kinder program

Being a new mum can be a challenging time, particularly for those in difficult circumstances.

Cradle to Kinder is a specialist service that offers early parenting support and advice to vulnerable young mothers and their children that starts during pregnancy and continues until the child is four years old (usually when kindergarten begins).

Cradle to Kinder aims to build positive parent-child relationships and give young families the skills and support necessary to raise healthy children in positive and loving environments.

Is Cradle to Kinder right for you?

MacKillop Family Services, in partnership with Bendigo Community Health Services and CatholicCare Sandhurst, provides Cradle to Kinder to young families living in the Loddon region.

The program is available to pregnant women aged 25 years and under who:

are, or have been in out-of-home care
have a learning difficulty
are Aboriginal (Aboriginal families may be referred directly through a Koori service or the local Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency).

Support available

Once accepted into the Cradle to Kinder program, our support team will work with you to coordinate access to services that can include:

local community programs, like maternity services, playgroups and childcare
pregnancy and/or health and wellbeing advice and support
early parenting advice that focuses on caring for a new baby
connecting to community cultural groups
educational programs through TAFE or secondary schools, universities, training or short courses
accessing support options for parents/carers with disabilities and make referrals to appropriate services.

If you need additional assistance, we can help you access:

alcohol and drug programs
secure housing options
family counselling
mental health support
disability services.

We can also work with you to build independent life skills like cooking healthy meals for the family, managing a household budget, developing good communication between parents and how to access information on education and employment opportunities.

Accessing Cradle to Kinder

All referrals for Cradle to Kinder are made through Child FIRST. The referral can be made on your behalf by a GP, maternal child health nurse or other community health service.

If you would like more information or to speak with MacKillop’s Cradle to Kinder Co-ordinator for the Loddon region, please call 1300 471 799.

Nutrition education

Does the thought of reading food labels overwhelm you? Do you need more information to make the right food choices? Would you like to learn about what your body needs?

Our free nutrition education sessions will teach you what it means to eat a balanced diet.

Call our Eaglehawk site on 5434 4300 to book a place on the next tour.

Physiotherapy

Our physiotherapy team will support you to live independently by helping with mobility and function for daily life activity.

Our physiotherapists provide assessment, manual therapy, exercise programs and treatment or rehabilitation techniques to manage musculoskeletal conditions.

A referral is required from your doctor or other health service provider to access this service, which is provided from our Kangaroo Flat site.

There is a $10 appointment fee for this service.

For more information on physiotherapy call our Kangaroo Flat site.

Kangaroo Flat

Address: 13 Helm Street, Kangaroo Flat.

Phone: 5430 0500.

Hours: 9am to 5pm.

Our physiotherapy service is supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and the Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services. Please visit www.health.gov.au and www.health.vic.gov.au for more information.

Bendigo soup kitchen: Helping those in need

Our Soup Kitchen operates from the Fork In The Road community hub at 165-171 Hargreaves Street in Bendigo every Thursday from 4pm to 4.45pm.

You can enjoy a free meal of quiche and salad or chicken and salad.

We serve hearty soup during the winter months.

Find out more about our Thursday Soup Kitchen or Fork In The Road by calling our Central site on 5448 1600.

Our Thursday Soup Kitchen is made possible with the wonderful help of the following sponsors and supporters:

Strath Hill Hot Bake (Tuyen Nguyen pictured above).
JL King and Co
Department of Justice in Bendigo.

We thank all these organistiaons from the bottom of our hearts for helping us make life better for people in need.

To see or download information on Bendigo Food Relief options across the week click on this link: pdf Bendigo Food Relief - where and when you can go for food support (185 KB)

Last updated: November 2019

Fees list: Why some BCHS services carry fees

Bendigo Community Health Services needs your help to ensure everyone has access to the care they need.

All consumers who can afford a small out-of-pocket fee towards the cost of their healthcare will assist us in delivering the same care to the most disadvantaged in our community.

As a not-for-profit healthcare provider, all fees are directed back into improving and delivering our services and programs.

Billing practice changes will be introduced for some services delivered through our Women’s Health Clinic at 165-171 Hargreaves Street in Bendigo from August 30, 2019.

Non-concession card holders will be required to pay for a consultation and/or procedure and will be eligible to claim a Medicare rebate.

Consultation fees will be based on time and complexity.

In keeping with our commitment to provide equitable healthcare, the maximum out-of-pocket fee for a consultation will be kept as small as possible.

We have enclosed a Medicare form to register your bank details as this will allow any rebate to be paid quickly into a nominated account.

Please speak to our friendly staff on the day if you are unable to pay the fee for your consultation or procedure as you will not be refused care.

You can also call our reception staff on 5406 1200 to find out the approximate cost of your consultation or learn more about how we can help if you are unable to pay the fee.

What services do I need to pay for?

Payment for the fees listed below can be made by card or cash on the day of your appointment.

Nurse appointment

Smoking cessation - No charge

Spirometer testing - $20

Diabetes education - $15

Family planning - No charge

Practice nurse - No charge

Women's health clinic - No charge

Quit clinic - No charge

Allied health appointment

Physiotherapy - $70 without concession, $63 with concession. EPCs available.

Podiatry - $15 (consumables charge)

Exercise physiology with funding - First consultation $18-$21.40. Reviews $13-$15. Please note: Our Exercise Physiologists will discuss with you if you are not eligible for FUNDED services and what this mean for you to continue to access the BCHS physical activity programs

Programs

Pharmacotherapy - No charge

Family Day Care - As per current fees

Children's specialist services

Paediatric physiotherapy - $10 per long appointment

Paediatric podiatry - $10 per long appointment

Women's health clinic

Consultation - No charge

Pregnancy test - No charge

IUD insertion/removal - $120 gap fee

Skin excision - No charge

Groups

Strength and conditioning - $10 per session with the purchase of a 10-session card.

Falls and balance exercise program - $10 per session with the purchase of a 10-session card.

** Please note you may be able to claim a rebate on fees if you have extras private health insurance. Please discuss with your insurer.

Type 2 Diabetes Group Exercise Sessions: No fee (Medicare funded) with a referral from your GP.

For more information on fees or services and programs please call (03) 5406 1200 or email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Last updated: JOctober 2023