The Pathway to Good Health initiative delivers health screening, assessment, referrals and health planning to all Victorian children and young people aged 0-17 years entering or re-entering statutory care. This includes children and young people in home-based care and residential care. The program is delivered through a designated health provider in each of the seventeen Victorian child protection .
Children and young people in statutory care have poorer physical, developmental and emotional health outcomes than other children and young people. If health needs are assessed each time a child or young person enters care, they can be referred and supported to receive the right health care to prevent poor health and wellbeing outcomes.
In July 2023 the Victorian Government invested $37.8 million over four years to deliver targeted health support to improve access to assessments for children and young people in care. This investment will expand the Pathway to Good Health program across Victoria through a phased rollout across the state.
Referral from Child Protection to Pathway to Good Health services
Child Protection automatically refer every child or young person who enters or re-enters care to the local Pathway to Good Health service based in the child protection area (below).
Following referral, Health Navigators employed in the program work collaboratively with Child Protection practitioners to gather health and social information about the child or young person to ensure care is coordinated, timely and tailored to their needs. They also assist children, young people and their carers to build the knowledge, skills and confidence to navigate the health service system and access the health services they need.
Service providers
The Pathway to Good Health program is being rolled out across Victoria. As health service providers commence service delivery, details will be updated in the table below.
Pathway to Good Health providers will work closely with local Child Protection services and carers to ensure that services are delivered in the most accessible way for the child. This may include outreach, telehealth or secondary consultation to support improved access to services.
| Health Provider | DFFH Child Protection Area |
| DPV Health | Hume Merri-bek North East Melbourne |
| Western Health | Brimbank Melton Western Melbourne |
| Latrobe Community Health | Inner Gippsland |
| Gippsland Lakes Complete Health | Outer Gippsland |
| Sunraysia Community Health | Mallee |
| Ballarat Community Health | Central Highlands |
| Barwon Health | Barwon |
| Bendigo Community Health Service | Loddon |
| Monash Health | Southern Melbourne |
| Peninsula Health | Bayside Peninsula |
Service delivery
Find out more about the Pathway to Good Health service .
Health care expertise
The Victorian Centre of Health Leadership for Children in Care based at the Centre for Community Child Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital is providing statewide clinical expertise to Pathway to Good Health services. This includes workforce capacity building, quality improvement activities, health record management support, and community of practice networks for all Pathway to Good Health providers.
FASD Connect at Monash Health is providing specialist clinical expertise to Pathway to Good Health services. This will improve identification, assessment and referral of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
Aboriginal children and carers
All Pathway to good health services must provide culturally safe services for Aboriginal children and their families. Work is also underway to enable Aboriginal communities to design self-determined models of care as part of this program. The engagement with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) to support this work is being led by the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO).
Reviewed 01 November 2024