The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne

16/10/2026

Big news for Victorian families 💙

Today, the Honourable Ben Carroll MP, Premier of Victoria, his wife Fiona Carroll, and Minister for Health Ingrid Stitt MP toured our nearly completed Emergency Department expansion and announced $66 million to support staffing for the expanded service.

The RCH Emergency Department already treats close to 90,000 patients each year. This investment means an additional 13,000 children and young people can receive care from our exceptional emergency team.

The expanded department includes 20 new treatment spaces, additional short-stay beds and fast track bays, plus a dedicated procedure room that will help children receive treatment without needing admission to a ward.

We're incredibly grateful for this investment, which helps us support families when they need it most. See less

15/10/2026

Content warning: this post discusses pregnancy and infant loss. 

This Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, we remember with you 🤍

13/10/2026

12/10/2026

At this time of year, it can be tricky to tell whether your child’s sniffle is coming from seasonal allergies or a viral illness, like a cold or the flu.

➡️ Swipe through to see some of the difference to look out for.

Some children may have seasonal allergies throughout the year, as they could be allergic to house dust mites or pet dander.

Hay fever is very uncommon in the first year of life, so if your child is under 12 months and experiencing hay fever-like symptoms, it’s best to speak to your Maternal and Child Health Nurse or doctor.

If your child’s symptoms are getting in the way of their everyday life or are severe, it’s best to speak with your child’s doctor or allergist to work out a treatment plan.

Regular use of an over-the-counter nasal steroid spray is a safe, simple and effective way to manage their symptoms, so talk to your doctor or pharmacist to see if this could work for your child.

Visit our Kids Health Info fact sheet for more seasonal allergy advice: https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Hay_fever/

Follow The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne for helpful tips, expert advice and the latest Kids Health Info resources.

09/10/2026

A new chapter for child and family mental health in Melbourne's Southwest.

Last month we welcomed Ingrid Stitt MP and Dylan Wight MP to the new home of our South West Infant, Child and Family Mental Health and Wellbeing Service in Tarneit.

Designed with families in mind, the expanded space will help more children, young people and families access specialist support closer to home.

This refurbishment and relocation have been made possible thanks to funding from the Victorian Government.

09/10/2026

Go Layla! 🏃‍♀️🎊

08/10/2026

Put your hands together for 50 years of PIPER – our extraordinary emergency retrieval service 👏🥳

Whether it's a sick newborn needing urgent neonatal care or a child in country Victoria ready to go closer to home, PIPER makes it possible.

Here’s to the next 50!

06/10/2026

Protein isn’t the only benefit when adding meat or alternatives to your family’s daily meals.

Foods like lean meat and seafood, chickpeas and tofu are important sources of iron, which is crucial for brain development in early childhood, and impacts immune function, mood, concentration and physical wellbeing.

Depending on their age, kids and teens need at least 2.5 serves of this food group every day. Getting enough iron in your child’s diet is especially important once periods have started.

A balanced diet across the five food groups helps set kids up for lifelong healthy eating habits and decreases their risk of developing chronic health issues like diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Depending on their age, each day aim for at least:

🍞5 – 7 serves of cereals and grains (mostly wholegrains)
🥦 5 serves of veggies
🍓 2 serves of fruit
🧀 3.5 serves of dairy or alternatives
🍗 2.5 serves of meat or alternatives

If your child has been diagnosed with allergies or medical conditions that impact what they can eat, discuss any concerns with your doctor, dietitian or healthcare provider.

Find out more about the five food groups in our Kids Health Info fact sheets:

Babies and toddlers: https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Nutrition_%E2%80%93_babies_and_toddlers/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organicsocial&utm_campaign=nchpfood

School-age children: https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Nutrition_%E2%80%93_school-age_children/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organicsocial&utm_campaign=nchpfood

Teens: https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Nutrition_teens_and_young_people/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organicsocial&utm_campaign=nchpfood

Follow The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne for helpful tips, expert advice and the latest Kids Health Info resources.

03/10/2026

POV: you’re a parent in 2026...

You have 186 unread notifications in Storypark
New login alert. Was this you?
Low tire pressure
*Harper scratches her scalp in a concerningly aggressive way*
Low battery, 10% battery remaining
G-55963 is your verification code. Do not share your code with anyone
Calendar event starts in 15 min: Amelia’s swimming lesson, 17 minutes’ drive away
Screen time on Aaliyah's iPhone was up 36% last week
Siri, is the cheese and biscuits container recyclable?
Reply YES to confirm your appointment
We’re updating our privacy policy
10 toys to avoid according to experts
You can’t use a password that you have used previously
Does Oliver's room smell like strawberry v**e?
Your groceries are ready for pick-up, we have substituted your bananas with papaya
Select all squares with booster seats in them

02/10/2026

🫀 At her 34-week scan, Tamina and Goran were told their baby Lili had a congenital heart condition.

From that moment on, doctors struggled to explain Lili's complex condition to Tamina and Goran, having to rely on basic illustrations.

But thanks to philanthropic support from The RCH Foundation and Finnan's Gift, this project in collaboration with The University of Melbourne, has created the first ever set of anatomically correct congenital heart defect models, to help parents understand

"When we got the diagnosis, we felt alone,” mum, Tamina said.

“But when we were told about this project, and that Lili's very special heart could help bridge the gap, it made us feel connected to every family going through the same struggle."