The women we provide support for include those in the following situations:   

• Teenage/Young Mums
• First Nations women
• Experiencing financial difficulty eg. homelessness, unemployment
• Minimal partner support eg. single parenting, DV
• Mental health diagnoses with significant effect on daily living
• Substance misuse  
• Recently migrated, without access to Medicare or private health insurance
• All women (not limited to these categories) are welcome to get in touch for support in decision making around pregnancy options.

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Supports we offer:

‍Pregnancy confirmation and discussion regarding options – Free pregnancy testing, non-diagnostic ultrasound and non-directive pregnancy options counselling to help a woman with an unexpected pregnancy work out the way forward.  

Baby Boutique – To give women with minimal funds the dignity of being able to shop for their baby. The boutique is used as a rewards program with vouchers being issued to the women that engage with our programs. The boutique will be open to the public every fortnight with a ‘café and shop’ environment, with the goal to raise awareness of our existence in the region, generate some income from donated goods, and foster a sense of support and community amongst local Mums.

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Sparrow and Lily Baby Boutique is brimming over with quality pre-loved clothing and baby items that have been donated by Mums in the local community.

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Medical and nursing appointments – Antenatal appointments are provided by our GP Obstetrician Dr Sarah Jensen with a non-diagnostic ultrasound being a part of every appointment. This enables our women to see their baby regularly which is of great benefit for bonding as well as reducing anxiety associated with the pregnancy. Midwifery and maternal/child health nurse/lactation appointments also take place throughout the week, with home visits for breastfeeding support and sleep/settling advice being a frequent occurrence.  

Networking and referrals – There are many fantastic local services with much to offer pregnant and parenting women in challenging circumstances. We accept referrals from other organisations and also link in our women with external services as required to ensure they have the comprehensive wraparound care they need.

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Some representatives of the local organisations who provide support for families in need in the Queanbeyan region visiting First Steps for their bi-monthly meeting.

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Literacy Program – We know how important the first 1000 days are, and especially the value of early literacy learning through exposure to books, songs and conversation. We help to encourage a love of language through our literacy program by provision of books to the babies that are born to our women. The first book is given out during pregnancy followed by one at each vaccination check up appointment until the child is 18 months. 

Birth and Parenting Classes – First Steps Birthing is a 12 hour course we have designed that prepares expectant Mums and their partner or support person for labour, birth and parenting. This is run as a hybrid model where FSPS clients attend at no cost, and women outside of our categories of need come for a cost, which acts as a small source of income to help cover costs. The course is run by a multidisciplinary team including medical, nursing, physiotherapy and education professionals and is run 3-4 times per year depending on demand. At time of writing has run successfully 7 times, with over 70 women attending. See here for more information. Our birthing classes and literacy program have been generously supported by a grant from the Inger Rice Foundation.

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First Steps Birthing Classes have a focus on ensuring women and their partners are well informed about labour, birth and parenting. A very full 12 hours of education always ends with encouragement to start reading to your child even before they are born. 

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Circle of Security – We commenced running the well renowned Circle of Security Program in late 2024. This course provides a framework for thinking about emotions and behaviours that allows parents/carers to identify the way children signal their need for greater connection and emotional support, and how those needs can most effectively be met.  We hope to run this course several times each year. 

Pregnancy Support Packages – Generous community members have made our Pregnancy Support Package initiative a great success. We give each of our women a large hamper of gifts that have been generously donated for her and bub around 32 weeks of pregnancy. This includes a range of personal care items, nappies, handmade quilts/toys and gifts/clothes for Mum and baby. After the birth, we arrange delivery of flowers to the hospital and then provide a week of meals to help ease the pressure once Mum and Bub return home. These are made with love by women in the community and stored in our freezer.

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A pregnancy support package ready to go out to a Canberra family with triplets on the way.

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Pepi-Pod Safe Sleep Spaces – We are approved providers of the NZ designed Pepi-Pod Safe Sleep Spaces. In combination with education provided by our midwife, Pepi-Pods are a safe sleeping option we can give out to women with babies who are particularly vulnerable to ensure they have a safe place to sleep.

Social Work Support and Case Management – our Social Worker Laura is such a gift. She walks along side our women and helps them to navigate the challenges they are facing through counselling, goal setting and networking with other support organisations in the community to ensure each woman’s individual needs are met.

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Social Worker Laura and GP Obstetrician Dr Sarah sit and chat with a local young expectant Mum who has dropped in to visit.

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Playgroup – Monday mornings are for Playgroup at First Steps. Impressive craft, yummy morning tea, lots of stories and a sing-a-long are all regular parts of the weekly gathering.  Our Playgroup has been supported with a grant from the Queanbeyan Leagues Club and the Queanbeyan Roos Club. 

Cooking Classes – In late 2024 we began Cooking Classes after seeing high levels of gestational diabetes and women who had so many barriers to adopting a healthy lifestyle. With a grant from Snow Foundation and the willingness of a small but experienced team including retired chef and home economics teacher Sue, this has been made possible. Women who attend each week are rewarded with a kitchen utensil or item of their choice from a large basket to help supplement what she already has in her own kitchen. Once a woman has attended 4 classes, she receives a Pantry Pack with lots of essential items for preparing the meals that were made over the previous weeks of classes.

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Cooking classes are run at a nearby kitchen where former Home Economics teacher and chef Sue, teaches the girls how to make nutritious, simple meals. 

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We are so grateful for the community that has come behind the work of First Steps and the women and families we support. The staff, volunteers, generous donors, organisations who provide grants and sponsorship, businesses who offer their time and skill. And thank you also to the women who we do all this for. Thank you for trusting us with your stories and allowing us to play a small part in your pregnancy and parenting journey.

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Photo of one of our beautiful Mums and Bubs taken by Sharon Alva Photography for Mother’s Day.

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First Published November 2023.

Updated November 2024.

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