About HMHF

The mission of the Healthy Mothers Healthy Families program is to support, empower and encourage mothers of a child with a disability to learn about, and create a healthy lifestyle that fosters their own health and well-being, alongside a healthy, happy family life.

Healthy Mothers Healthy Families is a research-based program. Over 2000 mothers have contributed to the development and evaluation of the program and material on this website.

More about the program

Are you ready for growth?

Are you ready to make a change? The HMHF program is designed to help you find balance in your physical and mental wellbeing.

Begin the online program

Meet six mothers who have made healthy changes for themselves and their families:

Well researched and extremely well prepared. The research findings were particularly apt, because I've never seen research findings on mothers or carers with child with a disability
Past HMHF Program Participant

Healthy Mothers Healthy Families advocates for appropriate, evidence informed support that strengthens and empowers parents, carers and families.

Healthy Mothers Healthy Families is a research based program. Over 2000 mothers have contributed to the development and evaluation of the program and material in this website.

Begin the online program

I've been more open with people about when I need help. I'm able to communicate that more, knowing I need to do that to be able to look after myself and to relieve some of the pressure...
Past HMHF Program Participant

Our Mission

The mission of Healthy Mothers Healthy Families is to support, empower and encourage mothers of a child with a disability to learn about, and create a healthy lifestyle that fosters their own health and well-being, alongside a healthy, happy family life.

The workshops and website provide mothers with information, research findings and the shared wisdom of other mothers, to better support mothers to meet their important daily responsibilities caring for their child with a disability and family, whilst also caring for themselves. Healthy Mothers Healthy Families advocates for appropriate, evidence informed support that strengthens and empowers parents, carers and families.

Our Team

Professor
Helen Bourke-Taylor PhD

Dr Helen Bourke-Taylor (PhD), is an occupational therapist, academic and researcher who works at Monash University, Frankston, Victoria. Helen worked with children and teenagers with disabilities for 20 years in both Melbourne and Chicago, USA. Helen’s PhD investigated the health and situation of mothers of children with disabilities in Victoria. The findings informed the Healthy Mothers Healthy Families program. Helen’s focus is on mothers and families, improving services for families, school support for students with atypical learning needs and the life opportunities of children/young people with disabilities.

Our Workshop Leaders

Helen Johnson

Natalie Elder

Gina McAdam

The Healthy Mothers Healthy Families team envisions a future where families receive full, comprehensive and coordinated services from the health, disability and education sectors so that all family members’ needs are evaluated and met.

Families raising a child with a disability have complex and multiple needs. Healthy Mothers Healthy Families is an innovative program that has been designed to meet the needs of mothers, empower mothers and celebrate mothers. Our aim for the future is that all family members have access to effective and inspiring programs and supports from the moment their loved child is diagnosed or acquires a disability or chronic medical condition. We believe that the future can be bright for all family members with tailored, responsive and available education and support.

note-all quotes provide the opinion of past participants of the program and were collected under research conditions. All names and identifying features have been changed to respect confidentiality of participants.

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