Bouverie Centre – Ten years of putting families at the centre of mental health care
In 2026, the Families where a Parent has a Mental Illness Program celebrates 10 years of supporting family-inclusive practice across Victoria’s mental health system. Coordinated by La Trobe University’s Bouverie Centre, the program has helped mental health services recognise and respond to the needs of children, young people and families where a parent experiences mental health concerns.
Since 2016, La Trobe’s Bouverie Centre has coordinated the statewide Families where a Parent Has a Mental Illness Program. Funded by the Victorian Department of Health, the program aims to improve outcomes for all family members where a parent has mental health concerns. Drawing on a strong evidence base developed through research and practice innovation at The Bouverie Centre, the program has driven system-wide change and supported Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services to recognise and respond to the needs of all family members. This has included increasing practitioner confidence and capability to have conversations about parenting, children's wellbeing and family relationships. In 2026, the program celebrates 10 years of capacity building Victoria’s 22 Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services to provide family-inclusive practices for families where a parent has mental health concerns.
