Connecting2u (C2U) — Support for parents and carers with timely health reminders
Connecting2u (C2U) is a free, opt-in short message service (SMS) program managed by Children’s Health Queensland (CHQ) that is designed to help Queensland parents and carers stay up to date with important health and developmental milestones during pregnancy and for children aged 0 to 5 years old.
Messages sent through C2U are all timed to the baby’s expected due date to ensure the support is relevant and timely. This includes reminders about:
parental health and wellbeing in the early stages of pregnancy
a child’s developmental milestones
immunisations and health checks
seasonal vaccines like the influenza (flu) shot.
As a health professional, you are well placed to help reinforce these important messages and support families in navigating pregnancy and early childhood health needs. Discussing C2U as an option for your patients or directing them to the Connecting2u website or C2U explainer videos on YouTube is a simple first step to starting these converations.
How Connecting2u (C2U) can support your patients
By prompting families to act early, C2U helps encourage timely preventive care, and can support better engagement rates with healthcare providers.
In this short video, Janet tells us about her experience using C2U:
Janet’s experience is just one of many that are available for viewing on YouTube.
Antenatal support for expectant parents
From 6 weeks of pregnancy, expectant parents in Queensland can sign up to C2U to receive regular antenatal text messages that include information on:
available models of care
nutrition during pregnancy
physical changes during pregnancy
emotional and physical wellbeing
self-care, health checks, ultrasounds and blood tests
bonding and attachment.
Messages are culturally inclusive, easy to understand and cover a range of topics to support the health and wellbeing of infants and their parents. Culturally appropriate messaging is also available to support parents or carers who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
To find out more about the Connecting2u service, please see the Connecting2u website.
Further support for healthcare workers
View Brisbane South PHN’s child, youth and families webpage.
For assessment and management guidance, as well as information about making requests to services in the local health system, see the Brisbane South HealthPathways child development assessment pathway and the Child and Parenting Community Support pages.