24 Feb 2009

Plunket to offer 24-hour parent help line

5:03 pm on 24 February 2009

First-time mothers will benefit most from the extension of Plunket New Zealand's phone support service to a round-the-clock operation, says the organisation.

The 24-hour, seven-day-a-week telephone support service has been made possible after the Government on Tuesday announced a grant of almost $4 million to Plunket New Zealand.

The service, for parents with children under five, previously operated 17 hours a day, with costs met by sponsors and fundraising efforts.

Plunket president Carol Becker says the extended service should give peace of mind to many first-time parents.

Plunketline nurses answer about 72,000 calls a year, a figure that is expected to rise.