These services are available to families, particularly those who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or live in disadvantaged communities, to improve family functioning and safety, and child wellbeing and development.
Communities for Children
Communities for Children (CfC) activities aim to deliver positive and sustainable outcomes for at risk children and families in disadvantaged sites throughout Australia. CfC fund organisations to develop and facilitate a whole of community approach, to build on community strengths and the existing infrastructure of organisations, networks and resources.
Services are implemented through a national framework which allows for tailored approaches at the local level. This means communities are provided with the opportunity to develop flexible and innovative approaches that best reflect their circumstances. The services are aimed at increasing child safety and wellbeing, especially where certain circumstances impact adversely on the parenting capacity.
Direct
CfC Direct services focus on sustainable outcomes to promote positive family functioning, safety and child development for children and their families, particularly those who are vulnerable, at risk or in disadvantaged circumstances.
Facilitating Partners
CfC Facilitating Partners develop and facilitate whole of community approaches to support and enhance early childhood development. Services provide integrated family focussed early intervention and prevention support to disadvantaged communities.
Indigenous Parenting Services
CfC Indigenous Parenting Services aim to support families to address underlying issues – such as social, cultural, personal, historical, and financial and health factors – that can present barriers to effective parenting
Indigenous Parenting Services work to achieve positive outcomes for families with young children, supporting families so that children have the best possible start in life. Where a need is identified, specific services focus on other particular groups (for example people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, grandparents and kinship carers).
Community playgroups provide opportunities for children from birth to five years of age to learn through play and develop their social, emotional and physical skills while parents and caregivers develop social and support networks. They provide prevention and early intervention where children are at risk. They are an opportunity for parents and caregivers to interact with other adults and play with their children. Activities are free or low cost and may include music and signing, imaginative outdoor play and free play, art and craft, outings and cultural activities.
Family and Relationship Services
The Australian Government funds a range of services to help families at all stages of life. The services listed here focus on prevention and early intervention assistance to enable all family members to develop and sustain safe, supportive and nurturing family relationships.
Adolescent Mediation and Family Therapy
Adolescent Mediation and Family Therapy services are available to young people (aged 10 to 21) and their families or caregivers who want to improve their relationships and resolve conflict.
These services aim to prevent family breakdown or youth homelessness by working directly with young people and their families or caregivers to resolve conflict and improve relationships.
This is done through mediation and/or family therapy The services include counselling; family therapy; mediation; support, and information and referral.
Family Counselling
Family Counselling helps couples and families to manage relationship issues arising from relationship changes, separation or divorce. Anyone can use these services, including intact, separated or extended families, and carers.
These services include counselling; therapeutic intervention; support and information and referral.
Family Relationship Education and Skills Training
Family Relationship Education and Skills Training services assist couples and families, including those with children, to develop skills to foster positive, stable relationships with their partner or family. Service providers may run groups or courses for a broad audience or tailor programs for certain individuals, such as retirees or stepfamilies.
These services have an additional emphasis on access to home education resources such as the Keys to Living Together series, as well as assisting couples to address relationship issues early, before they become a problem.
These services include family relationship education (including pre-marriage education); family relationship skills training; support, and information and referral.
Family Relationship Services for Carers
Family Relationship Services for Carers (FRSC) is available to family members who are considering the future care of their family member with disability.
The service helps carers to:
- Think about future care arrangements for their family member with disability
- Resolve conflicts that may arise within the family in relation to the future care needs
- Discuss their concerns and issues around family relationships and the care of a family member with disability.
The services include counselling (such as family therapy); mediation; support; and information and referral.
Family Relationship Services for Families in Special Circumstances –Drought Counselling
Family Relationship Services for Families in Special Circumstances help individuals, couples and families to deal with crisis situations in a way that maintains dignity and encourages self-reliance. This can consist of emotional and financial assistance including individual and family counselling. These services also bring communities together through local activities and social support.
Men and Family Relationships
Men and Family Relationship Services provide a broad range of assistance to men and their families. These services help men to develop and maintain strong family relationships, or deal with conflict or separation.
All family members including partners, ex-partners, children, stepchildren, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents can use these services.
These services include family relationship counselling; relationship education and skills training for men; community development and community education activities; support; and information and referral
Mensline Australia – 1300 789 978
Mensline Australia is a national, 24 hour, seven days a week telephone support service available for the cost of a local call. Mensline Australia is dedicated to helping men and their families to deal with their family relationship issues.
These services provide professional, anonymous and confidential short-term counselling over the telephone and makes referrals to men's services and support programs in local areas. Additional support is available through the Mensline Call-back service and via the Mensline Australia website.
Services include telephone counselling, information and referral services.
Specialist Services
These services have particular knowledge and skills for dealing with vulnerable families affected by issues such as drugs, violence and trauma.
Family Relationship Services for Humanitarian Entrants
These services are designed specifically for families who have entered Australia under the Humanitarian Entry Program. Services are open to adults, young people, parents and their children. These services aim to address the needs of each family member and provide information about life in Australia, including customs, laws and the role expectations of males and females to help families to adjust to Australia's culture. These services include community development; relationship education and skills training; counselling (including family therapy); support; and information and referral.
Kids in Focus (KIF)
Kids in Focus aims to improve outcomes for children in families with substance misuse problems by providing integrated, long term and intensive support to vulnerable families and children at risk.
Supporting families with substance problems means supporting parents to parent more effectively and overcome their substance misuse as well as supporting children by normalising their lives. Successful support to these families is integrated, long term and intensive and the structure of the refocused Kids in Focus reflects this need.
Specialised Family Violence Services
Using a whole-of-family approach, Specialised Family Violence Services support individuals, couples, families, young people and children who have experienced or witnessed family violence, this includes helping those who use violent behaviour to change.
These services consider the individual needs of each family member and provide assistance through referral to complementary services.
These services include counselling; behaviour change groups; support; and information and referral.