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Home > Families and Carers > Support for Families, Carers and Children

Support for Families, Carers and Children

The challenges of bringing up children in the 21st century are very different to the challenges your parents faced or their parents before them. However, there is a wealth of information available to help Australian families and carers.

beyondblue

beyondblue is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related substance misuse disorders in Australia.

beyondblue is a bipartisan initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments with the key goal of raising community awareness about depression and reducing stigma associated with the illness.

beyondblue works with health services, schools, workplaces, universities, media and community organisations, as well as people living with depression, to bring together their expertise around depression.

For more information, please visit the beyondblue website.

Child Support Agency

The Child Support Agency (CSA) is part of the Australian Government Department of Human Services. CSA's role is to support separated parents to transfer payments for the benefit of their children. CSA's aim is to work with all areas of government, community and private industry service providers to provide the best possible support to all our customers.

For more information, please visit the Child Support Agency website.

Early Days

Early Days provides workshops for mothers and fathers, and other family carers, of children aged six years and under who are on the Autism Spectrum. The workshops provide information about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and about the early intervention services that are available to help.

Early Days workshops also support fathers and mothers, and other family carers, to develop the skills they need to support their child's development every day.

For more information, please visit the earlydays website.

Family Relationships Online

Family Relationships online provides all families (whether together or separated) with access to information about family relationships, ranging from building better relationships to dispute resolution.

It also allows families to find out about services that can assist them to manage relationship issues, including agreeing on appropriate arrangements for children after parents separate.

For more information, please visit the Family Relationships Online website.

Helping Children with Autism

The Australian Governments Helping Children with Autism package helps address the need for support and services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The initiatives include support for parents, families, carers and children from diverse cultural, linguistic and Indigenous backgrounds and those living in rural and remote areas.

The Helping Children with Autism package includes:

  • Autism advisors
  • funding for early intervention services
  • PlayConnect Playgroups
  • Early Days family workshops
  • an ASD website

Children with ASD-like symptoms can also access PlayConnect Playgroups.

For more information, please visit the Helping Children with Autism package website.

Home Interaction Program (HIPPY)

The Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) is a home-based parenting and early childhood enrichment program, targeting pre-school children and their families. The program allows parents to be their children's first teacher and fosters their involvement in school and community life, to maximise the chances of a successful, early school experience. For some parents, it also offers a supported pathway to employment and local community leadership.

For more information, please visit the HIPPY website.

Inclusion Support Program

The Inclusion Support Program, a component of the Australian Government's Inclusion and Professional Support Program, consists of the Inclusion Support Agencies and the Inclusion Support Subsidy. The Inclusion Support Program assists child care services to build their capacity to include children with additional needs and ongoing high support needs in child care.

The target groups for inclusion support are children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, children from a refugee or humanitarian intervention background, Indigenous children and children with ongoing high support needs, including children with disability or children undergoing continuing assessment for disability.

To be eligible for support under the Inclusion Support Program, a child care service must be approved for Child Care Benefit, or be funded under the Budget Based Funding program.

For more information, please visit the Inclusion Support website.

Kids HelpLine

Kids Helpline is a 24-hour counselling service for young people aged 5-25. Counselling is offered by phone, email and over the web.

Counsellors respond to more than 6 000 calls each week about issues ranging from relationship breakdowns and bullying, to sexual abuse, homelessness, suicidal thoughts, and drug and alcohol use.

The service aims to empower young people by assisting them to:

  • develop options
  • identify and understand the consequences of a particular course of action
  • facilitate more productive relationships with family and friends, and
  • provide information on local support services.

Kids Helpline counsellors are fully qualified professionals who undergo additional accredited training at Kids Helpline.

For more information please visit the Kids Helpline website.

To access the Kids Helpline please phone 1800 55 1800

MyTime

MyTime groups provide facilitated peer support for mums, dads, grandparents and anyone caring for children with disability, developmental delay or a chronic medical condition. Socialise and share ideas and information with others who understand the rewards and intensity of caring for a child with special needs.

For more information, please visit the MyTime website.