Bloke's Notes

For blokes, sorting out problems with your partner or ex-partner, your kids, your job, or lack of a job can sometimes be a tough call.

If your life’s in strife and you’re not coping, ac.care’s Bloke’s Notes program, for local blokes can help.

Start to get back on track, call ac.care

Riverland on 8582 2344

South East on 1800 880 913

or email blokes@accare.org.au

Children’s Contact Service

8721 3500

Putting your children first when there is conflict.

click on image to download brochure

Children's Contact Service provides a safe and supervised handover service of children from one parent to another, where parents have separated and there is a history of aggression and violence. The Centre also offers a supervised access service where children spend time with a parent within a safe environment, as is sometimes ordered by the Family Court.

The staff of this service are well trained in issues relating to separation and attachment, domestic violence and the effects of abuse and trauma upon children. They support parents and children who may have been exposed to negative experiences to encourage positive and loving relationships.

Who is this for?

Parents who have separated and are in conflict who want a safe environment to hand over childrent for parenting visits.

The Children’s Contact Service can also facilitate supervised visits, which may be up to two hours’ duration.

Referrals are not required—you just need to want to do the best for your children.

What do you need to do?

 To use this service both parents need to attend assessment interviews. The assessment interviews are held separately.

We will help you work out a service plan. Both parents are requested to sign that they will abide by the plan

How we help

· Parents don’t have to deal directly with each other.

· We provide a safe and relaxed environment for children and parents.

· Our staff are experienced, trained, non-judgmental professionals

· We encourage positive and nurturing relationships between parents and children

· Our aim is to see parents manage their own visits and we help you to work towards this.

· We provide support to parents who need help relating to and playing with their children during supervised visits.

· We offer hope for you and your children that there can be a peaceful, happy future

 What we won’t do

 · We will never force a child to do something they don’t want to do.

· We don’t take sides.

· We are not here to ensure Family Court orders are enforced. This is not an enforcement service.

· We are completely independent of the Family Court and Family Court proceedings.

· We maintain the right to withhold our services to parents who do not abide by our guidelines

Children’s Contact Services are available on weekends in the following Anglican Community Care centres:

Millicent

Mount Gambier

Naracoorte

To arrange an interview or for enquiries please call  Children’s Contact Services at Anglican Community Care  8721 3500

You don’t need a referral. If you  want to use our service please ring and make an appointment

Charges

$5.00 per parent for changeover services.

The charges for a supervised session are negotiable

Communities for Children

Communities for Children is an initiative funded under the Australian Government’s 'Stronger Families and Communities' Strategy. The intention is to bring together a range of service providers with families and community members from the local community in order to develop a range of strategies to give young children (0-5 years) the best possible start in life.  Local committees are set up to address the needs of children and their families in the local area, not only directly assisting young children, but also influencing the contexts within which they live, including their family, their community and the broader social, economic and cultural environments. 

The program focuses on improving child well-being across the broad domains of health, early learning and development, and offers supports that are relevant to local community needs for parents and whole families. Anglican Community Care is the organisation that coordinates this program in the Murraylands region.

Contact 8532 6303 ore email care@accare.org.au

Family Relationship Centre

FRC website 1800 880 913

Family Support Service

click on above image to read the article from Lifestyle1

on how Family Support can help

Family Support is an early intervention parenting service, targeting families in difficulty, who need help addressing issues of parenting, family relationships and household management, budgeting, household routines as well as encouragement to build upon personal strengths and skills. The Family Support team works with families in their own homes, to identify and build on their strengths, and to offer support as they make positive life changes at their own pace.

Participation in the family support service is voluntary and there is no cost incurred by families or the referring agency. Family Support Workers are trained and experienced people who offer planned support.

Positive Parenting

Positive Parenting is for any reason, eg,       tantrums, sleeping, behavioural problems, general parenting

The training supports parents, carers, guardians with children.

Download the brochure with the latest training dates.

Contact Ann, Family Support Worker 1800 880 913

Flying Start Program

The Flying Start Program is an early intervention-parenting program aimed at working with families/ parents prior to a baby’s birth and up to 2 years after baby’s birth. Self-referrals or other agency referrals are accepted. The main aim of the program is to support parents and help them offer their child the best possible start in life.

The Flying Start Program is a free voluntary home visiting service that encourages people to choose the type of support they require. The Flying Start Worker will provide relative information and support while linking the family to appropriate resources within their community.

Family Relationship Services - South East

Early intervention counselling services that have been extensively available in metropolitan areas are now available in the Riverland to help families build better relationships.

The expanded services are:

(1)  Men and Family Relationship Services

(2)  Family Relationships Counselling

(3)  Specialised Family Violence Services - counselling and support for all family members, individually or as a group who have been affected by violence.

(4) Family Relationships Education & Skills Training

These expanded services are being offered throughout the South East with offices in Bordertown, Naracoorte, Millicent and Mount Gambier. Anglican Community Care (ACC), in partnership with Relationships Australia (SA) and South East Regional Domestic Violence Services (SERDVS) are delivering these new services to the South East community. Appointments phone 8721 3500 .

Family Relationship Services - Riverland

Early intervention counselling services that have been extensively available in metropolitan areas are now available in the Riverland to help families build better relationships.

The expanded services are:

(1)  Men and Family Relationship Services

(2) Family Relationships Education & Skills Training

These services are being offered in the Riverland by Anglican Community Care (ACC), in partnership with Relationships Australia (SA).

Appointments please phone 8582 2344 .

Family Reunification

The Family Reunification program provides intensive and medium level therapeutic and practical interventions to families with children and young people, who are in out of home care.  To optimise a safe and timely return home, families’ abilities to provide safe, appropriate and nurturing care, are promoted.

The Reunification Program includes working with families and Families SA to set achievable and measurable goals, focused on positive change. Our team supports families to implement strategies that facilitate a safer, nurturing home environment while developing parents’ strengths and practical skills. Families are supported with developing strong and positive links with their family, community and culture.

The child’s cultural identity (which includes their ethnic and religious identity) is an important matter, which must be taken into account when determining the best interests of the child. The best interests of the child however, remain the paramount consideration.

The reunification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with their families is a particular program, and a priority. Indigenous children are placed in accordance with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle and all efforts are made to ensure family and cultural connections are maintained for the child during their placement.

Indigenous relative carers, particularly grand-parents, are given support to care for the children who live with them, to allow participation of Indigenous people in the protection and care of their children with as much self-determination as possible.

Indigenous kinship groups, communities and representative organisations who have a significant relationship with a child are included in decisions made about Indigenous children in care.

Post Separation Co-operative Parenting

Post Separation Cooperative Parenting is the name of a post separation parenting program under the Family Law Act.  It helps parents to focus on the needs of the children instead of on the conflict. It helps separated parents who are in conflict learn how parental conflict affects children and why children need parents to be supportive of their relationship with the other parent. 

The parents who are referred to the program:

• Have an initial appointment with a support worker
• Attend a 4 hour workshop with other parents in similar situations
• Engage with a support worker for follow up
• Are offered ongoing support

The program staff will arrange for ex partners to be in separate groups and they do not need to have contact in the process.  The program is helpful even if only one parent attends.

Parents can be referred by the courts or other services and can also refer themselves.  To refer call 87213500.