FAMILY AND COMMUNITY CARE
Is a culturally sensitive program that aims to enhance cultural and family well-being by offering professional standards of care and support to Aboriginal children and young people in South Australia.
The program operates within the parameters of the Children’s Protection Act and the philosophy of the Aboriginal Placement Principle.
The service aims to provide culturally appropriate and sensitive services, which are  reflective and responsive to the needs of the community.
The program is responsible for;

• Placement of Children

We follow the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle when placing children and young people.  The Principle is designed to ensure that Aboriginal children that needed to be removed from home are kept connected to their family, community and culture.  This means being placed within the child’s extended family.  If all family options are exhausted we will match the child to a carer who will assist in maintaining the child’s connection to their family and culture.

• Carer Recruitment &  Assessment

To recruit Aboriginal people to take on the care of Aboriginal children and young people on a long term, short term, emergency and respite basis.  We also recruit non-Aboriginal people to care for Aboriginal children and young People for respite.
To assess the appropriateness, the ability and the capacity of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal families and individuals to provide care for children and young people who can no longer be with their family.

• Carer Training  & Support

To provide training and development of foster carers/families to maintain and provide the consistent care of Aboriginal children and young People. 
Carer support by the team of Family Support Workers,  to provide support, advocacy, and assistance to foster families to maintain care of children in care, and negotiation and liaison with Families SA for our Foster Families.
Through out the year annual community events are sponsored by AFSS in continuing our support to Carer’s, Families and Children;
If you are considering becoming a carer please check out our Becoming a Carer Page. Click button below.

Cultural camps –
providing children and young people in care with the opportunity to maintain their connection to Aboriginal culture, whilst providing respite to our Foster Families.
Aboriginal children in non-Aboriginal care –
is a program in partnerships with services such as Anglicare to offer extra cultural support awareness and advice to the care that non-Aboriginal carer’s provide.

Annual Christmas Celebration and Annual Easter event –
are held as a way of staff joining with all Foster Families in a social setting to celebrate the special occasion with each other.

Carer Peer Support Group & Reference GroupThis gives our Foster Carers a venue to support each other by sharing experiences, stories, tips and helpful hints
The Carer’s reference group is a new initiative that will enable nominated Carer representatives to meet with the AFSS Management team.  Assisting Carer’s in addressing issues that need to be resolved at the Management level.

• Cultural Consultant

To be responsible for the provision of timely, culturally sensitive and appropriate response for all Care and Protection orders placed on Aboriginal children and young people in South Australia.
To represent AFSS at Family Care Meetings and co investigate with Families SA for all Agency Special Investigations and Carer Concerns.
Role of gazetted agency within the Care Protection Unit (Metro)
- Develop the role of the worker to identify family issues pre and post Family Care Meetings
- Preliminary family advocacy

• Provide Family Reunification

Our service is aimed at reunifying children in ‘out of homecare’ with their birth parent, siblings, extended family and/or significant others.  Reunification services provided by AFSS program may range from identified training and support to specialised programs and services externally brokered to provide intensive and on-going work to support and assist families with safe and positive reunification.

• Strong Men, Strong Families Project

AFSS developed an early intervention program in response to the needs of Aboriginal community.
The program will encourage Aboriginal men to take responsibility for their actions and to learn from their past mistakes. The focus of the program was:
Anger Management will look at the triggers that cause anger, the effects of their anger on their families and strategies to manage their anger.
Drug & Alcohol Awareness will encourage participants to look at the role substance abuse plays in their lives and how it affects their partner, children and community. The program will explore strategies Aboriginal men may use to deal with their addictive behaviors.
How to Be a Dad will look at being a strong father and role model in today’s family. Topics will include positive parenting, role modeling, play options, discipline, abusive behaviors, and budgeting and employment options
Nunga Parenting, a eight week course for adults that cares for Aboriginal children. The program dealt with grief and loss, Aboriginal child rearing practices and practical information and support in the areas of discipline and basic budgeting and nutrition.