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Stronger Families

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The Stronger Families program supports families where there are concerns for children’s safety and wellbeing. Our goal is to keep Aboriginal children safe at home, connected to family, community and culture. We do this by building on family strengths, supporting child development and attachment, and helping families manage everyday challenges. Stronger Families is delivered through three dedicated programs.

Together With Family

Supporting families early together

Together With Family (TWF) aims to engage families early and walk alongside them to prevent involvement with Child Protection. We recognise that any family can face challenges, and we’re here to support them in finding solutions and building strong support networks.

The program accepts self-referrals and referrals from a wide range of services. Funded by the Department of Human Services, TWF provides culturally safe, sensitive case management to help families address complex issues that may place them at risk.

TWF values family-led decision making and supports families to create safety and wellbeing by building skills, resilience, and strong community connections.

We support families facing challenges such as:

Domestic or family violence
Parental alcohol misuse
Mental health concerns (parent or child)
Learning difficulties or intellectual disability
Parenting challenges
Lack of social support

Our team understands the impact of transgenerational trauma and the fear that can come with contact from the Child Protection system. A referral to TWF is not a replacement for a mandatory report. If you have reasonable grounds for concern, you must notify the Child Abuse Report Line – but you can also refer to TWF for additional support.

TWF can collaborate with your organisation to provide wraparound support and help families stay strong and together.

Referrals can be made by downloading a referral form and emailing it to sfsc.referrals@afss.com.au or contacting one of our friendly team members below at one of our TWF offices.

Testimonials

TWF has changed my life and helped our famly has overcome so many difficulties.

Our family has remained together because of your amazing team. The social workers helped us every step of the way!

I have overcome many hurdles with my sons learning difficulties, we now have supports in place and can relax a bit.

Intensive Family Service

Walking besides families through change

Families become involved with the AFSS Intensive Family Service when they are referred by services such as DCP, health, education and housing. These referrals are made via the Child and Families Support System Pathways Service, managed by DHS. Families that are at significant risk of entering the Child Protection System may be referred to the IFS to provide the family with support to address the concerns in order to prevent the need for ongoing DCP involvement.

The Stronger Families program aims for a strong cultural connection to family, community and culture. Our first priority is always the safety and wellbeing of children. Wherever possible this care should be within families as culture and connection are vital to creating ongoing safety and wellbeing for Aboriginal children.

Whilst AFSS keeps in regular contact with the Department for Child Protection our day-to-day work is separate. Many families find that AFSS offers them a culturally safe environment, a relationship of trust and a team of caring and skilled workers who know how to create change. Our goal is for families to end their involvement with AFSS feeling happier, stronger and connected in their community, and with their children safely in their care.

IFS works intensively with families to develop their own goals that will allow them to address the challenges they are facing. This program is culturally responsive, trauma informed and child centred.

Reunification

Supporting families towards safe reconnection

Families become involved with the Reunification program after the Department for Child Protection has removed children from their parent/family’s care due to concerns for their safety or wellbeing. DCP refers parents to the Reunification Service to address the issues that led to the removal and develop new skills and knowledge so that children can return to the family.

The Reunification Service works intensively with families to understand and address the child protection concerns. AFSS understands that for many Aboriginal families, contact with the child protection system is deeply worrying and often triggers long held trans-generational trauma. The AFSS team works in culturally responsive, family led, child centred and therapeutic ways to support parents to work though the issues that may have impacted their wellbeing, and the wellbeing and safety of their children. The aim of the program is to support parents to have their children returned safely to their care.

Only DCP can refer families to this program.

Testimonials

What families say

TWF has changed my life and helped our family to overcome so many difficulties.

Our family has remained together because of your amazing team. The social workers helped us every step of the way!

I have overcome many hurdles with my son's learning difficulties, we now have supports in place and can relax a bit.