YOUNG FAMILIES SUPPORT PROGRAM

The Young Families Support Program is funded by the Dept. Communities under Referral for Active Intervention Funding. This program is targeted towards families with young children, where parents have drug & alcohol problems. Some clients will be referred by the Dept. Child Safety for a "Referral for Active Intervention" service, but the service is also open to other individuals in the target group.

The Family Support Program will provide assessment, individualized treatment and support; referral to more specialized services if required (including mental health services); and group education/support designed specifically to meet their needs. Group education will be designed to empower the family, improve their emotional health and understanding about drugs, and enable them to play a pivotal role in strengthening their family unit. The service is designed to provide the treatment required by each individual parent, tailored to their specific needs, and a group program for both parents to attend together to better understand how to manage their addiction in the family setting to reduce the impact these problems have on their families.

The group Education program will draw on the principles of the Strengthening Families Program. Evaluations of this program have demonstrated that the program is robust and effective in increasing assets and protective factors by improving family relationships, parenting skills and improving life skills. It is expected that GCDC will work closely with Domestic Violence Service, who have also received RAI funding, and the Abused Child Trust, who is managing referrals for the program from Dept. Child Safety. For any enquiries or bookings for this program please contact Reception.