Support for children, young people and their families

Support for vulnerable families with children and young people (0-18) who are showing early signs of or at risk of developing mental illness.

Anglicare’s professional Support Staff work alongside young people, their families and carers to support the young person’s mental wellbeing. We provide intensive and long term support to help you achieve your goals.

The program has a primary focus on children and young people while working with them in a whole of family context.

Anglicare is focused on giving you choice and matching you with the staff person who best suits your needs and goals.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – Northwest Tasmania.

Referral process 

To speak with a Customer Engagement Specialist,  choose any of the following options;

Call – 1800 243 232 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Email – ConnectSupport@anglicare-tas.org.au

Visit one of our office locations

Funding 

Department of Social Services

Supporting and empowering communities of Launceston and the Tamar Valley to work together towards a positive future for our children.

Anglicare Tasmania are a proud Facilitating Partner of the Communities for Children initiative in Launceston’s Tamar Valley.

Funded by the Australian Federal Government, this national social movement insists a positive future is the birthright of every child, not just the fortunate few. By working together, all children in the Tamar Valley can be:

• loved and safe
• healthy
• participating
• learning
• have material basics, and
• grow up with a positive sense of culture and identity

Join us in this important work by making contact: cfcevents@anglicare-tas.org.au

Tamar Valley Communities for Children supports:

• Programs: Local non-Government Community Partners to deliver programs that nurture children and families to trust, engage and thrive.
• Community Committees: Six Community Committees collaborate to address urgent issues confronting their communities.
• Community capacity building: Supported participation in programs and committees helps build skills and confidence of community members. Solutions and resources emerge and community ownership is integral. “Local parents, community members and community service workers are able to be alongside each other. This facilitates improved community decision making and problem solving.” Nate Austen, Project Officer, Communities for Children
• Free Professional Development Conferences: This year marks the 6^th Communities for Children Conference for those working with and for children across the state and beyond. International and nationally recognised speakers and workshops will be held May 18^th and 19^th 2020 at the Launceston Conference Centre. More information about the conference and how to register can be found here, Communities for children conference.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – Launceston and the Tamar Valley

Referral process 

Every Child Succeeds is for all community stakeholders – community leaders, politicians, business owners, investors, government agencies, community services, and the general community — anyone who cares about long-term, sustainable outcomes for children in Launceston and the Tamar Valley.

Call – 1800 243 232 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Funding 

The Communities for Children Initiative is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services

Supporting you to be your child’s first teacher at home before they start school

HIPPY is a home-based school readiness program for families with children who are turning four, enrolled in pre-kinder or kindergarten, and who live in and around Launceston. HIPPY tutors give you support and resources to create a fun learning environment in your home. You and your child spend ten to fifteen miniutes each week day doing enjoyable learning activities. The quality time you spend together doing HIPPY gives them a great start for their early years at school.

You don’t need to be a trained teacher because our tutors are trained to help you every step of the way. They will visit you at home and show you how to do the HIPPY activities. There are group meetings where you can get new ideas about learning activties your child might enjoy, and also touch base with other parents doing HIPPY. Our tutors are paid, they are all parents who are doing HIPPY themselves and they work with you – not with your child.

Find out more at the HIPPY website.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – Greater Launceston

Referral process 

Call the HIPPY coordinator – 1800 243 232.

Hanna’s story

“My little boy never used to sit down and listen to stories or finish any activities. But now that we have started this program I am so happy that he sits through and listens to all the stories from the HIPPY storybooks. He loves doing the activities from the activity packs and he has created masterpieces. I am also able to involve my younger son in the activities and learning is done effortlessly. I hope they’ll both be able to read and write a bit before they get to school.

It’s given me a lot of confidence and I’m more connected in with the community. I’m thinking of doing some study when the boys go to school – maybe a part time course at university.

I’m so happy we are with this program.”

Funding

The HIPPY program is funded by the Department of Social Services (DSS)

Connecting new parents to a community of experience and support

If you’re a new parent or have a child under the age of twelve in East Devonport, Railton, Kentish and Sheffield, the KIDS program can provide parenting support and experience to you in your own home.

Your program contact will explain the the different stages of your child’s growth and listen to any worries you may have. They’ll work with you to respond to the changing needs of your growing child and will help you to identify services that can provide further information and assistance.

A trained volunteer will visit you at home. They live in the same area as you and know the local community and its services. These volunteers have completed a training course and are supported by Anglicare. The ‘community parent’ volunteer will call on you once or twice a fortnight. You can make contact with the coordinator by phone at other times.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – Kentish, Sheffield and Railton, East Devonport and Ulverstone

Referral process 

Contact the KIDS Coordinator by calling or emailing.

Call – 1800 243 232 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Email KIDS – kids@anglicare-tas.org.au

Jessie’s story

“I found out I was pregnant very late. I didn’t have much time to think about it. My family was happy, but I felt confused and alone. I shut myself away and didn’t talk to anyone. After my baby was born, my child health nurse saw I was struggling. She referred me to the KIDS program to help me figure out how to do it.

The program coordinator visited me each week. She helped me work through my issues and the experiences I had been holding inside. Once I was in a good place I was matched with a volunteer who was amazing. When she visited we talked about everything openly and honestly, with no fear of judgement. She was a parent herself and understood what I was feeling.

She motivated me to get out of the house and join some playgroups. I have come a long way. I’m not sure if I would have coped without the help of the KIDS program. I now feel I am a good mum and love my child more than I could ever have imagined.”

Funding 

Department of Social Services

Children can be difficult, especially if they’ve experienced trauma early on. NESTS can help you to understand why your children behave the way they do.

Children can be difficult, especially if they’ve experienced trauma early on. The NESTS program can help you to understand why your children behave the way they do, and help you to change your child’s behaviour in the best way possible.

NESTS digs deep to uncover a child’s underlying issues. NESTS can teach you how to do ‘brain therapy’ for children who need help to heal from traumatic things that happened when they were little.

NESTS can help you tune in when your child’s behaviour is particularly difficult or when they really need something from you. NESTS gives parents, teachers and children tools they can use to help children calm down during difficult times.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – Northwest Tasmania

Referral process 

NESTS is a program specific to the Northwest Coast. It is a voluntary program for 0-5 year olds (including unborn children) and their primary care giver.

NESTS provides intensive family therapy to children who have experienced relational trauma due to a disruption in bonding and attachment which can severely compromise a child’s normal healthy development.

We work with caregivers to enhance real and felt attachment-security with their child creating significant and positive long term consequences for the child’s neurobiological, emotional, cognitive and behavioural functioning.

Contact us if you’d like to access this service. All referrals are made via the Strong Families, Safe Kids advice and referral line.

Call – 1800 000 123 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Post (Northwest) – PO Box 3135, South Burnie

Sally’s story

“I love my kids, but they are full on. They would be literally bouncing off the walls and constantly on the go. I needed help because I wasn’t coping.

I couldn’t walk from one room of my house to the other room without my kids hanging off me or crying. Dropping my children off at day care was an ordeal, they would cry uncontrollably. When I returned they would be happy to see me at first but then they would be angry at me and hit me and I didn’t know why.

During the time that I have been with NESTS I have learnt so many things.

My ex-partner and I had an explosive relationship at times. It wasn’t just him, it was me as well. We fought a lot, and we used to hit each other when we got really angry. I didn’t know that the kids watching this had changed the way that their brains grew.

I used to think that my children were just naughty and would do things to just push my buttons and so I would get angry at them because I didn’t know what else to do.

When my youngest child would get upset he would bang his head on the floor and cry hysterically for what seemed like hours. The second youngest would just vague out, she was there but there weren’t any lights on, if you know what I mean.

NESTS talked to me about how the trauma has affected them, it was like their brains were going haywire. NESTS taught me simple play activities to help rewire their brains the way that they are supposed to work.

I have worked with many services and I have attended all the parenting programs that are there, but NESTS have taught me more than any of them. NESTS go deeper; they really take the time to uncover what is going on for the little ones.

At first I couldn’t understand how play could make any difference to my children’s behaviour. But it does, it really works; my kids are proof of that. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still not perfect angels, but now I know why they behave they way they do and now I can help them when they are having moments. And I am managing and I enjoy being around them again.”

Funding

Funded by the Department of Communities Tasmania.

Pathway Home provides assistance and support to help children return to their family home

Pathway Home provides assistance and support to allow children to return to their family home. It’s for children and young people who have been in out-of-home care. They are referred by the child safety branches of the Department of Disability, Children, Youth and Family Services.

It supports and assists families to ensure a stable family environment. Support is tailored to the needs of the child.

Pathway Home provides:

• family or one-to-one counselling
• support to reintegrate children into the family unit
• practical assistance such as helping parents learn more about nutrition, housekeeping, cooking and budgeting
• information about Centrelink, Medicare and relevant government assistance
• supporting parents and emphasising the importance of children feeling safe in the home.
• information about other family-focused services such as playgroups, health centres and schools
• day-to-day support including getting children to school, packing lunches and providing clean clothes

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – Northern Tasmania and Northwest Tasmania

Referral process 

Referrals are only received via Child Protection Services.

Call – 1800 243 232 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Damien’s story

“Damien was referred to the Pathway Home program to assist with the reunification of his four children. Child Protection Services had identified concerns about Damien’s emotional health in regard to dealing with crises and relationship breakdowns. There had been two incidents of Damien harming himself with the children present. There was concern about cannabis use and the stress Damien may experience parenting his four children, all entering adolescence.

At the time of the referral to Pathway Home, Damien had begun to engage with Child Protection Services and he had unsupervised contact with his four children.

A six-stage reunification plan was written up but before this could be put into place, the children were returned to Damien’s care full time. A ‘signs of safety’ plan was completed to take the place of the reunification plan and assist with Pathway Home involvement. During safe communication sessions all four children reported that they wanted to go home, and they wanted their dad to be okay.

Contact between the family and the Pathway Home worker occurred at least twice weekly, including scheduled and unscheduled visits and phone calls. During the time Pathway Home was involved, Damien worked willingly with Pathway Home and numerous Child Protection Services concerns were addressed. Damien and the Pathway Home worker discussed the signs of a crisis and developed a safety plan for what would happen if he felt like harming himself.

Damien worked on specific parenting strategies for teenagers such as consequences, boundaries and developmental stages. He discussed his own childhood trauma and began to work through this in a helpful way. He talked about family violence and anger, and the impact this has had on his children.

He sought involvement from other support services such as personal counselling through the CAB program, budgeting and financial assistance with Family Matters, and he was supportive of the children having their own personal counselling with the school and outside support services.

Fourteen months after beginning with Pathway Home, the Care and Protection Orders on Damien’s four children were lapsed, and all four remain in his care.”

Funding

Funded by the Department of Communities Tasmania.

Growing up is a tough journey for everyone in a family, and rifts can form. But bridges can be built. Reconnect helps you to reconcile with your family.

Reconnect is an early intervention service for young people aged 12-18 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It aims to help stabilise their living situation, develop more positive relationships with their family, and support connections with education, work, training and the community.

Reconnect can help you with:

• one-to-one counselling
• mediation between you and your family
• support and encouragement
• opportunities to get involved with education, training, work and community activities

Download our Reconnect brochure here.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – North West Tasmania

Referral process 

Reconnect invites referrals from anyone including family, carers, service providers and school teachers (all with the consent of the family). Contact Anglicare’s Community Engagement Coordinators on 1800 243 232 on connectsupport@anglicare-tas.org.au

Tim’s story

“I left home because my parents were driving me crazy. They told me who I could hang out with and where to be and what to do. If I even try to visit they just keep heckling me so I get angry and go.

I’m glad I got onto the Reconnect program. I was able to trust my worker and was comfortable talking to them. They helped me to avoid getting expelled from school and how to get help from the government to finish college.

It wasn’t easy but I also learned about how to work out stuff with my parents. I guess I’m driving them crazy too. I haven’t yet talked to them but at least I’ve got more confidence that I can say what’s on my mind.

Funding 

Department of Social Services

RAIN provides counselling, support and advocacy for people who have or are experiencing relationship violence

RAIN provides social and practical support for women, men and children who have been subjected to domestic or family violence (physical, verbal, financial, emotional and mental abuse). RAIN is not a crisis service and it does not support perpetrators. RAIN provides a service from Anglicare Tasmania offices based in Devonport and Burnie, with outreach to the West Coast, Circular Head and King Island.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – West and Northwest Tasmania, Devonport and surrounds, Circular Head and West Coast

Referral process 

Contact us if you, a family member or a client would like to access this service. Anyone can access the service by contacting Anglicare, either by phone, from our website or by coming into the office. Referrals can also be made by other community service organisations.

Call – 1800 243 232 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Linda’s Story

“I’d like to share with you why the RAIN program has been so important in my life.

Fourteen months ago my situation was not so desperate that I felt I required any protection. Over the decade of my relationship, like a frog in a pot of cold water on a stove, I was unaware of the slow heat building up; the erosion of my self-esteem and person. I went twice to the doctor for depression in the previous six years.

I was in a very complex web and didn’t see a clear path out until I was referred to RAIN. At first I thought I wasn’t suitable for the program because my partner never actually hit me. But after learning more about domestic abuse, I realised that I actually was being abused.

I refused to medicate myself and I struggled on with trying to adjust, change my attitude, work harder, be better… yet still nothing I did was good enough. I felt that everything that went wrong was due to my actions or inactions. Through the RAIN program I was reassured that I was an ok person. My suspicions were correct; the relationship was wrong and I started getting out of it.

The relief was tremendous. The RAIN program has given me someone to see on an ongoing regular basis. It has been a lifesaver. When you have to face the father of your children each week, expecting to be verbally abused and cut down…well, it is VERY helpful to have someone at your side! Support. Not feeling alone. Being assured you are sane!”

Funding 

Relationship abuse of an intimate nature (RAIN) is supported by the Crown through the Department of Communities.

You can make positive changes in your life – and you don’t have to do it alone. Get the support you need to build your confidence, improve your relationships and take part in your community.

If you’re between the ages of 10 and 18 and are looking for opportunities and a bit of direction, the Supported Youth Program can help you out.

This service can provide you with support, counselling and mediation with your family if you need it. There are several ways you can get involved with education, training and community in a non-judgemental and safe environment.

Who is the program for?

The program works with young people who are identified by community or welfare professionals as having significant and/or multiple, risk issues, such as:

• An unstable home environment
• Disengagement with school
• Experimentation with alcohol or other drugs
• Difficulties fitting in socially
• Being at risk of Child Protection or Youth Justice intervention.
• Assessment and case management for young people entering the program is driven by an attachment and trauma theory framework.
• It involves developing long-term intervention programs suitable for the young person’s stage of life and circumstances.

How does the program work?

The program will focus on developing new pathways for learning through:

• Interacting with social and community resources, including agencies already involved
• Participate in therapeutic camps for self-development and relationship skills building
• Access to youth friendly places for outreach
• Be involved with groups or as an individual on activities and projects which promote personal learning.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – Northern Tasmania and Northwest Tasmania

Referral process

Anglicare’s Supported Youth Program in the North and Northwest of Tasmania works in partnership with key agencies and professionals to provide care and support for young people aged 10-18 years.

Contact us if your client would like to access this service. Referrals to the Supported Youth Program can be made via Strong Families Safe Kids.

Call – 1800 000 123 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Simon’s story

“At school I was being bullied and kept getting into fights. I’d also had some run-ins with the police and was told I’d end up locked up if things didn’t change.

At first I couldn’t talk about what had been going on at home. I didn’t know how to explain how I felt. But after a while I started to open up a bit about what had happened to me. That was a year ago.

I’ve learned some ways to stop myself from getting into fights when I get angry or frustrated. I’m getting on better with my mum too. Things have changed a lot and I’m feeling positive about the future.”

Funding 

Tasmania Government’s Department of Health and Human Services under the Targeted Youth Support Services Fund.

Support for vulnerable families with children and young people (0-18) who are showing early signs of or at risk of developing mental illness.

Anglicare’s professional Support Staff work alongside young people, their families and carers to support the young person’s mental wellbeing. We provide intensive and long term support to help you achieve your goals.

The program has a primary focus on children and young people while working with them in a whole of family context.

Anglicare is focused on giving you choice and matching you with the staff person who best suits your needs and goals.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – Southern Tasmania, Greater Hobart area, Hobart and Northern suburbs.

Referral process 

To speak with a Customer Engagement Specialist,  choose any of the following options;

Call – 1800 243 232 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Email – ConnectSupport@anglicare-tas.org.au

Visit one of our office locations

Funding 

Department of Social Services

Helping people to establish and maintain healthy relationships

If you and your significant other would like to work on your relationship, you can access the Family Relationships Counselling Service.

Counselling can be beneficial for relationships. Whether you’ve just got together, been together a couple for years or are separated, working on communication is always worth the active effort. Counselling can help you to communicate better, manage emotions and become better parents.

With a counsellor, you can also discuss your own family origins and the issues around repartnering and step-parenting.

If you need to resolve sexual or intimacy issues or manage the end of a relationship, counselling can help you.

Details

Cost to you – Fees are charged according to ability to pay. As a guide, $1 for every thousand dollars of annual family income is the usual contribution per session. Clients who hold a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card are exempt.

Serving Regions – Greater Hobart area

Referral process 

Contact us if you, a family member or a client would like to access this service.

Call – 1800 243 232 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Lisa and Shane’s story

“We wanted a better relationship but we were arguing all the time. Sometimes we were just so mad that we wouldn’t talk at all. We were sick and tired and were thinking of separating. Because the kids were little, we didn’t have much patience or time. What else could we do? We were so unhappy and didn’t want anything to do with each other.

We really needed affordable relationship counselling, so Family Relationship Counselling really suited what we wanted. We now try to interact more positively. They helped us to act like we were on the same team, and to set aside time to talk. We built more appreciation and respect. We are now able to discuss the issues that we disagree on and we try to spend more time together.

We still have our moments, but doesn’t every couple? We’re better at working through them though, and we reckon the counselling saved us from an angry divorce. We’re more of a team now.”

Funding 

Funded by the Australian Government

Support for families with young children in the Derwent Valley.

If any child in your family is under 12, we can assist you individually and as a group to access a range of supports, goods and services tailored to your needs.

A Family Support Worker will provide you with the right support at the right time, in our local office or your home. We are funded to provide services in the Derwent Valley, Upper Derwent Valley or Central Highlands.

We want to support you to develop your own safety and resiliency plan and participate in life in the community.

Details

Cost to you – Free service

Serving Regions – Derwent Valley, Upper Derwent Valley and Central Highlands

Referral process 

Just give us a call on the number below, it’s free. Ask for the ‘My Safe and Strong Family Service’.

Call – 1800 243 232 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Tracey’s story

“When I was separating from my husband I felt weighed down and didn’t know what to do next. I knew where I wanted to be so that my three children and I can be a happy family again but didn’t know how to get there.

My children had witnessed violence from their father but still loved him and wanted to see him and blamed me for the FVO (Family Violence Order). Our home didn’t feel like a home anymore and to move into a better frame of mind we needed to move somewhere else.

With help from my Family Support Worker I was able to find a group where people with similar experiences met. I learned to weave my way through the Centrelink and legal systems with great financial and family outcomes.

It makes me feel good to be able to say yes to the kids when they ask to have guitar and karate lessons; I know if I stick to a budget it’s do-able

I also kept going back to Housing Department taking support letters from numerous service providers and medical practitioners until they must have realised that I wasn’t going to give up so they finally offered us a four bedroom rental property.

I Feel like we have a fresh start and can become a happy family again

Surviving the last 12 months has taught us that we can do anything

My 11 year old was doing very well academically but his results had dropped and he had become disruptive in class and rude to his teacher. He did not want to see the school counsellor because “all the kids know and then give you a hard time”, so the Family Support Worker was able to organise for him so see a counsellor out of school hours.

He says that he now has a greater understanding of what was happening for himself and the family, has fun time with his mother and brother, has arranged times to spend with his dad, attends PCYC  and has started Karate.

My seven year old did not want to go to school  as he was bullied by older children at school. He also talked to the counsellor, which he found helpful, has started guitar lessons and sees his dad.

My nine year old has Global disability and attends a special education school. She takes up a lot of my time and goes to medical and occupational therapy sessions after school. The Family Support Worker helped to organise residential respite one weekend a month and part Christmas school holidays and transport with wheel chair access to activities.

My daughter says she enjoys the happier environment at home and improved sibling relationships.”

Funding 

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

Parenting has never been easy, but it doesn’t need to be impossible. You can learn what’s worked for others and use it to help both you and your kids to grow together.

It’s important to keep on learning as a parent because children change as they grow. Parenting courses are available at different stages of your child’s growth.

• 1-2-3 Magic & Emotion Coaching helps parents to handle challenging behaviours in children 2-12  without resorting to arguing, yelling or smacking.
• Engaging Adolescents provides parents with skills to address and resolve problems that arise with their teenage children.

These short courses provide skills in emotional intelligence and engagement with adolescents. You’ll learn how to encourage good behaviour and provide discipline without fighting.

The presenters for this course have completed Parentshop’s 1-2-3 Magic® and Emotion Coaching practitioner training.

Parenting courses calendar

Find out more here.

Details

Cost to you – $50 per person or couple ($10 fee for concession card holders) to cover the cost of the parent workbook. The cost to community services is negotiated on a case by case basis.

Serving Regions – Greater Hobart area

Referral process 

1-2-3 Magic® and Emotion Coaching is designed for parents of children aged 2-12 years.

Engaging Adolescents is aimed at parents of children over 12 years.

This course is being run by a Parentshop® licensed practitioner.

More information at the Parentshop site.

Contact us if you’d like to access this service.

Call – 1800 243 232 (free from mobiles and landlines in Australia)

Emily’s story

“I’ve got a daughter and a son. My little girl is pretty shy. I can’t seem to get her to open up to me. I get really nervous that she’s angry, or upset. Truth is, I can’t actually be sure one way or another.

My son’s a different story. He used to be my little angel, but now he’s a real challenge. It’s not like he’s a bad kid, it’s just that as he’s growing up he’s trying to figure out how to be a grown man. He gets moody and angry, and we just can’t communicate.

Completing the parenting course helped me to understand my children better. I had been guilty of getting too worked up, and I have learnt how much better our family life is if I can remain calm. I also recognise now that I was talking way too much, and cluttering up their heads. Things are improving.”

Funding 

Funded by the Australian Government