Family Connections Program

The Family Connections Program provides a range of services including family time, transport, mentoring, respite and youth support services to the CareSouth Permanency Support Program (PSP), the Department of Family and Community Services (DCJ) and other Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) across CareSouth’s footprint. The frequency of these services is dependent on each individual child’s placement status or their specific needs.

The services provided through CareSouth’s Family Connections Program include: 

Family Time

The Family Connections Program provides supervised contact/family time to children that are in Out of Home Care placements, with their families and other significant people in their lives. These visits are based on the individual needs of the family and the case plan focus. Some visits may require strict supervision, while other visits may need role modelling and family support. Some visits are aimed at keeping sibling connections strong when children are in different placements. The workers facilitating the visits are trained to promote positive engagements between family members, ensure the safety and wellbeing of the children and young people, and can assist parents to build their capacity when restoration is being considered.

Transport

The Family Connections Program provides transports to children and young people to between placements, respite, school, unsupervised family visits, camp or appointments.

Mentoring

The Family Connections Mentoring Program provides young people the opportunity to develop a structured and trusting relationship with a positive adult role model outside of their placement. This is achieved by matching the young person with a compassionate and committed individual who can offer guidance, support and encouragement. The main focus of the Mentoring Program is to assist young people to enhance their life skills, build on their existing strengths, and reach their full potential.

Respite or Youth Support

The program provides day respite to children and young people to allow carers to have a break when a placement is vulnerable, or to support carers with their work or family commitments. The program also provides youth support to young people when their placement breaks down and the young person requires care and support outside of a usual placement, in an alternative care arrangement (ACA), or to young people that are residing in an interim care model (ICM).