Family Wellbeing Program

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Program commenced in October 2017 and sees a greater commitment by the Department of Child Safety, Women and Youth into support families at risk of entering into the Child Protection System. As part of our NPA Family Wellbeing Program, we operate the following services: 

• Residential Care – fee for service basis with the Department of Child Safety
• Family Wellbeing Program
• Intensive Parenting Support Program

As part of the program, we provide family and child counselling, Triple P Parenting Program, Intensive Family Support and Workshops at school on bullying and protective behaviours.

Program outcomes

• Children and families in the communities are now getting support through counselling
• Children have been reunified with their parents
• Parents who have attended Triple-P have provided positive feedback on the behaviour strategies they have learned and practiced at home
• Protective behaviours workshops have led to parents and grandparents having these discussions at home
• Suspensions for children from school, who are involved with the child counsellor have reduced
• There is now an allocated counselling room
• Staff are receiving ongoing training to support their skills development
• ARC database has been introduced to document work and outcomes
• Communication with Counsellor and outside Stakeholders occurs regularly (e.g. with teachers, guidance officers and parents)
• Clients are meeting case plan goals

During Carer’s Week, the Family Wellbeing Program recognised and thanked the foster and kinship carers of the NPA to ensure they were celebrated and felt valued. In addition, the team supported the activities for White Ribbon Day and DV week; and led celebrations for Child Protection Day.

We fight to keep our children locally

While the permanent residential SAFE house ceased in December 2016, the organisation was able to negotiate with the Department to continue providing the Service on a Fee-for-Service basis to ensure that NPA Children could still be placed locally to continue their connection to land and family. Over the past 12 months, we have seen families accessing the service to support the transition to permanent foster or kinship carer arrangements or reunification with their family. The organisation has also continued to advocate for the SAFE House and contributed to the remodelling process.