Child, Youth and Family

Our Family Preservation services helps to keep families together. The primary aim of Family Preservation is to keep a child or young person safe within their family by reducing risk and safety concerns, so they can experience healthy and positive development.

Every family is different and Family Preservation PIP varies its services to provide for individual needs. Services are delivered for up to 12 months and each family receives ongoing support from a caseworker. Services include:

• Case management
• Family and parent support
• Therapeutic support
• Child-focused support

This program is available at Taree, Gloucester, Foster and surrounds.

Who we help

Brighter Futures is an early intervention program that helps families with children who are at high risk of entering or escalating within the child protection system.

Eligibility

• At least one child (unborn – 17 years old) who is the subject of a current Risk of Significant Harm (ROSH) report
• SARA is not mandatory, and if the SARA is applied, the safety outcome of ‘safe’ and a risk outcome of low, moderate or high.

How to access this service

Community or self-referral to the program can be made by completing the referral form and emailing to familypreservationpip@catholiccare.org.au

CatholicCare's Targeted Earlier Intervention program (TEI) offers a range of services and supports for young people and their families in Maitland, Dungog and Gloucester including: 

• Casework
• Counselling
• Parenting support 
• Tailored skill development and group programs in schools.

Who we help

The service supports young people aged 12 to 17 and their families experiencing vulnerability that impacts wellbeing and safety.

The program tailors support to individual family circumstances, addressing needs early to prevent escalation and increase the wellbeing and safety of vulnerable young people. The program strives to support young peoples’ continued connection with their family, community, education and employment so they can lead independent and meaningful lives.

For more information please click here.

How to access this service

Referral to the program can be made by filling out our referral form or contacting:

CatholicCare Maitland Office on (02) 4015 2800 or email: youthandfamily@catholiccare.org.au

CatholicCare Gloucester Office on (02) 6558 1777 or email: gloucesteryouthandparenting@catholiccare.org.au

CatholicCare offers a Supported Independent Living program (SIL) for 16 and 17-year-olds who are moving into adulthood and ready to become a part of the community.

We help these young people on their journey to independence through providing:

• Case management
• Accommodation
• Development life skills such as housekeeping, budgeting, education, employment assistance, and building healthy relationships, for up to 24 months.

Eligibility

The following criteria must be met to be eligible for the SIL program:

• 16-17 years of age at entry
• Assessed as having low or medium needs (CAT)
• In the statutory PSP, exiting PSP to live independently, or have left a PSP placement but require further support to successfully transition to independence
• Assessed by Child and Family District Unit (CFDU) as having the capacity to be placed in SIL and will have the capacity to live independently after a period of tailored support.

How to access this service

Referrals can only be made through CFDU via DCJ. Children and young people referred must not require therapeutic care.

For more information, contact HCC.NGOsupport@facs.nsw.gov.au.

CatholicCare is a Rent Choice Youth provider.

Rent Choice Youth is a program that supports young people aged between 16 and 24 to find a place to live.
It can help you to:

• find a place to live (in a private rental unit, flat or home)
• get approved for a lease
• subsidise the rent for up to 3 years
• stay in a current rental if it’s affordable and help is needed to pay the rent

You will also be linked with a support worker who will help you make and work towards study or job goals. This will eventually help you to afford the rent on your own.

For more information about how you can access Rent Choice Youth, contact us on 4969 1120.

Specialist Aftercare is an important step in the continuum of support offered to care leavers, especially when there are reasons preventing them from returning to their previous service provider. This program reduces barriers to young people accessing timely, trauma-informed, and holistic support to improve life outcomes while also providing them with opportunities to develop their own capacity and self-efficacy by navigating challenges and making informed decisions about their own lives.

The new Specialist Aftercare program, which commences on 1st July 2024, is an exciting step forward in the provision of supports for high-needs care leavers. This program goes beyond case management and also encompasses mentoring and group work sessions for the most complex care leavers in our community.

CatholicCare’s Aftercare caseworker will:

• Work with the young people to identify tasks and goals and then identify appropriate supports, referral pathways.
• Advocate with DCJ for a review of aftercare financial plans and complete submissions for out-of-guidelines funding to cover expenses related to the current needs of the care leaver.
• Provide mentoring support to care leavers with specific goals.
• Facilitate group information sessions.
• Source additional support and entitlements for care leavers such as TILA, NDIS, Rent Choice Youth, Independent Living Allowance and work development orders.
• Make referrals and work collaboratively with other providers and services such as DCJ, CFDU, NSW Housing, NSW Health, Staying Home, Leaving Violence providers, local DVLO’s and other external services in order to access legal, medical, housing and other general community supports.

Eligibility

This program is available to people aged 18-24 who were in the care of the Minister prior to turning 18.

How to access this service

Care leavers are able to self-refer to the Specialist Care Leaver Program or can be supported to be referred either by phone on 4979 1120 or email aftercare@catholiccare.org.au 

You can also contact the Department of Communities and Justice Care Leaver Line on 1800 994 686 or email CareleaversLine@facs.nsw.gov.au

This referral form will need to be completed.