Our task is to lead action across Government and with the community to give every child every chance; to assure and improve the safety, health, development, learning and well being of all Victoria's children – and particularly those children and young people who are faring poorly, those at risk of harm and those at risk of harming others.

The Children Youth & Families Division undertakes this by providing the resources, and building the systems of support which children and young people, parents, carers and communities need to give their children the best start in life.

The Children Youth & Families Division is leading action in line with the Government's broad policy goals for Victoria, set out in Growing Victoria Together and strategies to address disadvantage set out in a Fairer Victoria.

The Children Youth & Families Division brings together:

• Programs to assure the safety and well being of children, including child protection, and to support vulnerable families, including those affected by violence and crime, including sexual assault.
• Youth services and youth justice and other programs to support vulnerable young people.
• State concessions programs targeted to lower-income families and individuals.

Paul McDonald
Executive Director

Structure and Organisational Information

Children Youth & Families Organisation Chart [PDF, 29kb]

Children Youth & Families - Branch Structure

• Directorate
• Youth Services and Youth Justice
• Child Protection & Family Services
• Program & Sector Support

Paul McDonald
Executive Director
Children Youth & Families Division
Level 10, 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3001

Robyn Joyce
Manager,Children Youth & Families Directorate
Robyn.Joyce@dhs.vic.gov.au

Marianne Bailouni
Acting Executive Assistant
Phone: 61-3-9096 7564
Fax: 61-3-9096 9150
Email: Marianne.Bailouni@dhs.vic.gov.au

Youth Services & Youth Justice Branch

Jan Noblett
Director,Youth Services and Youth Justice
Level 10/ 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3001
Jan.Noblett@dhs.vic.gov.au

Youth Services and Youth Justice includes Youth Justice, Leaving Care, School Focussed Youth Services, Secondary School Nursing, Adolescent Mediation, Adolescent Support, Mentoring and Refugee minors programs. Programs include:

• Youth Parole Board
• Youth Justice Policy and Practice
• Youth Justice Policy and Program Development
• Youth Justice Quality and Special Projects
• Youth Justice Restorative Partnerships
• Youth Justice Management and Capital Development
• Youth Services

Child Protection and Family Services Branch

Mary McKinnon
Director
Child Protection and Family Services
Level 9/ 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3001
mary.mckinnon@dhs.vic.gov.au

Child Protection and Family Services Branch works to ensure the safety and well being of adolescents and children at risk of harm, abuse or neglect. The Branch funds, supports and monitors services including Victoria's child protection service, accommodation and support services for children and adolescents in care, adoption and permanent care, Family Services, Sexual Assault, Family Violence and the Victims Assistance and Counselling Program.

Services are provided through a network of Regional Offices and funded agencies to provide those children and young people at risk of significant harm with safety, permanence and assistance to develop skills necessary for their future, and include:

• investigation of child abuse
• case management and support services for abused children and young people
• placement prevention and support services
• home-based and residential care
• adoption and permanent care (includes local adoption, Intercountry Adoption and Adoption Information and Support Services).
• provision of advice to court

Program and Sector Support Branch

Brenda Whitmore-Seidel
Director, Program and Sector Support
Level 10, 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3001
Phone: 61-3-9096 7348
Fax: 61-3-9096 9252

The Program and Sector Support Branch incorporates the following areas:

• Concessions Policy
• Concessions Business Management
• Finance
• Planning, analysis and review
• Information and Information Management
• Accommodation, Web and IT Support
• Aboriginal Advocacy

State Concessions

The Concessions Policy and the Concessions Business Management Units develop and coordinate the delivery of State Government concessions to eligible consumers and concession card holders in Victoria. State concessions are designed to improve the affordability of key services for low income households. Areas covered by the State concessions include:

• energy
• water and sewerage
• municipal rates
• transport
• financial counselling

These concessions are generally delivered through key agencies such as energy companies, water authorities and local government , which are reimbursed by Department of Human Services for the value of the concession. See the Victorian State Concessions Home Page.

The Utility Relief and Capital Grants unit provides a one-off financial assistance in the form of:

• Utility Relief Grants Program aimed at consumers who have difficulty paying their bills as a result of an unforeseen financial crisis; and
• Capital Grants Program providing assistance with replacement or repair of an appliance to reduce the energy and water consumption.

The Concessions Unit manages the Community Services Obligation contract with State Trustees Ltd, who deliver a range of services to low income people and those for whom an administrator was appointed by the Guardianship and Administration Board.

The Concession Unit provides the toll-free telephone line which offers information and responds to inquiries from the general public about the State and Commonwealth concessions.