Service Descriptions

Support services are provided to families and children who are placed in out-of-home care. There is also support for children living away from their family to assist them in coping with their situation. Help is also available to resolve issues preventing children from returning home. They include:

Intensive Youth Support Services

A multi-disciplinary intensive case management service to young people who are, or have been, subject to statutory protection intervention. The aim is to maintain young people aged 12 to 17 years in the community who are at a high level of risk and for whom less intensive services have not been, or would not be, effective in reducing this level of risk, through the provision of protection and support. These young people may be residing with their family, living independently or in a placement.

Adolescent Support

Adolescent Support is a case management service which aims to maintain young people aged 12 to 17 years in their families and community, where those young people are in immediate crisis, at risk of physical, emotional or sexual harm or require immediate or ongoing support and supervision.

Family Preservation - Families First

Families First is an intensive, short term, home based, family-centred service aiming to strengthen the ability of families to protect and care for their 'at risk' children, thereby avoiding child removal and placement. The service is targeted to families at imminent risk of having a child or young person aged from 0 to 18 years removed because of suspected or unresolved child abuse concerns. Experienced professional workers intervene and provide families with support for 6 to 8 weeks.

Family Preservation - Koori Family Preservation

This service is an intensive, home-based, family centred, counselling support service targeting Koori families at imminent risk of having a child or young person aged from 0 to 18 years removed due to suspected or unresolved child abuse concerns. There is a strong emphasis on community development work and the service is involved for approximately three months.

Family Preservation - Other Family Preservation

These are regional initiatives outside of the standard support service programs in the form of in-home support which may have a role in supporting the family, preventing out-of-home care and assisting family reunification.

Innovative Support

These are services provided outside of the standard support service program aim of maintaining children and young people in their families and community by providing support to children and young people who are in immediate crisis or at risk, or who are in need of additional support or supervision.

Who to contact

For potential users, relatives or friends, requiring further information about support services, contact:

Placement and Support Branch

Office for Children
Department of Human Services
Level 9, 50 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne Vic 3001

Information for funded community service organisations

Contact Child Welfare Association of Victoria, Community Service Organisations, FACTS.

Additional information

See also: Foster Care and Other Placements Overview, Home Based Care, Permanent Care.