14/07/2010
Families in Newcastle, the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie and Hunter regions can now access support through The Benevolent Society’s Newcastle Family Referral Service, by either calling the telephone service, or by dropping in to one of the face to face services in Newcastle, Muswellbrook and Watanobbi.
The Newcastle Family Referral Service, which officially opens this week, is one of three NSW Government-funded Family Referral Service (FRS) pilot sites, set up as part of the Keep Them Safe strategy. The services aim to help vulnerable children, young people and families who are experiencing difficulties to access specific and appropriate support in their local area.
The new Family Referral Services will be launched in Mount Druitt on Wednesday July 14 by NSW Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney.
Ms Burney said: “The Family Referral Services will see families who make contact themselves asking for help and they will also see families who have been referred by others in the community such as schools, hospitals and childcare facilities.”
“These involve children who do not need statutory intervention by Community Services but do need help,” Ms Burney said.
“The Newcastle FRS will connect children and families with local services when they need them most, and prevent difficult situations from escalating to a crisis which may then require NSW Community Services to step in,” said Suzanne Sibillin, manager of the Newcastle Family Referral Service.
“In the short time we have been operational in the Hunter and Central Coast regions, we have already helped local families connect with services and support in their area.”
“Anyone who knows of a family that is struggling and needs help , can call the Family Referral Service on 1300 006 480 for the cost of a local call. Our qualified staff will work with the caller to find the best support for their situation. Our workers are able to visit families in their homes or at other local community venues.”
The Newcastle FRS, along with the other two Family Referral Services, operated by Relationships Australia NSW in Mount Druitt, and UnitingCare Burnside in Dubbo, opened their doors on 3 May for a 12-monthpilot.
Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt said these non-government organisations were chosen to run the services because they have a good understanding of their local communities, and know what is available on the ground.
“They know best what appropriate Commonwealth, State or Local Government-funded support services there are in the area,” she said. “A strong, long-term partnership between Government agencies and NGOs means that together we can address the needs of families early and in a collaborative, holistic manner.
Two different models are being piloted: a simple telephone referral service and a comprehensive service which has the capacity for face-to-face referrals, providing some case coordination, short-term support for families and using brokerage funding to supplement client access to support services.
The Newcastle Family Referral Service, a comprehensive service, covers 12 local government areas: Cessnock, Dungog, Gloucester, Gosford, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Singleton, Upper Hunter Shire and Wyong.
There is a telephone service based in Rutherford and a comprehensive face-to-face service operating from three locations:
- Newcastle (also servicing Port Stephens, Gloucester, Dungog, and Cessnock)
- Muswellbrook (also servicing the Upper Hunter Shire and Singleton)
- Watanobbi (servicing Wyong, Gosford, Lake Macquarie).
Media enquiries to Caroline Wenzel, ph 0411 766 682, or Erin Schrieber, 0410 003 934
For more information
Read about the Newcastle Family Referral Service
Read more about the NSW Government's Keep Them Safe initiative