Do you know what a healthy & respectful relationship looks like?

Family Life’s Early Help Program have teamed up with Relationships Australia to learn about healthy and respectful relationships!

The workshop will focus on different relationships like families, friends and intimate partners and how we can make sure they’re positive and healthy! We’ll also discuss how to look after your own wellbeing when you’re in a relationship!

Available to Families/Carers with Children 0-18yrs (residing in Frankston City, Mornington Peninsula Shire, City of Kingston & City of Bayside)

Thursday 4th May: 11am – 1pm
Peterson Youth Centre, Highett Rd & Peterson St, Highett VIC 3190

Click here for Event Brite link


Thursday 11th May
: 11am – 1pm
Frankston North Community Centre,26 Mahogany Ave, Frankston North VIC 3200

Click here for Event Brite link

Thursday 18th May: 11am – 1pm
Seawinds Community Hub, 11A Allambi Ave, Capel Sound, VIC 394

Click here for Event Brite link


Thursday 25th May
: 11am – 1pm
Westall Community Hub, 35 Fairbank Rd, Clayton South VIC 3169

Click here for Event Brite link


Being Dad is a 6-week interactive group for fathers with children aged 0-17.

This group will explore parenting, children’s development, healthy relationships and much more.

This group is open to fathers/step-fathers/carers in the Southern Metropolitan Region and Bayside Peninsula Areas.

Bookings essential.

Download the brochure here

SafeCare is a parenting program for parents and caregivers of children aged 0-5 years. SafeCare educators work with families to increase the positive interactions they have with their child, keep their child healthy and make their home safe.

SafeCare topic areas

Parent Child Interaction/Parent Infant Interaction (PCI/PII)

This module helps parents and caregivers to increase the positive interactions they have with their child during play and daily activities. PCI can also help to reduce challenging behaviours in young children.

Health

This module helps parents and caregivers prepare for when their child is sick or injured and recognise when symptoms need emergency care, a doctor’s appointment or can be cared for at home. Parents and caregivers are given a health manual and shown how to maintain good health records and keep children as healthy as possible.

Home Safety

This module helps parents and caregivers to identify and remove common household hazards and understand the importance of child supervision.

The SafeCare approach

Educators begin each topic with an observation. Educators then work with the parents or caregivers to develop their skills, with a final observation undertaken at the end of the topic.

SafeCare educators conduct weekly home visits, with the program being completed in 18 sessions.

There are also options to deliver some of the program online if necessary.

Space 4 Us is a peer support group for young people who have a parent, carer or family member living with mental health challenges either in the home or in their family network.

The group runs for 6 weeks and is free to participants living in the Bayside Peninsula area. The program aims to give children and young people opportunities to:

• Enjoy food together and have fun doing activities

• Try out different games and crafts

• Meet others with similar experiences

• Receive information and support

• Learn about healthy coping strategies and ways to look after your wellbeing

• Talk about mental health challenges

Join us for a fun afternoon with other young people while learning about looking after yourself and your wellbeing

Click on the URL here to complete the Group Work Registration Form. If you would like to attend our free group work.

12 – 16 year olds with a family member who experiences mental health challenges

Community Bubs focuses on strengthening families and helping parents to overcome risks and challenges in the early stages following their child’s birth, or in the final months of pregnancy to prepare for their arrival. It is an outreach program which identifies the family’s needs and supports them to work towards meeting their goals with the support of a skilled and trained practitioner. It also assists the family to link with a range of community-based support services utilising a case management model. Community Bubs aims to create a legacy of change which can be sustained, ensuring the wellbeing of the infant and parent when services are withdrawn.

How Community Bub Works

If a parent is in the last trimester of their pregnancy, or a family has a child under the age of 6 months old, Family Life’s Community Bubs program is able to provide case management support and assistance. Community Bubs combines intensive home visiting by professionals across a period of 6 – 9 months. Practitioners have a strong focus on aiding families to connect with their local community, providing opportunities for their babies to thrive. The program operates under the Best Interest Practice Guidelines and utilises a range of theoretical frameworks, including Attachment Theory, Trauma-Informed approaches, Feminist and Empowerment Theory and is underpinned by a strengths-based approach. Highly-skilled and trained practitioners utilise tools to plan and track progress, including the use of Family Action Plans and Outcome Stars

Program Objectives

• implementing a case management model to support family members to link with a range of support services, including (but not limited to): counselling, mediation, family violence, financial counselling and mental health services

• providing advocacy and referrals to appropriate support services through use of a care team approach • building the self-esteem and confidence of family members and caregivers

• providing psycho-education regarding parenting skills and attachment-based strategies

• educating family members on infant development and ways to support developmental milestones

• supporting family members who have experienced family violence and educating families on the impact of family violence on child development • improving communication skills between family members

 • exploring further education and / or work opportunities across the family

• to provide a safe environment for the client and create opportunities to work through their trauma

• to identify and build on the current strengths and positive attributes of each family member

• to develop the family’s self-care routines through a trauma and client centred approach

 • provide a tailored and individualised intervention, using internal and external supports to best meet the needs of the family Referral Criteria

• Referrals can be taken for the Community Bubs Program when the mother is in the last trimester of her pregnancy, or the baby is under 6 months of age.

How to refer:


Referrals can be made via the Bayside Peninsula
Orange Door – 1800 319 353. Alternatively,
self-referral can be made by contacting the
Family Life Families & Community Team:
(03) 8599 5433
[email protected]
197 Bluff Road, Sandringham VIC 3191

• Community Bubs is currently taking referrals for families residing in the City of Bayside and Kingston

Early Intervention- Parents Under Pressure Program

The Early Intervention-Parents under Pressure program aims to focus on families with identified vulnerabilities and intervening by building their resilience and parenting strategies to manage the stressors of parenting.

It also focuses on building their resilience to become attuned and connected positive parents.

This program looks at achieving this through early identification by working in partnership with early years settings to identify families that would benefit from an intervention and deploying the Parents Under Pressure Program.

EI PUP could provide therapeutic support for eligible parents in-home or in groups.

Eligibility

Contact Lauren Davidson or Monica Kelly

A free program for parents and carers of young people aged 10 to 18.

Would you like to:

Our six week Tuning into Teens program teaches parents how to help their teen develop emotional intelligence.

Access flyer here

These fun, free weekly playgroups are for families that may have particular vulnerabilities or needs, or require extra support to assist in strengthening the child-parent relationship. Our Playgroup leaders are available to assist and help in a variety of ways. Families can seek advice, learn about local support services, and expand their social network in a supported community playgroup setting. Play is a child’s natural language. Attendance at a playgroup can help children’s social, emotional, physical and language development by providing an opportunity to learn and practice new skills.

The friendly, welcoming playgroup sessions include:

 • Child led free play activities inside & outside Structured Art & Crafts
• Speciality sessions; music, singing songs and a story time session Informal education about child development
• Therapeutic support to improve parent’s skills and independence
• Connecting with your child through fun activities to strengthen attachment

Suitable for 0-5 year olds

Refreshments supplied for morning tea: fruit for the children and coffee/tea for the parents.

View flyer here

Have a fun afternoon with other children whilst learning about looking after yourself and mental health!

CHAMPS is a peer support group for children who have a parent, carer or family member living with mental health challenges either in the home or in their family network. The group is facilitated by Family Life practitioners in partnership with Families where a Parent has a Mental Illness (FaPMI).

The program aims to give children opportunities to:

Suitable for 8-12 year olds with an adult family member who experiences mental health challenges (such as a parent, carer, adult sibling etc.)

Optional: Dinner afterwards for CHAMPS participants with parent/guardian consent

Download brochure here

A free parenting program for parents of children aged 3 – 10.

Would you like to learn how to:

• be better at talking with your child?
• be better at understanding your child?
• help your child learn to manage their emotions?
• help to prevent behaviour problems in your child?
• teach your child to deal with conflict?

Tuning into Kids® will teach you how to help your child understand and manage feelings

Access flyer here

Skip to content