Family support programs receive triennial funding

Family support programs across Queensland have been assured for another three years with the Queensland Government allocating triennial funding of almost $5.7 million in total to Mission Australia and the Australian Red Cross.

The funding, for 2006–09, will allow these organisations to continue the prevention and early intervention family support programs they have been conducting under the Department of Communities’ Future Directions initiative.

Communities Minister Warren Pitt said the two services had conducted successful family support pilot programs, helping about 660 families during a three-year period.

“Support covered areas such as crisis response, individual and family counselling, life skills development, training and client advocacy among others,” Mr Pitt said.

“Both services have delivered exemplary prevention and early intervention services and have demonstrated innovation and commitment in providing support to vulnerable families.”

The funding has been provided through the department’s Future Directions initiative, which aims to deliver projects to provide better outcomes for children, young people and families.

The Red Cross will get $2.9 million over three years while Mission Australia will receive about $2.7 million for the same period.

Mr Pitt said Mission Australia’s Project Circuit Breaker delivered a mobile crisis response and support service aimed at families with children aged 10 to 16 in Brisbane’s northern suburbs.

“The project aims to support families at imminent risk of involvement with the statutory child protection system,” Mr Pitt said.

He said the Australian Red Cross Intensive Support Program helped families across the state with young children under eight years. “One component of this service is home visiting, which helps parents and carers with a range of different parenting skills.”

Mr Pitt said the continued funding commitment and quality of these programs were an excellent example of how successful partnerships between government and non-government organisations support the people of Queensland.

“The Queensland Government is committed to helping its non-government partners to be as strong as possible so they can continue their essential work,” he said.

Media contact: Peter Nibbs 3235 4280