Our Programs
Intensive Family Support
Intensive Family Support provides professional support and parenting intervention to families with complex needs. Support can be provided over an extended period of time.
Families with complex needs may experience a range of issues, such as social and economic disadvantage, child behaviour problems, lack of parenting skills, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, imprisonment, or a family member with special developmental needs or a mental illness.
Good Beginnings offers flexible and intensive support programs for such families. Like all its programs, the focus is on working in partnership with families and using a strengths-based and family-focused approach. Click on the links below to find out more about some of our Intensive Family Support programs:
Intensive Family Support – Activities
Intensive Family Support
The Intensive Family Support program provides one-on-one professional support to families with complex needs. This support is generally provided over an extended period of time and most often occurs in the family’s home environment.
The program is strengths-based and solution focused, and concentrates on working in partnership with families to empower them to find their own solutions.
Staff assist families in exploring their issues, setting achievable goals and deciding on appropriate strategies. This may also include linking families to other avenues of support in their community. Families are then supported in implementing their preferred strategies and in recognising and celebrating their successes.
Families benefit in the long term, not only by addressing their immediate needs, but also by learning problem-solving skills that can assist them in the future.
Prisoners and their Families
The Prisoners and their Families program provides opportunities for prisoners to gain greater understanding of the importance of their parenting role and to develop their parenting skills through group programs and individual support.
Children of prisoners are among the most disadvantaged in Australia. The Prisoners and their Families program aims to achieve better outcomes for these children by providing prisoners with strategies for change and the opportunity to make positive changes to their own lives.
The program provides training for prisoners about their roles and responsibilities as parents. It encourages positive contact between children and their parents in prison by facilitating access visits and occasions such as family days. A professional Family Support Worker provides counselling, mediation, advocacy and referrals to prisoners and, where possible, to their families.
Good Beginnings also endeavours to provide a post-release service to help former prisoners adjust to life within their family and their community.