St. Luke's

Services offered by St Luke's Anglicare

Children and Family Services

Click on the links above to view the various Children and Family Services offered by St Lukes Anglicare.

Families First

The aim of Families First is to keep children and young people with their families who would otherwise be placed if such services were not available. In this respect, Families First offers families one last option for keeping their child/ren at home.

Families First is to prevent and reduce out-of-home placements of children and young people who have been, or are suspected of having been, abused, neglected or abandoned by their parents, and who are at risk of imminent placement due to family breakdown.

In some circumstances, if a child or young person from longer-term care is considered unsuitable for home release without intensive support being provided, a reunification referral to Families First can be made. DHS protective workers are the only points of access to this service.

The service is crisis-orientated, and each family is seen as soon as possible after the referral has been made.

At least one adult member (and adolescent over 14 years, if she/he is identified for potential out-of-home placement) must be willing to receive the Families First service.

Staff are available to families twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for a period of 4-6 weeks. The worker can be available to work with the family up to 20 hours per week. The families are seen in their own homes and neighbourhood at convenient times.

Department of Human Services remain the case managers during Families First intervention.

ACCESS: DHS staff to use the Families First/Homebase Referral Form, after discussion with Request Worker.