My family is separating — what now?
- Emotional support
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Family violence support
- Are your children at risk?
- Child abuse
- Family violence orders
- Handing over children where there's potential for conflict or violence
- Planning ahead
- Support for children
- Support for me
- What the police can do
- What to do if you or your children are in danger
- What happens if you leave the family home
- What to do if you suspect child abuse
- Financial support
- Legal support
Detailed Support
- Family Relationship Advice Line — contact the Family Relationship Advice Line for information about community service providers in your local area who can help families and grandparents affected by relationship or separation issues. It provides confidential information on family relationship issues and advice on parenting arrangements after separation.
- Family Relationships Online — provides information about a range of services that can assist with managing relationship issues, such as agreeing on appropriate arrangements for children. It also includes free resources, fact sheets, links for grandparents raising grandchildren, and can put you in touch with organisations that support grandparents or grandchildren.
- Family Relationship Centres — there are more than 60 Family Relationship Centres operating throughout Australia providing information, mediation and confidential advice for families. All the centres have facilities for children and free internet access to help you find more information online. Many of the services are free or offered on a sliding payment scale according to your level of income.
- Council on the Ageing — is a seniors’ organisation, with individual members and seniors organisation members in all states and territories. COTA is an independent consumer organisation protecting and promoting the well-being of all seniors.
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Grandparents Raising
Grandchildren — is a project of COTA NSW and represents an alliance of
grandparents, who have fulltime care and responsibility of their grandchildren. The
website contains information about raising grandchildren including where to find
support. It has affiliates in several states including:
- NSW — Raising Grandchildren
- VIC — Grandparents
- WA — Department for Child Protection
- SA — Department for Families and Communities and Seniors’ Information Service
- QLD — Kinkare and Grandparents Information
- ACT — Grandparents ACT & Region
- The Child Support Agency’s Community Services Directory — has a list of organisations providing family and financial counselling and support.
- Parentline — is a confidential telephone counselling service aimed at providing professional counselling and support for parents and people who care for children.
- Raising Children Network — is the Australian parenting website and includes comprehensive, practical expert child health and parenting information, as well as activities for children aged 0-8 years.
- Lifeline — is a confidential and anonymous national counselling service that also offers an extensive referral service. Lifeline Service Finder can also put you in touch with services in your local area.
- About Seniors at Your Life Choices — has information, resources, links and a list of local organisations supporting grandparents with their contact details in each state.
- beyondblue: the national depression initiative — is a national incentive to raise community awareness of depression and the resources available to support people who suffer from depression, as well as their families and carers. Internet Relay is available for people with hearing and speech impairment.
Resources
- When the children arrive — a resource book for Kinship Carers by the Mirabel Foundation