Family Support

Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria
The Domestic Violence Resource Centre (Victoria) is a statewide service in Melbourne that offers a telephone support and referral service. The website has resources, information and advice on family violence and sexual abuse, as well as a directory of Australia-wide services.

Family Relationships Online
On this Australian Government website you can find information about family relationships and links to support services. You can also visit a Family Relationship Centre, or call the Family Relationship Advice Line:

Phone: 1800 050 321
Hours: 8 am-8 pm, Monday-Friday, 10 am-4 pm Saturday

ForWhen
ForWhen provides new and expecting parents with a mental health navigation service from conception up until children are 12 months old. It’s a national support line that connects parents and carers to the right service to get the right support when they need it.

PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia)
PANDA provides confidential information, support and referral to anyone affected by perinatal anxiety and depression, including partners and extended family members.

Red Nose
This organisation works to prevent infant deaths through research and public education. The website has evidence-based information on topics like safe sleeping, as well as links to bereavement support services.

Relationships Australia
Relationships Australia offers counselling, education programs, mediation services and other help for families and couples. This is the national website with links to the website for each Australian state and territory.

Fathers

MensLine
This is a national support service for men with family and relationship concerns. Online counselling is available on the website, and there’s also a 24-hour telephone counselling line – phone 1300 789 978.

Support for Fathers
Support for Fathers provides dads with options and information about fatherhood, the relationship with their partner and connecting with their kids. They link to Dad's programs in each state and territory and run events including free webinars.

Dad and Partner Pay gives new dads or partners, including same-sex partners, up to two weeks of government-funded pay to be taken in the first year following birth or adoption.

Foster carers

Listed below are links to the government agencies or departments responsible for foster care in each state and territory in Australia:

Australian Capital Territory: ACT Community Services – Foster care
New South Wales: NSW Department of Family and Community Services – Foster care
Northern Territory: Carer Community – About care in the NT
Queensland: Queensland Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors - Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women – Foster and kinship care
South Australia: Government of South Australia – Foster care
Tasmania: Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services – Foster care
Victoria: Victorian Department of Human Services – Kinship, foster and other care and Fostering Connections
Western Australia: WA Department for Child Protection and Family Support – Interested in foster caring?

Create Foundation
This organisation represents children and young people in out-of-home care. The website has information on programs, activities and events run by Create throughout Australia.

Pyjama Foundation
The Pyjama Foundation works to improve opportunities for children in foster care. It runs the Love of Learning Program in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria to help children in care with literacy and life skills.

Foster care is a type of out-of-home care for children who can’t live with their own families. Foster carers are specially trained carers who take children into their own homes. You can read more about raising foster children.

Grandparents

Australian Government Department of Human Services – Support for non-parent carers
This section of the Department of Human Services website has information about support for grandparents and carers who raise and care for children.

Family Relationships Online – For grandparents
On this webpage you can find links to services and resources to support you in your role as a carer.

Mirabel Foundation
The Mirabel Foundation helps children who are orphaned or abandoned because of parental illicit drug use and who are now in the care of extended family. Mirabel runs kinship carer support groups in New South Wales and Victoria.

Find more information about services and support for grandparents in our grandparent and kinship carers section.

Parenting support

Here are some government websites with information about parenting support in different states and territories:

Australian Capital Territory: Parentlink ACT provides parenting information, guidance and support.
New South Wales: Resourcing Parents has information on services and support for families throughout New South Wales, including online webinars and courses. NSW Department of Family and Community Services – Parenting has practical tips, information and resources for parents and carers.
South Australia: Parenting SA provides support, services, information and resources for parents and carers.
Victoria: Better Health Channel – Parents has quality-assured and easy-to-understand information on a range of issues, for parents of babies through to teenagers.
Western Australia: Ngala helps parents, grandparents and carers develop skills and cope with the challenges of parenting.

Austprem
Austprem provides information and support for parents and carers of prematurely born babies and children. The website has a discussion forum where parents can share experiences.

Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE)
This non-profit organisation works to improve the emotional wellbeing of parents. The website has evidence-based articles about emotional wellbeing in pregnancy and early parenthood for parents, family members and friends.

Family Relationships Online
This Australian Government website has information and advice about family relationships. There’s a telephone support line and links to Family Relationship Centres in each state and territory.

Healthdirect Australia
Healthdirect provides health information and advice online and over the phone. The website provides links to health resources from trusted Australian organisations. Or phone 1800 022 222 and speak to a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

PBS Parents
This website has information and advice for parents about child development from birth through to the early school years.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby
This is a free, national, 24-hour helpline offering information, advice and counselling about all aspects of pregnancy, birth and your baby’s first year – phone 1800 882 436.

Reach Out – Parents Coaching
Reach Out offers free online coaching to parents and carers of teenagers. If you’re worried about your relationship with your teenage child, or worried about your child’s wellbeing or behaviour, coaching can give you strategies to help.

You can get information, advice and counselling by calling the parent helpline in your state or territory.

Same-sex parents

Gay Dads Australia
This website has information and resources for gay men who are fathers or who want to have children.

National LGBTI Health Alliance
This is a national organisation promoting the health and wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.

QLife
This is a national counselling and referral service for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or intersex (LGBTI).

Rainbow Families (New South Wales)
Rainbow Families advocates for same-sex and LGBTI parented families. It runs community programs and social events throughout New South Wales.

Switchboard Victoria
Switchboard is a telephone counselling, information and referral service for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Victoria and Tasmania. Visit the website for phone numbers and hours of availability.

Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby
This website has information about the law in Victoria relating to same-sex parents and their children.

Children from same-sex and rainbow families do just as well as children from heterosexual families. Read more in our rainbow and same-sex families section.

Single parents

Australian Government Department of Human Services – Parent’s guide to child support
This section of the Department of Human Services website has information about child support payments and support services for separated families.

Australian Government Department of Human Services – What to do following a death
This section of the Department of Human Services website explains what to do if someone in your family has died. It has information on financial assistance, counselling and other supports to help you.

National Council of Single Mothers and their Children
This organisation aims to empower single mothers – particularly those living in hardship – by giving them access to information and support.

Single Parents Active Kids (Melbourne)
This is a social group that organises events for single parents and their children in Melbourne. Its focus is outdoor activities where children can have fun and be active in a welcoming and positive environment.

You can read more about being a single parent and successful single parenting.

Step-parents

Family Relationships Online
This Australian Government website has information and advice about family relationships. There is a telephone support line and links to Family Relationship Centres in each state and territory.

Stepfamilies Australia
This organisation operates Australia wide offering family support services and information to stepfamilies. The website has links to branches in each state and territory.

You can read more about being a step-parent and parenting in a blended family in our blended families and stepfamilies section.

Teenage parents

Core of Life
Core of Life provides education about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and early parenting for adolescents.

Pregnancy Birth and Baby – Teenage pregnancy
This webpage discusses the options for young people who are pregnant.

Get practical tips on how you can help if your teenage child is having a baby.

Twins and multiples

Australian Multiple Birth Association
This organisation provides support, resources and education to multiple birth parents.

Twins Research Australia
This organisation facilitates research involving twins and their families. The website has information and resources about twins.

Knight Street

Multi-Age Learning

Adoptive families

Family support