Agencies / Community Service Organisations (CSOs)
A CSO is a non-government organisation funded to deliver home-based care services on behalf of the government. The Department of Human Services funds 34 CSOs (including one state-wide Aboriginal Child Care Agency and four local community-based Aboriginal organisations).
The CSOs (see listing over page) have the responsibility of recruiting, assessing, training, supervising and supporting home-based carers who care for children and young people who are subject to child protection investigation and cannot remain in the care of their parents. Each CSO is approved as a community service under the Children Youth & Families Act 2005.
Carers sometimes complain about
- Lack of support (“feel so powerless”)
- Inappropriate referrals (wrong age or behavioural problems such as sexualised behaviours)
- Disregard of information from / recommendations of carer
- Non inclusion in decision making process
- Lack of court orders / minutes of Case Plan meetings etc Carers should try to resolve the issue(s) locally. If necessary, move up the hierarchy of the organisation and perhaps onto DHS if there is no resolution.
Foster Care Agencies
| Foster Care Agency | Address | Phone |
| Abercare Family Services | 25 Norwood Cres, Moonee Ponds 3039 | 9373 3800 |
| Anchor Foster Care | Shop 2C, 3036 Capital City Blvd, Knox Ozone, Wantirna South |
9801 1999 |
| Anglicare Victoria – East | 7-11 Shipley Street, Box Hill 3128 22 Croydon Road, Croydon 3163 47-51 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140 |
9896 6322 9725 1622 9735 4188 |
| Anglicare Victoria – Gippsland | 65 Church Street, Morwell 3840 | 5133 9998 |
| Anglicare Victoria – NW | 32 Railway Cres, Broadmeadows 3047 256 Murray Road, Preston 3072 41 Somerville Rd, Yarraville 3013 |
9301 5200 8470 9999 9396 7400 |
| BAYSA | 12-14 Halstead Place, Geelong West 3218 | 5221 4466 |
| Berry Street Vic – Hume | Suite 5, 125 Welsford Street, Shepparton 3629 | 5821 0399 |
| Berry Street Vic – NW | 65 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg 3084 | 9458 5788 |
| Berry Street Vic – South | 1374 Centre Rd, Clayton 3168 | 9239 1400 |
| Brophy Family & Youth Services | 150 Liebig Street, Warrnambool 3280 | 5561 8888 |
| Centacare Catholic Family Services | 576 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne 3002 | 9419 5633 |
| Central Hume Support Services | 1 Chisholm Street, Wangaratta 3676 | 5722 4129 |
| Child & Family Services Ballarat | 115 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat 3350 | 5337 3333 |
| Community Connections (Vic) Ltd | 135-137 Kepler Street, Warrnambool 3280 | 1300 361 680 |
| Connections | 185 Mt Dandenong Road, Croydon 3136 | 9724 2222 |
| Connections | 53 Webb Street, Narre Warren, 3805 | 9704 8377 |
| Connections | 274 High Street, Windsor 3181 | 9521 5666 |
| Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative | 37-53 Dalmahoy Street, Bairnsdale 3875 | 5152 1922 |
| Glastonbury Child & Family Services | 222 Malop Street, Bairnsdale 3875 | 5222 6911 |
| Good Shepherd Youth & Family Services | 117 Johnston Street, Collingwood 3066 | 9419 5477 |
| Inside Out | 215 Wellington Street, Collingwood 3066 | 9416 1104 |
| Kilmay Uniting Care | 129 Raymond Street, Sale 3850 | 5152 9600 |
| Lisa Lodge | 728 Barkly Street, Ballarat 3350 | 5331 3838 |
| Mallee Accommodation Support Program | 140 Langtree Ave, Mildura 3500 | 5023 3744 |
| Mallee Family Care | 122 Ninth Street, Mildura 3500 | 5023 5966 |
| MacKillop Family Services – Barwon | Helen Street, Geelong 3215 | 5278 9211 |
| MacKillop Family Services - NW | 9 Victoria Street, Footscray 3011 | 8398 6800 |
| MacKillop Family Services – South | 10-12 Gilda Street, Maidstone 3012 | 9317 6200 |
| Mildura Aboriginal Cooperative | 120 Madden Ave, Mildura 3500 | 5022 1852 |
| Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-op | 87 Latje Road, Robinvale 3549 | 5026 3353 |
| Orana Family Services | 6 Papworth Place, Meadow Heights 3048 | 9302 2700 |
| Oz Child | 3/150 Albert Road, South Melbourne 3205 | 9695 2200 |
| Quantum Support Services | 225 Princes Drive, Morwell 3840 | 5120 2000 |
| Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-op | 20 Rumbalara Road, Mooroopna 3629 | 5825 2111 |
| Salvation Army – East | 31-33 Ellingworth Parade, Box Hill 3128 | 9890 7144 |
| Salvation Army – Gippsland | 51A McCartin Street, Leongatha 3953 | 5662 4502 |
| Salvation Army Peninsula – South | 37 Ross Smith Avenue, East Frankston 3199 | 9784 5000 |
| Salvation Army – NW | 34 Devonshire Road, Sunshine 3020 | 9312 3544 |
| St Luke’s Anglicare | 175 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo 3550 | 5440 1100 |
| Upper Murray Family Care | 36 Mackay Street, Wangaratta 3677 29 Stanley Street, Wodonga 3690 |
5723 4000 02 6022 8000 |
| Uniting Care Werribee Support & Housing | 19 Duncans Road, Werribee 3030 | 9742 6452 |
| Vic Aboriginal Child Care Agencies | 139 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick 3057 | 8388 1855 |
| Wesley Mission Melbourne | 148 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000 | 9662 2355 |
| Wesley Youth Services – East | 18 Market Street, Ringwood 3131 | 9871 5333 |
| Wesley Youth Services – South | 63 Robinson Street, Dandenong 3175 | 9794 7522 |
| Wimmera Uniting Care | 185-189 Baillie Street, Horsham 3402 | 5382 6789 |
| Youth for Christ | 277 Canterbury Road, Forest Hill 3131 | 9877 3844 |
| WEAC | Suite 1, 1 Oxford Street, Oakleigh 3166 | 9563 2275 |
