Permanent Care - web links and reference material

Further material available in Resources. You will also find useful information under Kinship Care, Foster Care and Adoption.

Victoria

Children Youth and Families Department of Human Services (DHS) http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/children,-families-and-young-people

Information on programs such as Adoption, Child Protection, Placement & Support, Family Services, Family Violence, Sexual Assault, Youth Justice and Youth Services

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) http://www.education.vic.gov.au/earlychildhood/

Information for carers and parents abour early childhood services 0-8yo.

Office of the Child Safety Commissioner http://www.ocsc.vic.gov.au/

The Office of the Child Safety Commissioner provides advise to both the Minister for Community Services and the Minister for Children on issues impacting on the lives of children, particularly vulnerable children.

Mirabel Foundation http://www.mirabelfoudation.org.au/

Mirabel assists children 0-17, who have been orphaned or abandoned due to parents' illicit drug use and are now in the care of extended family or friends (kinship care). Mirabel provides advocacy, referrals and support to the children and their carers.

CREATE Foundation http://www.create.org.au

CREATE is the peak body for children and young people in care, providing support, information, advocacy, activities and opportunities.

MyTime Playgroups http://www.mytime.net.au/

MyTime groups provide peer support for parents, grandparents and others caring for children with a disability, developmental delay or chronic medical condition.

Carers Victoria http://www.carersvic.org.au/

Carers Victoria represents and provides support for family carers in Victoria.

My Child http://www.mychild.gov.au/

Information on different types of child care and how to get assistance with the cost of child care.  Includes a database to find child care centres in your local area, plus links to other useful websites about children's health and wellbeing, parenting and family support services.

Foster Care Association Victoria (FCAV) http://www.fcav.org.au/

FCAV provides information, support and advocacy to carers that ensure they can offer children and young people in their care a healing environment which assists the child or
young person to reach their full potential.

National

Family Relationships Online http://www.familyrelationships.gov.au/AboutYou/Carers/Pages/default.aspx

Information, links and resources for cares.

Post Adoption Resource Centre (NSW & ACT) http://www.bensoc.org.au/parc/

A service of The Benevolent Society that provides information, counselling and a range of other services to anyone affected by adoption throughout New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

CLAN (Care Leavers of Australia Network) http://www.clan.org.au/

Care Leavers Australia Network (CLAN) is a support and advocacy group for people brought up in care away from their family as state wards in foster care, children's homes, orphanages or other institutions. CLAN is also for anyone who has a close family member who was placed in "care".

Adoption Research and Counselling Service (WA) http://www.adoptionwa.org.au/default.asp

ARCS provides professional counselling, support and information to anyone dealing with the challenges and opportunities in adoption, pre-adoption, step and blended families, foster families and families created through assisted reproductive technologies.

Beyond Blue http://www.beyondblue.org/ 

BeyondBlue  is a national, independent, non for profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related disorders in Australia.

International

British Association for Adoption and Fostering
http://www.baaf.org.uk/

BAAF supports, advises and campaigns for better outcomes for children in care. The organisation works with everyone involved with adoption and fostering across the UK. It has regional and country offices in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, providing services to meet the needs of some of the UK's most vulnerable children and young people.

The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.). http://www.adoptionsupport.org/index.php

C.A.S.E. is a private, non-profit adoptive family support center, providing therapy, support and education.

Center For Family Connections (USA)
http://www.kinnect.org/

Center For Family Connections (CFFC) is an educational and clinical resource center which provides training, education, advocacy, and clinical treatment to anyone associated with kinship care, adoption, foster care or guardianship.