Raising Children Network: the Australian parenting website
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Parents & Families

 

This page provides links to a variety of resources for parents and families of all kinds.

Parenting Support

Austprem
Information and support for parents and carers of prematurely born babies and children.

SIDS and Kids On-Line
Safe Sleeping is an evidence based health promotion campaign developed for health professionals, childcare workers, parents and anyone who cares for babies to inform them about the evidence around SIDS risk reduction and sleep accidents.

Kids Count
This website explores parenting issues through the eyes of parents and children.

Relate
An Australian Government initiative providing information on relationships, family, love and life, including parenting information.

Better Health Channel
A Victorian government website for information and advice to parents on a range of issues whether your child is a baby, toddler, preschooler, going to school or a teenager.

Parent Link ACT
An ACT government website that provides parenting information, guidance and support.

Families NSW 
This website provides parents and carers with information on a wide variety of services for families in NSW, and how families can access them, region by region.

NSW Parenting
A NSW government website that provides practical tips, information and resources and includes a parenting services directory.

Northern Territory Families
A Northern Territory government website providing information and advice for parents on parenting and child development for babies, toddlers, children and teenagers.

QLD Community Child Health Service
A Queensland government website providing information, support and resources for parents and carers of children and young people.

Parenting SA
A South Australian government website providing support, services, information and resources for parents and carers.

Parenting and Grandparenting
A West Australian government website providing information and resources aimed towards parents and grandparents.

Infoxchange Service Seeker
A directory of government and non-government parenting services around Australia.

Family Support

Family Services Australia
A directory of Family Support Services from a network of organisations, carers, consumers and communities, involved in policy and research.

Good Beginnings Australia
A not-for-profit organisation providing information and a range of programs including home visiting, a fathers' program, and a program supporting families affected by imprisonment of a parent.

Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre
Comprehensive resource for family violence and sexual abuse including national service directory.

Relationships Australia
Provides resources to couples, individuals and families to help enhance and support relationships.

Post and Antenatal Depression Association
Provide confidential information, support and referral to anyone affected by post and antenatal mood disorders, including partners and extended family members.

SIDS and Kids On-Line
Produces a wide range of booklets for bereaved families.

Adoptive Families

ACT
AdoptionDepartment of Disability, Housing and Community Services
Information and application information for adoptive parents relating to intercountry and local adoption.

NSW
Adoption
Department of Community Services
Information for birth parents, adoptive parents and adoptees.

NT
Facs Adoption Unit
Department of Health and Community Services
Information for birth parents and adoptive parents about adoption.

QLD
Adoption
Department of Child Safety
Services to parents considering adoption for their children, children requiring adoptive placements, people seeking to adopt children and eligible adults affected by adoption seeking information.

SA
Adoption and Family Information Service of South Australia
Children, Youth and Family Services
Information in a variety of languages about local and inter-country adoption for birth parents, adoptive parents and adoptees.

East Meets West
Contact, information, assistance and support, for  inter-country adoptees and/or families with adopted children of any age.

VIC
Placement and Support - Office for Children
Information for adopted persons, birth parents, relatives, and adoptive parents.

WA
Family and Children Adoption Services
Department of Community Services
Information for adopted persons, birth parents, relatives, and adoptive parents.

Inter-Country Adoptee Support Network -Australia
Contacts, resources, referrral and online forums for adoptees and their families.

Grandparents

Grandparents Victoria 
Provide support services and relevant links to grandparents.

Grand Care
Support for grandparents with responsibility for caring for their grandchildren.

Grandparents raising grandchildren
Information  to support grandparents, including   education and childcare, finance, health and wellbeing and legal issues.

seniors.gov.au
Information for Australians over 50 and  a single point of access to Government and non-Government information and services for older Australians.

Centrelink
Factsheet: Are you a Grandparent who has the primary responsibility for raising and caring for your Grandchild?

Brochure: Are you a grandparent (or relative) caring for children?

Child and Youth Health - Children's, Youth and Women's Health Service  
Information for grandparents on a range of family and relationship issues, and how they affect the development of children and young people.

COTA National Seniors  
National network for information and services.

About Seniors  
Information for grandparents raising children.

Fathers

Australian Camp Connect  
Bringing focus on the relationship that fathers have with children with an emphasis on engagement, active participation, fulfillment, trust, respect, love and fun.

Lone Fathers Association   
Education and welfare organisation devoted to the interests of lone fathers, their friends, relatives, grandparents, carers and children.

Relationships Australia  
Provides resources to couples, individuals and families to help enhance and support relationships

Stepfamily Zone  
The Stepfamily Zone is an Australian website providing information and support to stepfamilies.

Foster Carers

Australian Foster Care Association  
Supporting and representing the voices of foster carers, their families and the children they care for throughout Australia.

Create Foundation  
Programs and activities aimed at connecting and empowering children and young people in out-of-home care and making positive change within the out-of-home care sector.  
  
Centrelink  
Factsheet: 'Do you have kids in your care?'

Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare  
Information about foster care and becoming a foster carer.
  
NSW Department of Community Services  
Helps you make sense of your rights and responsibilities, the kinds of support you can expect from DoCS and how to access it, and the changes to the legislation governing foster care which affect you.

Same-sex parents

Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby  
Information and advocacy for gay and lesbian parents, couples and individuals, including fact sheets on a range topics including parenting, work, relationships, writing a will, and federal issues.

Gay and Lesbian Counselling and Community Services Australia  
Information and a national referral directory, by location, for gay and lesbian services.
  
Parliament of Australia Parliamentary Library  
Research paper on same sex couple adoption.

Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of New South Wales  
Volunteer-run counselling, information and referral service.

Twenty 10  
Information and support for young (under 26) gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, same-sex attracted and gender-questioning people and their families,  with a focus on problems at home and homelessness.

Resources and Networking for Gender Equity in Early Childhood  
Research about gender offers important understandings about how gender constructs our lives and how we construct gender in and through our lives with young children. Provides updates on gender research as they are learnt.

Sole parents

Parents Without Partners Australia  
Social, emotional and educational support for parents without partners.

Better Health Channel  
The challenges faced by the single parent vary according to their circumstances, but there are also common experiences that are shared by most single parent families.

Child and Youth Health - Children's, Youth and Women's Health Service  
Information for sole parents on a wide range of family and relationship issues, and how they affect the development of children and young people.

Centrelink  
A guide to Centrelink's options and service: 'Needing help after someone has died?'

Step parents

Stepfamily Association of Victoria Inc  
Offering support, education, and resources to stepfamilies.

Stepfamily Zone  
An Australian website providing information and support to stepfamilies.

Relate  
Through Relationship Education you can learn some practical things to help yourself, your partner and your family through this time of change.

Relationships Australia  
Offers resources to couples, individuals and families to help enhance and support relationships.

Child and Youth Health - Children's, Youth and Women's Health Service  
Information for step parents on a wide range of family and relationship issues, and how they affect the development of children and young people.

Teenage parents

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

Young Aussie Mums  
This site is dedicated to younger Australian parents and offers information on support services and the opportunity to exchange information and ideas.

Child and Youth Health - Children's, Youth and Women's Health Service  
Provides relevant information about teenage pregnancy and parenting as a teenager.

Parents of twins and multiples

Australian Multiple Births Association  
Established and maintained by multiple birth parents to provide support, resources and education to multiple birth parents.

Child and Youth Health - Children's, Youth and Women's Health Service  
Provides inforamtion and advice on preparing for twins, breastfeeding and bottle feeding and caring for your twins at home.

Two, Four, Six, Eight: Educating Twins, Triplets and More 
Curtin University 
Information and research about multiples with a focus on education from pre-school  through the school years. Includes information about special needs, disability and bereavement.

Australian Twin Register  
National Medical Health and Research Council, administered by University of Melbourne Newsletters, research and links and resources.

 
  • Last updated08-08-2008
  • Last reviewed15-05-2006