Our youth services

January 18, 2018

Belonging to the larger network of Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA), we provide services to 26,000+ children, young people, individuals and families on the NSW Central Coast, Northern Sydney and Northern Beaches, and have been doing so since 1987. We currently deliver around $38 million of care annually.

With funding from both the Federal and New South Wales governments and a workforce of more than 630 people, CatholicCare provide disability services and NDIS support, foster care and out of home care services as well as children’s services including early learning and care centres, out of school hours care, vacation care, family day care and in home care.

CatholicCare also have Family Centres offering counselling, domestic and family violence support, family dispute resolution and mediation, parenting and relationship education, emergency relief and housing and homelessness support and a variety of programs specifically for youth.

Our youth specific services include:

• KEYS – helps young parents aged 16 to 24 years who are homeless, or at risk of being homeless, offering accommodation assistance, case management and intensive support with the goal to avoid homelessness.
• Mary Mac’s Place – for homeless or transient people, enabling them to have a meal and a place to shower and to wash their clothes.
• Intensive Family Preservation Support – targeted at families with children aged 0 to 18 years who have been identified as being at high risk of harm by the NSW Department of Family & Community Services. Families referred to this program receive intensive support from a specialist caseworker who visits the home frequently for 6 – 9 months. Caseworkers and families develop safety action plans and work to reduce risks to children, with the aim being that Family & Community Services can be assured children are safe to remain in their own homes.
• Seasons for Growth kids support group – helps children and young people deal with grief and loss. It uses the seasons to explain grief and helps build resilience and social skills. CatholicCare provide a range of children and youth counselling options from art, play and sand therapies to group work to deal with trauma, grief and loss, family breakdown and domestic and family violence.
• Under 24s Preparation for Parenthood group – a free 6 week course held in conjunction with midwife educators exploring pregnancy care, labour/active birth/pain relief and caring for yourself, baby and family.
• Young parents groups – free fortnightly groups for parents under 24 years with children under 2 years. Parents and children attend the groups which are held in Gosford and Wyong.
• Drug & Alcohol Youth Support Services (DAYSS) – available for young people 12 to 18 years and their families on the Northern Beaches. It uses a harm reduction model and provides support through peer-to-peer mentoring for youth and their families, a dedicated youth worker for individual, parental, and/or family support and group programs and individual support and education for parents.

For more information call CatholicCare on (02) 9481 2600, email info@catholiccaredbb.org.au or visit our website www.catholiccaredbb.org.au.