Funding for suburban home visiting services

8/6/96

Family and Children's Services Minister Cheryl Edwardes said today more help for parents in bringing up their children was available with the creation of three innovative home visiting services.

Mrs Edwardes said Family and Children's Services would provide $225,000 to establish the services in Fremantle, Mirrabooka and Canning/Belmont.

The Minister has called for expressions of interest from non-profit organisations and local authorities to run the home visiting services.

The new services are an extension of the five home visiting services set up in Joondalup, Scarborough, Mandurah, Armadale and Geraldton on a pilot basis.

Trained volunteers, who are parents themselves, will visit parents of children aged up to five years in their homes regularly.

The volunteers share their experience and information on parenting techniques and help parents access services in their area and make links with other families.

"Being a parent is not an easy job and parents are often asking for more help," Mrs Edwardes said.

"The home visiting service is an excellent way to provide parents with personal on-the-spot help to build better relationships with their children.

"For example, parent visitors can help parents to develop new skills to relate to their children and manage their children's behaviour."

The Minister said Family and Children's Services recognised the stresses which families experienced.

"Many parents feel under-prepared to take on the crucial role of raising children and would like to do a better job," she said.

"In response, Family and Children's Services has provided more than $4 million for a range of new services, information and support."

In addition, the department has established a 24-hour Parenting Line for advice and information and has produced the 'Living With' series of magazines and videos.

Media contact: Diana Russell Coote 421 7777