23/4/01
Community Development Minister Sheila McHale has opened new premises in Albany to help some of the most vulnerable people in our community - children.
The new premises of Anglicare WA provide children's counselling services to children who have witnessed domestic violence.
Until now the service has operated from Anglicare's Albany Women's Centre, but the new premises opened by Ms McHale are in Aberdeen Street, recognising the need for easy community access.
The service focuses on children aged five to 12 years old and a pre-school program has also been developed in recognition of the needs of the especially vulnerable.
Aboriginal children and children from Denmark, Mt Barker and Katanning and their families are also accessing the service.
"This is a vitally important service, as we know from Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, that 61 per cent of women in domestic violence had children in their care and 38 per cent of them reported their children were witnesses," Ms McHale said.
"Almost half the children and young people with women going to refuges are aged under five years.
"Children witnessing domestic violence can suffer poor mental health, ongoing depression, aggressive behavioural disturbances, poor academic performance, poor peer relations and regressive behaviour.
"High quality early support and intervention can make the difference to the future health and well being of young children."
The domestic violence counselling service for children in Albany is funded by FCS and provided by Anglicare.
Anglicare Children's Domestic Violence Counselling Service was a recipient of a Community Services Award in 2000.
Ms McHale said this Government has committed a further $400,000 over four years for counselling of children exposed to domestic violence.
It was also increasing Regional Domestic Violence Committee funding by $1 million, increasing women's refuge accommodation funds by $1 million, providing another $1 million for a 24-hour victims of domestic violence helpline and a further $1 million for follow-up services to people leaving women's refuges.
Ms McHale congratulated Anglicare for its vitally important work.
"This program is helping protect and safeguard the future health and development of children, who will become the parents of tomorrow," she said.
Media contact: Steve Manchee on 9213 6900
