Helping families

Ministers Phil Reeves and Karen Struthers with Evan Moorhead, Desley Scott and Margaret Keech. They were joined by two employees of health services.

A NEW phase was announced last week for the Helping Out Families initiative which is being piloted in the Logan and Beenleigh areas.

Part of a $55 million investment, the initiative means local families can access a greater number of early support services sooner.

Lifeline Community care in Logan and the Benevolent Society in Beenleigh will be funded to provide a family support alliance and intensive support services to local families, while Centacare, Youth and Family Service Logan City, Gold Coast Domestic Violence Prevention Centre and the Working Against Violence Support Service have also been funded to deliver support services.

Child Safety Minister Phil Reeves and Community Services Minister Karen Struthers made the announcement last week.

Mr Reeves said the initiative would help to deliver more help to families in the area sooner.

“We know that if we can get in early, we can stop smaller problems developing into bigger ones,” he said.

“For example, mothers with newborn babies will have up to six visits over a three year period from a registered nurse.

“If families require more intensive help, we can provide another 15 visits within the first year.”

Ms Struthers said the service would begin in October and had been funded with $19.2 million during the next three years.

“We understand some Queensland families are doing it tough and we want to provide them with the right support at the right time,” she said.

“The creation of the Family Support Alliances will make sure families have a one-stop shop where they can receive the help they need from a number of organisations.

“It makes sense to address problems early with an integrated approach.”

Both Ministers were joined at the event by the three State Members in the affected areas: Member for Waterford, Evan Moorhead, Member for Woodridge, Desley Scott and Member for Albert, Margaret Keech.

“Prevention is the best cure,” Mr Moorhead said.

“It will help fill the gap for families between leaving the health clinic and going to school.

“When I talk to P&C's they always say there needs to be something in place.”

Mrs Keech said she believed families would get a helping hand from the initiative.

“It's the first in Queensland and probably the first in Australia,” she said.

Mrs Scott said it would make a ‘huge difference' in the area.