Organisation

Role

Contact

The Child Safety Commissioner

The Office of the Child Safety Commissioner is an organisation that makes children a priority.

The Office of the Child Safety Commissioner has developed a number of documents that are useful to kinship carers. These are:

• Legal Resources for Grandparents
• Parenting for grandparents and relative carers
• Financial support for grandparents and other relative carers

Statutory Declaration for Informal Relative Carers Victoria

www.ocsc.vic.gov.au

Centrelink

Centrelink provides information on the social security payments and services which Centrelink delivers to the Australian public.

www.centrelink.gov.au

Mirabel

Assists children who have been orphaned or abandoned due to parental illicit drug use and are now in the care of extended family (kinship care).

www.mirabelfoundation.org.au

Grandparents Victoria

Provides support services to grandparents and identifies, articulates and promotes the needs of grandchildren and grandparents. It also represents the views of grandparents in public consultations and facilitates mentoring opportunities for people.

www.grandparents.com.au

Family Court Melbourne

Provides justice for the people of Victoria in local and regional areas. The Court's objective is to provide an efficient, modern and responsive Court of summary jurisdiction designed to meet the needs of the community.

www.familycourt.gov.au

The Who Cares Trust

This is a UK site that has some useful information for grandparents who are kinship carers.

www.thewhocarestrust.org.uk

Raising Children network

The Raising Children website provides helpful tools and resources about raising children, from newborn to school age. In 2010, the website will expand the age range it covers to include middle childhood and early teen years.

www.raisingchildren.net.au

Raising Grandchildren

Though relative to New South Wales, this site has some useful, practical information for grandparents.

www.raisingdchildren.com.au

Australian Government

The Federal Government has developed a My Child website. This site is about children, with the main focus being on early childhood learning and child care. You will also find helpful links to other information for families in this site. It also provides a summary of what the government departments or agencies involved with early childhood do. This will help you understand their roles and responsibilities.

www.mychild.gov.au

Parent/care support

This website can provide you with legal or medical information.

www.education.vic.gov.au

Talk to your Kids

This website, developed by Optus and Kids Helpline includes a range of practical and straightforward information, tools, and tips to help you communicate with children.

www.talktoyourkids.com.au

Activities 4 Kids

An activities directory for children and teens.

www.activities4kids.com.au

Seniors Information Service

Helpful information for seniors.

1300 13 50 90

Grandparents Support Group

Group support in Victoria for grandparents.

(03) 9568 3306

Grans Victoria

Helpful information for grandmothers.

(03) 9796 5442