Our work

Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare (FFT-CW)

Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare works with children, young people and their family or kin to help them strengthen relationships, improve communication and respond to challenging behaviours.

Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare supports children and young people aged 0-17 and their families who are facing vulnerable times.

Who are we supporting with Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare?

The aim of Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare is to keep children and young people in their existing homes or foster care placements. The first objective is engagement and motivation, the second is to change the problem behaviour, and the third is to generalise change.

How are services delivered?

The program involves a series of therapy sessions that requires all members of the household to participate. The sessions are also extended to family/kin who are close with the child or young person as they can often benefit from the therapy and enhance overall family outcomes.

FFT-CW in the ACT

The ACT have the second worst rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care in Australia. Just 3% of Canberra children are Indigenous but make up over a quarter of children in care.

Our FFT-CW team in the ACT is delivering a world first program servicing only First Nations families identified as ‘at risk’ by not only child protection, but also the community.

Since the program has begun in 2018; (at 30 June 2021)

  1. 39 families (supporting 120 children) have successfully completed treatment/the program.
  2. 100% of the children and young people have remained at home with their family
  3. 92% of children and young people were in school or working by treatment completion during 2019-2020.​
  4. There have been Zero removals and currently all children have remained with their families.

The program was recently funded for another four years. In total, we are aiming to support 248 Aboriginal and Torres Strait families and communities over a five-year period (January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2024)

Referrals and contact information

Blacktown (NSW)

For more information about the Functional Family Therapy –  Child Welfare program in Blacktown call (02) 8664 9100 or email: fftstmarys@ozchild.org.au

Campbelltown (NSW)

For more information about the Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare program in Campbelltown call (02) 8664 9100 or email: fftcampbelltown@ozchild.org.au

Edgeworth (NSW)

For more information about the Functional Family Therapy program in Edgeworth call (02) 8664 9100 or email: fftedgeworth@ozchild.org.au

Goulburn Valley (VIC)

For more information about the Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare program in the Goulburn Valley call our Shepparton office on (03) 5829 6508 or email: kwyatt@ozchild.org.au. All referrals are received via Child Protection.

Outer East Melbourne (VIC)

For more information about the Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare program in Outer East Melbourne call our Mitcham office on (03) 9212 5660 or email: BBenOr@ozchild.org.au.

Bayside Peninsula, Southern Melbourne, Western Melbourne and Brimbank Melton (VIC)

For more information about the Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare program call our Frankston office on (03) 9212 5679 or email: smendis@ozchild.org.au. All referrals are received via Child Protection

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Find out if Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare (FFT-CW) is available in your state

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This program is available in your state

Click here to view the contact details for your local offices.

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Unfortunately, this program is not available in your state

OzChild acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government and the Government of New South Wales.

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