What is Family Support in Schools?

Family Support in Schools works with the whole family to provide wrap-around support and holistically meet a student’s needs by addressing barriers to learning within a wider social context, enabling them to participate fully in their learning and development.

Barriers impacting the student or family may include relationship conflict, family violence, challenging behaviours at school or home, housing issues, substance abuse within the family, poor health, developmental issues, or financial concerns.

This service builds on the counselling and support that CatholicCare Sydney has been providing to schools for over 30 years.

Who is it for?

Families are eligible for Family Support in Schools if they have at least one child enrolled in a Catholic school involved with the program. Check with your school to confirm if they are currently participating in Family Support in Schools from CatholicCare Sydney.

How does it work?

Having determined the program is a suitable intervention for the family, the program works with the family through:

• case management over a 12-week period or short-term support through three sessions and referrals as necessary
• weekly face-to-face meetings conducted at home, school, CatholicCare offices, or agreed community locations
• ongoing phone support available throughout the week.

Case management begins with assessments to create a tailored case plan with specific goals, providing support tailored to the individual needs of the student and their family.

Benefits

The benefits of Family Support in Schools include:

• enhanced cognitive, emotional, social, and physical wellbeing for students
• improved attendance and participation in school activities
• strengthened parenting capacity to support children's wellbeing
• increased parenting skills and expanded social supports
• reduction in barriers to healthy family functioning
• access to external supports such as counselling or the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
  
  

To learn more about bringing Family Support in Schools to your school community, please contact CatholicCare Sydney online or call us on 13 18 19. 

Please note that this service is currently only available to Catholic school communities engaged in the program.