AnglicareSA will run a support service for struggling families facing increasing financial stress in northern Adelaide over the next two and a half years.
The $3.5 million service, funded by the state government, aims to support families create a safe home environment for their children and reduce the risk of removal to out of home care. The new service has been running for a month.
A specialist team of AnglicareSA support workers are providing customised, flexible support and are working with families for up to 15 hours a week, over several months, to improve family functioning, child safety and wellbeing.
Part of the service will involve assisting with household management and budgeting to tackle the growing impact of cost-of-living pressures with up to 150 struggling families by mid-2025.
AnglicareSA Community Services Executive General Manager Nancy Penna said it was well known that financial stress increases pressure on already struggling families, increasing the need for early intervention services such as this.
Ms Penna said AnglicareSA’s broad reach of emergency assistance services including food, financial counselling, and new clothing is available to Northern Family Support Service families.
“AnglicareSA had been supporting families, children, and young people in Adelaide’s northern suburbs for several years through community-based services that help build resilience, confidence, and social inclusion.
“We are pleased to continue this connection with families and children in the north of Adelaide through this family support program which will assist, engage, and grow the capacity of struggling families,” said Ms Penna.
Human Services Minister Nat Cook welcomed the service at a time of growing need.
“Many families do it tough, and some do it even tougher, especially if you add in some complex and challenging circumstances facing families such as cost of living pressures and certain family dynamics,” said Ms Cook.
“Through this type of intensive, individualised support, we have the best chance of achieving good outcomes for more families and children,” she said
“Support workers will get to know their families and will be able to help find ways to address or manage each particular ones’ unique dynamic.”
AnglicareSA was appointed through an open tender process to provide the specialised 24/7 service to up to 125 northern Adelaide families until 30 June 2025.
AnglicareSA’s family-focused support program is one of a number of evidence-based services of varying intensity and duration that make up South Australia’s Child and Family Support System which works to keep children safe and well at home in family, community and culture.