Vulnerable families and children in northwest Queensland will benefit from $17 million in new community-based services across Mount Isa and the Gulf.
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Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Shannon Fentiman announced Friday that Save the Children would deliver family support and domestic and family violence prevention services with Gidgee Healing, Lifestyle Therapies and Training Solutions.
“We know that half of all families who come into contact with the child safety system also experience domestic and family violence,” Ms Fentiman said. “So it makes sense for child and family services and domestic violence services to be located together so families receive the support they need.
“This builds on Mount Isa being named as one of the first locations for the integrated domestic and family violence service trial last year and will ensure we bring services together in a way that gives families the right support at the right time.”
The new services include Family and Child Connect to link families with the right help at the right time; Intensive Family Support to help families to address any problems, and domestic and family violence services, including counselling, court support and perpetrator intervention programs.
The new family support services will help families in the north west from March.
State Member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter said he welcomed the announcement of more services to help the region’s most vulnerable.
“It’s good to see more support for those children and families who need it most around our region,” he said.
“These new services extend on the good news of Mount Isa being announced last year as an as one of three trial sites across Queensland for an integrated response service for domestic violence, where I met with the Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce, Chair of the Domestic and Family Violence Implementation Council.
“We need to keep looking at ways we can better respond to victims of domestic and family violence from regional communities and this is a step in the right direction.”
The state government will provide $3.3 million annually for the next five years for the services, with $520,000 a year for FaCC, $1.1 million a year for IFS and $1.5 million for Domestic and Family Violence services.
Ms Fentiman said anyone can call the 13FAMILY (13 32 64) hotline to get help and be connected to the right service if they, or a family they know, needs help or call DV Connect on 1800 811 811.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
