Barnardos Family Services Ph: 4275 8575 Catholic Care - 24/7 parent helpline Ph: 1300 130052   website www.parentline.org.au Centacare Family Services Ph: 4227 1122 Family Services Illawarra Ph: 4255 5333 website www.fsi.org.au Hoskins House Child & Family Centre Ph: 4274 1988 Illawarra Family Support Ph: 4295 6665 Illawarra Toy Library Ph: 4272 1178 Kiama Family Care Cottage (Rainbow Cottage 0-3) Ph: 4233 1033 Kids' Cottage - (Warilla) Child Assessment and Intervention Team Ph: 4297 1022 Parents as Teachers Ph: 4297 6138 Parentline Phone: 132055 EARLY CHILDHOOD HEALTH CENTRES New Parent Groups for 0-6 month old babies and their parents &/or carers, the groups run for 6 weeks and are a great way to meet other local parents. Information sessions on normal baby growth and development, sleep and settle, CPR, managing childhood illness and strategies to help cope with the changes in these early weeks and months. For more information or bookings contact: Albion Park ph. 4256 2195 Flinders and North Warilla ph. 4296 4200 Kiama ph. 4233 1033 Pram walking groups for 0-24 months , run on a regular basis, exercise, enjoy the great outdoors and meet other parents/carers. Albion Park ph.4256 2195 (Coming to Flinders soon, phone 4296 4200 to register your interest)

Drop in breastfeeding group Albion Park every Wednesday 9.30 - 11.00 provides support for mothers to help establish and maintain breastfeeding. Pregnant women very welcome. Ph 42562195, no appointment required.
All groups facilitated by Child & Family Health Nurses

EARLY YEARS HOME SUPPORT SERVICE (BEYHSS)
Can you identify with any of the following:

• Feeling isolated or lonely
• Finding the adjustment of parenthood a challenge
• A child or parent with a disability or a health problem
• Being new to the area
• A partner who works long hours
• A multiple birth
• Parenting alone

Supportive Volunteers can offer free practical and social support in your home for approximately 2-3 hrs per week. This program requires that there is a least one child under the age of 5 years in the family. Families can be referred to this service by Community Workers or families can refer refer themselves. For more information contact:
Barnardos South Coast Centre
13 Greene St WARRAWONG NSW 2502
Ph: 4275 8575
Email: lcrasti@barnardos.org.au

Family Relationship Centre
The Family Relationship Centre can help you by providing information and advice about family relationships at all stages – forming new relationships, overcoming relationship difficulties or dealing with separation.  Services are free.
Address: Shop 2, 310 Crown Street, Wollongong
Phone: 4220 1100   Fax: 4225 0637

CareSouth
CareSouth provides a range of accommodation, care and support services for children, young people, adults with disabilities and their families. Services extend from the Illawarra to the far south coast.
CareSouth's Aunties and Uncles program aims to provide children with friendship, role modeling and time out from stressful situations. See the website for more information if you'd like to become a volunteer auntie or uncle, or you know a child or family who could benefit from this program.
Wollongong Office address: Units 2 & 3, 19-21 Ralph Black Drive, North Wollongong NSW 2500
Phone: 4225 7588 Website 

Need2Connect COACHING FOR CONNECTION…at work or at home We offer group or individual coaching for both professionals and parents in preschools, schools, high schools and in the workplace. For more information visit our WEBSITE, or contact: Barbara Phone: 0403 582 372 Email: info@need2connect.com.au Website: http://www.need2connect.com.au/ Address: PO Box 562 UNANDERRA NSW 2526

Keeping Kids Safe
Mandated reporters have a statutory duty to report a child who is under 16 to DoCS, if they have current concerns for his or her safety, welfare or well-being. Risk of harm includes; physical and psychological abuse, physical or sexual assault.
Mandatory reporting for members of the general public Ph: 132 111
Helpline with Dept. of Community Services Ph: 133 627 (13DoCS)

The Bub Hub
This website has information and services for pregnant and new parents and carers, including discussions on purchases for young children, what to expect as your baby grows, newsletters and forums. Lots to explore here.

GRANDPARENTS

Baby Boomers' Life Change
This website provides information,ideas and support to grandparents, including changes for today's grandparents, expectations of grandparents, distance grandparenting, what grandparents can do for grandchildren and grandparents raising grandchildren.

Grandparents raising grandchildren NSW
This website is a resource point for grandparents who are raising grandchildren in NSW, focusing on legal and financial matters. A useful site to gain information on support groups in NSW, education, childcare and respite.

Grandparenting - NSW Department of Community Services
There have been many changes in the last fifty years or so which make grandparenting a whole new ball game.

Raising a grandchild - Raising Children Network Profiles, stories and challenges of raising a grandchild.

ADOPTION SUPPORT

Reunite Cards - Bringing people back together
Looking for a card with a difference?
Are you adopted? Or do you know someone who is?
A range of greeting cards that properly acknowledge relationships particularly affected by loss and gain, and offer a uniqueness unlike anything else on the market today, are available on the Reunite Cards website. The cards are powerfully and emotionally evocative as they tackle strong emotions such as grief, separation and reunification. Also on the website, information relating to adoption can be found, whether you are searching for significant others, or you are looking for a support group to assist you with all aspects of search and reunion.

DoCS Freedom of Information Unit
Personal records for those in NSW State care.
“Freedom of Information”, or FOI, refers to the law which allows all members of the public to access documents held by the Government, including personal records.

GRIEF AND LOSS

NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service
A variety of topics about death and dying in a range of languages.

NSW Department of Community Services
Whether it's due to separation, divorce, illness or death, children and adolescents may feel vulnerable and insecure when families experience a loss.

SINGLE PARENTING

Shareparents A resource that helps Australian single mums and dads come together to share their financial burdens so they can stop worrying and start enjoying life. NSW Department of Community Services Parenting in a single parent household is different in many ways from parenting in a two parent household. Here are some tips on how to cope.

NSW Department of Community Services
Building a new family needs a lot of time, energy and hard work, but you are not alone.

TEENAGE PARENTS

Talking Realities
Local support, training opportunities, and the chance to meet others in a supportive environment.  More information available on this website click HERE

NSW Department of Community Services
Being a parent is one of the most difficult things you can do, but it is the most important. And it can be fun. Here are some tips from other teenage parents.

PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH A DISABILITY

Raising Children Network - Children with a disability
This website provides information and support to parents of children with a disability.

Association for Children with a Disability NSW
Provides information and support to parents and families who have a child or young adult with any type of disability or developmental delay across NSW. Services include newsletters, advocacy, telephone support, networking. Through the Maze, downloadable from the website , is an information and support handbook for parents and carers of children and young people with a disability.

PARENTING WITH A DISABILITY

Raising Children Network - Parenting with a disability
Stories about the challenges facing parents who have a disability.

SAME SEX & TRANSGENDER PARENTING

Raising Children Network - Parenting in a same-sex relationship
Information and links for parents in a same-sex relationship.

Rainbow Families Council
This Victorian based website provides information, support and useful links for parents in a same-sex relationship.