Family and Community Links | mcm

If your child is living with a disability and acts in a way that is worrying or hard to control, we can support you. Melbourne Citymission acknowledges that there are times when a child living with a disability, may present behaviours that can be worrying or hard to deal with. Affirming Families works with children and their families to develop a management plan to modify the behaviours in the home and in other settings. We work in partnership with parents and their children to achieve their identified goals.

Using a family-centred approach, this program supports and empowers families and communities to maximise the inclusion and development of children aged from 0 to 6 years with a developmental delay.

The Strengthening Parent Support program can assist families who have a  child who is living with a disability or has additional needs by providing information about services, and by offering practical assistance and advocacy. The program actively supports the growth and development of parent support groups across the northern suburbs and training in volunteer support work.

The Melbourne Citymission Helping Children with Autism programs support children who have been diagnosed with autism. We work in partnership with families to support children in their day to day life, which can include home, kinder, school, child care or other community locations. Our suite of Autism support programs include the Circles of Support program, the Affirming Families Program and the Early intervention Program.

The Melbourne Citymission Parenting in Partnership Program assists parents with learning disabilities to grow in confidence as parents, practice social skills, receive informal role modeling from another parent, and participate more fully in their community. Volunteers receive training and guidance to develop an activity plan with the parent.

Activities can include a range of choices where the volunteer may support the parent to begin new community activities which can be sustained by the parent when the mentoring ends.

Melbourne Citymission acknowledges that having a child with a disability may have an impact on family life. Our Time Out – Sibling Support program provides children and adolescents who have a sibling with a disability with opportunities for support and socialisation.

Two primary school aged groups operate on a fortnightly basis, with a teenage therapeutic group delivered over eight weeks during school terms. All groups combine for occasional holiday program outings.

The Children’s Centre, located in Brunswick, provides full- or part-time care to children from 3 months to school age in 4 age-appropriate playrooms.

Hartnett House Children's Centre, 123 Albion Street, Brunswick.

If you want to develop your parenting skills and meet other parents in your community, join our Early Links program.

This service operates on the boundaries of Moreland and Hume local government areas.

Melbourne Citymission’s Heritage Service supports people who have left care to gather records and historical material.

Laurimar Kindergarten is run by Melbourne Citymission in consultation with the local community. The Kindergarten has been established to meet the needs of the local community in providing a foundation for the lifelong learning, health and well being of children.