Overview

Goolburri Family Wellbeing Service supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with a range of services to strengthen families and communities relationship while protecting the vulnerable and those at risk.

Goolburri aims to do this through supporting families at risk, acting as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ‘voice’ when working with the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women and being actively involved in placing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people within appropriate families and/or cultural settings when the need arises.

Goolburri Family Wellbeing Service has integrated two previous services into one:

• Services of Family Support (FS)
• Recognised Entity (RE)

Goolburri Family Wellbeing Service understands that families sometimes face challenges and difficulties throughout the storyline of life. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Service Worker assists families with referrals and support to develop skills to deal with these hardships and the issues that surround them on their journey of life.

What Support Do We Offer?

• Safety plans for children
• Walking and talking with client, promoting family led decision-making
• Safe living environment
• Acting as an advocate, to speak on behalf of a family
• Referral services
• Case management
• In-home support

What We Do

Goolburri Family Wellbeing Service is external to the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women but work with them to ensure that the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women is advised about the cultural needs of children and families within the Child Protection System. Goolburri Family Wellbeing Service can come into your home when invited and listen to your storyline/worries and assist you in choosing the services you want to work with towards “How you want to change your storyline?” With your consent, family information may be shared with other agencies. In this instance, only the information that is relevant to the families’ situation is discussed. All other personal information remains confidential.

Goolburri Family Wellbeing Service Workers can also provide advice to the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women in the service areas of Toowoomba, Roma and Charleville Child Safety Service Centre (CSSC) about the cultural needs of your child/families from information provided by yourself, and our knowledge of support networks available. They can also help you understand the children’s safety system and if needed, the Children’s Court process. Goolburri Family Wellbeing Service Workers will facilitate effective communication (help with good talk) between you and Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women.

How Can We Help?

• In-home support
• Parenting
• Household management
• Referrals to other services
• Group programs supporting parenting and child/ren
• Budgeting
• Substance abuse
• Domestic violence
• Social and emotional wellbeing
• School truancy (child/ren absent from school)

We can assist families with referrals and support to develop skills to deal with these issues. We assist the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women by providing information and advice about:

• Which family and community the children are connected to.
• Who in the family and community can speak on behalf of the children.
• How to go about involving the significant people in a child’s life.
• Culturally acceptable communication and interpersonal behaviours (how to act between people).
• How to understand the information being provided by the children, their families, and their community within the context of the family’s culture.
• Cultural considerations when making decision and planning intervention.
• The impact of a decision on the children, family and community.
• Information and advice on how best to minimise this impact.
• How to maintain a child’s connection to their family and their community.

When Are We Involved?

Goolburri Family Wellbeing Service is involved in decisions made by the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families during the Child Protection Continuum including:

• The Investigation
• The Assessment Process
• The Family Group Meeting Process
• The Case Planning and Management Process
• The Court Process
• The Placement Process

Target Group

The primary target group for services are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families who are vulnerable or at risk of entering the child protection system.

The age group is inclusive of children from unborn to 18 years of age and their families.

Referrals

• Self-referrals/family members
• Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women
• Queensland Department of Education and Training
• Queensland Police Services (QPS)
• Queensland Health Services
• Family and Child Connect Services
• Internal Goolburri referrals
• Family group meetings
• Hospital and Health Services

Locations

General Information

• This is a FREE service.
• We help and support you to manage challenges and keep your children and your family together.
• It is the families choice on selecting who we can advocate to on their behalf.
• This is a voluntary service. If you change your mind at any stage, you can withdraw your consent.

Contact Details

2 Hodgson Street, Toowoomba Q 4350
Postal Address: PO Box 1198
E: [email protected]
P: 07 4637 9953
F: 07 4632 0548