To view information on Coronavirus COVID-19 click here.

Peer & Individual Support

Parents and carers whose children join their families through permanent care, kinship care and adoption want to raise happy, healthy children who thrive in life.  There is undoubtedly significant joy and fulfilment along the way. However, there are also unique challenges for these families due to the early disruption experienced by children who are not being raised by their birth parents. In addition, many (if not most) of these children will have experienced some level of early trauma (often profound) due to neglect and/or abuse. Their behaviour and ability to settle into a new family is likely to reflect these experiences in different ways and at different stages, leading to very real challenges for parents, carers, siblings, extended families and the professionals who support them. 

Details are emailed to members in the lead up to the peer support group and can also be found on our Facebook page. Alternatively, you can phone 03 9020 1833 or email Membership Engagement and Office Manager, Deborah Hunt at for more information.

Carer Assistance Program

(Self Referrals for Carer Support)

The CAP program offers therapeutic support by an experienced counsellor, aimed at supporting and improving the mental health and wellbeing of parents and carers (including adoption).

To access the counselling service, simply fill out the self-referral form available here. Self Referral CAP 

Nic_FCAV.jpg Nic has extensive experience in individual therapeutic intervention and family therapy, advocacy and case management for young people and families involved with child protection and out of home care. Providing a safe and open space and offering a client-centred holistic approach to support you or your child in creating a new narrative to improve psychosocial well-being is Nic's passion. Currently completing a Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy through ACAP, to further expand on therapeutic skills and knowledge around trauma-informed intersectional approaches linked to the Out of Home Care sector, Nic brings an inviting and youthful energy and the ability to hold space for personal reflection and validation of experiences.

Share & Connect

(Parents and Carers Sharing Experiences, Thursday evenings monthly 8pm)

Share & Connect offers members an opportunity to connect with other parents and carers in a safe space and to share the unique and common experiences of parenting children through permanent care, kinship care and adoption.

Share & Connect is facilitated by skilled volunteers with lived experience in raising children through permanent care, kinship care and adoption. Confidentiality is an important part of these meetings.

All welcome. Please join us by registering on our events page here.

Click & Connect

(Advisor Led Specified Topic with Parents and Carers Input, Wednesday fortnight midday)

Click and Connect was developed in response to parents/carers requiring extra support in the context of COVID-19. Click and Connect meets regularly, generally fortnightly, on Wednesdays from 12pm – 1pm, and provides a supportive social space that allows natural conversations to flow to ensure you are honoured as experts of your families and lives, while having the expertise of a PCA Adviser on hand for additional professional support.

Lets Connect

(Location Based Gathering of Parents and Carers, Daytime Ad Hoc Dates)

Getting together to connect with others with lived experience is important, so we are planning some dates where we can gather face to face and share tips and advice and/or seek out some specialist advice from one of our PCA Advisors.