Families come in all shapes and sizes: single parents, parents who have adopted or are fostering children, blended families, rainbow and same-sex families, and families from different cultural backgrounds.
Some parents may face particular challenges such as having a disability, mental illness or substance abuse issues. Other parents may find that being much younger or older than the average parent can pose particular issues.
The good news is that no matter what kind of family you have there are excellent resources on the Raising Children Network including specialist support agencies, advice from experts and videos of parents like you sharing their experience. Explore the excellent information for families and professionals on the Raising Children Network
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) is a state-wide Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation supporting children, young people, families and community members. They deliver over 50 programs including those focussed on supporting the early years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
Culturally and linguistically diverse families
For newcomers to Australia it can be quite daunting to navigate all the different systems for supporting and educating their children in Australia.
Some families may face language barriers while others may be fluent in English but still have their own cultural way of doing things and approach to raising children.
- The Raising Children Network has resources available in languages other than English as well as videos of migrant parents sharing their experiences.
- The Migrant Information Centre assists newly arrived refugees and family stream migrants to successfully settle in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Their services include multicultural playgroups and parenting programs.
Council services for languages other than English
- Our Immunisation service can assist new migrants to translate and submit their immunisation records.
- Our Maternal and Child Health service have information translated into other languages and we provide free interpreters as needed at home or centre visits. The Maternal and Child Health app is available in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Dari, Khmer, Persian, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese.
- Our Maternal and Child Health service facilitates playgroups in languages other than English.
- Our Boroondara Library service hosts Chinese story time.
- If you need an interpreter to speak to Council or any other organisation or business you can use the national Telephone Interpreting Service by calling 131 450.
- We have information about Council services available in Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Greek, Italian, and Vietnamese available in the Languages other than English section of our website.
Rainbow families
Rainbow families are made up of parents, carers and prospective parents who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, gender diverse or intersex and their children.
- Rainbow Families Victoria is a volunteer community organisation that supports and promotes equality for ‘rainbow’ families.
Contact us
To find out more about how Council supports diverse families, email our Social Inclusion and Policy Officer: [email protected].