Aims and Objectives

Overall Aims

To assist in the well being of parents and their children.
To assist in the prevention of child abuse.
To reduce the likelihood of family breakdown caused by stresses to parents and other family members.
To foster positive relationships within the family.
To promote positive parenting practices.
To provide a supportive and user-friendly, client oriented service which respects the privacy of parents, their families and carers

To provide a free, confidential telephone counselling service to any parent or person with a parenting concern in the ACT and region.
To provide ongoing telephone support to parents from trained volunteers.
To provide a free face-to-face counselling service, where resources allow.
To provide relevant guidance regarding child development and appropriate strategies for parenting children and young people.
To provide access to written information regarding services and parenting strategies.
To provide accurate information about, and referral to, relevant services.
To recognise that children of parents who are clients of the service are, indirectly, also clients.
To act in accordance with relevant child protection legislation, including notification where there are child at risk concerns.
To provide a service of the highest possible standard of professional practice and management.
To liaise with and maintain positive working relations with Government and community agencies providing services for families.
To provide paid and unpaid staff with appropriate training and supervision necessary for their work with parents.

To maintain a respectful, non-judgmental, client-centred counselling framework which gives sufficient time for clients to talk about the range of issues affecting them.
To emphasise, acknowledge and build on the existing strengths of parents.
To acknowledge the rights of parents to make their own choices, within the constraints of child protection legislation.
To allow clients in crisis and needing support to use the service as often as is needed.
To invite feedback about the counselling and service provided.
To be sensitive and aware of cultural, gender, economic and religious differences.
To foster an organisational environment of professionalism, respect, care and cooperation.