By Christine de Kock
Colleen Marion, CEO of the Gathering Place, said Child Protection Services dealt with a number of families in Melton, Wyndham and Whittlesea.
She said the new initiative, the Indigenous Family Support Innovation Project, would redirect families to community-based services which offer individual support.
Wyndham has an indigenous population of 601, while Whittlesea has 763 and Melton 327.
Child Protection Services received 37 reports in 2003-04 from families in Wyndham, 39 from families in Whittlesea and 30 from families in Melton.
Reports to the services included those for family violence, parental alcohol abuse, substance abuse and mental illness.
Ms Marion said four new employees would help run the project, which also comes under the banner of the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care agency and Brimbank Innovation.
“Our family support worker will deal directly with families,” she said.
“It’s all about keeping those families together.
“If the mum is going through domestic violence, or family violence, or drug and alcohol, or mental health we can help.
“We can work together to look out for our young people, and young kids, because I don’t think that has really happened before. We can work together for a better outcome for our families around child protection.”
Ms Marion said the project also aimed with on-going support to avoid re-notification of abuses.
“And to provide enhanced help to those families who may not come into contact with Child Protection Services.”
Organisers expect to launch the project during the next two months.
The Gathering Place already provides child, health and social services to Aboriginal communities in the West.
Ms Marion said the Indigenous Family Support Innovation Project was similar to some that have been running in the mainstream community since 2002.
The City of Maribyrnong had on record about six indigenous families which were part of a similar initiative launched last year.
