Children and Parenting Support Service (CaPSS)
What is Children and Parenting Support Service (CaPSS)
The Children and Parenting Support Service (CaPSS) is a free service funded by the Australian Government and run by The Salvation Army in Melbourne, Victoria.
One aspect of The Salvation Army’s mission in Australia is to build healthy communities. We believe healthy families in community are important to achieving this. The CaPSS program aims to strengthen family relationships, reduce family breakdown, increase people’s connections to the community, and encourage families to participate in community activities.
The Salvation Army is also committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children. This is another desired outcome of CaPSS through encouraging parents to create safe and positive environments for their children. CaPSS practitioners work alongside people who are parenting by enabling and empowering them to identify their parenting needs. They create opportunities for positive change using practical evidence-based parenting strategies.
What parenting programs does CaPSS provide?
CaPSS practitioners support people who are parenting by building parenting skills, fostering connection among families and enhancing interactions with other families.
This takes place through three methods:
- Group parenting skills programs, for example, playgroups, school holiday programs and evidence-based parenting education programs
- Facilitated peer-to-peer parent support, that is, supporting families and people who are parenting with developing parent , and to feel comfortable with participating in community life to reduce the risk of isolation
- Individual 1:1 parenting support, that is, tailored support to help improve parenting skills and achieve parenting goals
CaPSS practitioners can also support parents to develop and implement routines for individual children or the whole family as requested.
Who can use the Children and Parenting Support Services?
CaPSS works with families that have children from birth to 18 years old and who live within our Melbourne service areas. CaPSS is not a clinical or therapeutic service and does not undertake assessments of a parent’s capacity to fulfil their parenting role.
CaPSS delivers its range of parenting support services to families living in:
City of Wyndham
- Werribee
- Wyndham Vale
- Little River
- Hoppers Crossing
- Williams Landing
City of Hobsons Bay
- Laverton
City of Melton
- Brookfield
- Melton South
- Cobblebank
- Melton West
- Exford
- Parwan
- Eynesbury
- Strathtulloh
- Harkness
- Toolern Vale
- Kurunjang
- Weir Views
- Melton
Does CaPSS offer parent support?
CaPSS recognises that some parents are on the parenting journey alone. Every person who is parenting is valuable and worthy of encouragement and empowerment. Our ‘Men as Fathers’ specialist program is suitable for single fathers and those in a couple. We also have many single mothers attend our group programs and mothers’ groups, which provide wonderful opportunities for connection with other single mothers. Our group and individual parenting programs are easily tailored to address the specific needs of single parents and offer single parent support as required.
Who can refer to CaPSS parenting programs?
Parents: We encourage and welcome self-referrals of parents and carers by contacting us on the details below
Community-based professionals: This includes school-based support workers and teachers, generalist case managers, maternal child health nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support workers, counsellors, mental health and medical professionals, family violence workers, early childhood educators, and others who are working with families
Salvation Army employees and corps officers can refer parents and carers as needed
CaPSS program outcomes
The CaPSS program is delivered within the Australian Government’s Families and Communities Program. The service aims to increase parental knowledge and skills through parenting programs that connect to four key areas:
- Positive parenting
- Links to learning
- Healthy family lifestyles
- Keeping children safe
These key areas seek to increase a parent’s knowledge and understanding to support their child’s development and learning.
The ideal outcome of participating in a CaPSS program is that a parent is equipped to help their children through school transitions, is able to connect with their children’s learning, can confidently and positively manage behaviours, understands how to achieve a healthy family lifestyle and can provide safe environments for their children.
CaPSS builds connections to community through partnerships that allow us to add our parenting programs onto other child-focused programs such as schools, playgroups, and community health services. We acknowledge the individual strength and capability of each person who is parenting. Our Salvation Army family support services aim to encourage people to increase the enjoyment they have in their parenting role and maintain positive relationships with their children.