July 2004

Help for Children’s Protection Society

A $50,000 Government grant will help the Children’s Protection Society continue its valuable work in the northern suburbs.

Community Services Minister Sherryl Garbutt said the grant would subsidise the cost of temporary offices in Haig Street, Heidelberg, until a planned $1.1 million redevelopment of the society’s former offices in Altona Street, Heidelberg West, are completed in 12 months time.

‘The fire in January, 2002, destroyed the society’s office in Heidelberg West and was a devastating blow to the organisation.

‘The Government is pleased to be able to help the Children’s Protection Society in a time of need.

‘The temporary offices in Haig Street will accommodate the organisation’s staff—who have had to work from two separate offices since the fire.’

The society was established in 1897 as the Victorian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Until 1985, it had a statutory role in protecting children from abuse and neglect.

In 1986, the society changed its name to the Children’s Protection Society and is now an important provider of child and family support services in the Cities of Darebin, Banyule and Whittlesea.

This includes sexual abuse counselling and prevention services.

Child Protection Society CEO Rosi Lever welcomed the funding grant.

‘It will ensure that we can continue to provide important child and family support services for families in need,’ Ms Lever said.

Ms Garbutt said the Children’s Protection Society was the lead agency in a $1.56 million Government program to better support families under pressure in the City of Darebin.

‘This early intervention initiative will assist up to 134 vulnerable families living in Northcote, Alphington, Fairfield, Thornbury, Preston, Reservoir and Kingsbury each year and aims to reduce child protection notifications in the area.’

The City of Darebin is one of eight Victorian local government areas to benefit from the Government’s $20 million Family Support Innovations Projects.

The State Budget delivered an extra $18.9 million over four years to set up 15 new projects in 21 local government areas.

‘It is promising that an independent evaluation found that child protection notification rates dropped by an average of 7.5 per cent in areas where innovations projects are underway,’ Ms Garbutt said.