drummond street services want to express our deep solidarity with the communities living in the nine housing estates in Kensington and Flemington who are experiencing ‘hard’ lockdown. The introduction of this latest lockdown will be deeply distressing for so many residents, particularly for those needing essential support.

These residents are valued community members, who like so many other Victorians, have complied with public health orders. They have maintained resilience – dealing with the stresses of self-isolation, health, financial and employment concerns whilst supporting one another and their children.

They do this, despite living in crowded conditions, not having the choice to maintain physical distance, to work from home, or go elsewhere to safeguard their own and their families physical or mental health. drummond street services have also been told that current and accessible public health information on practical measures such as cleaning and sanitising shared spaces has been difficult to find or access. Residents have navigated these risks and realities the best they can.

Many of these residents are the same people who throughout this pandemic have continued to provide essential support to the Victorians – they include health and caring workers, retail workers, drivers, security personnel, cleaners and other frontline services.  We understand the Victorian Government’s intent in stopping virus transmission – however; the time, the means, the enforcement messages and the arrival of police at the high-rise estates has been very different to the COVID response so far in other communities.  This only marginalises people.

We are disappointed in the lack of time given to residents to prepare, the insufficient translated community information and the limited engagement and consultation with key community leaders and services prior to the announcement. Furthermore, we have serious concerns about Victoria Police’s enforcement and presence, given the history of negative experiences many in these communities have had with policing.

Premier Andrews has said policing for this lockdown is ‘unprecedented’, we would also like to see ‘unprecedented’ support given to these residents, both during this time and beyond. This means delivering quality support services in consultation with communities and community leaders, including; seriously addressing housing conditions and supply as well as addressing the direct impacts of this lockdown.

As many community members and organisations aim to co-ordinate and respond to COVID19 within the limits of our own resources – we ask State Government provide accessible information on urgent and important needs such as:

• accessing essential medication, services and supplies (food/material aid, child and parenting support, interpreters, mental health services, substance support, disability services, legal support etc).
• engagement with community leaders, groups and support organisations that people trust
• current and ongoing information on public health measures – testing, lockdown and service coordination
• recognition of and action to address unique experiences of distress and intimidation within communities, particularly for First Nations people, young people of colour and those who have experienced violence by authorities in their countries of origin.

Victorians have put their trust in government during this public health emergency.  We urge the government to demonstrate and maintain sensitivity, collaboration and consultation with communities.  We must learn from this health crisis and listen more to the voices of those who are too often minimised, excluded or included far too late in the rollout of government measures.  This requires reaching out to embrace communities’ strengths, knowledge and capacity. 

For residents needing support they can contact the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) on 1800 961 054.

For urgent phone advice regarding COVID lockdown enforcement call Victoria Legal Aid’s Legal Help line on 1300 792 387.

drummond street services at 03 9663 6733 or at intake@ds.org.au or enquiries@ds.org.au.

Any media enquiries contact Cheryl Miller-Yell on 0488 787 373 or Ali Hogg on 0437 017 165.

Thank you to those who have offered their time and support wanting to help in some way. If you want to register to volunteer, offer your skills or donate you can do so here https://38553.aidaform.com/Helpforlockdown

The voices of survivors are our focus. We believe you.

Following the verdict of the High Court of Australia today, resulting in George Pell walking free, we acknowledge and support survivors and their families who are saddened and devastated by the systems and institutions that have and continue to fail them.

Our hearts go out to the brave survivors, their families and loved ones that stood up for justice and accountability. This is an important time for all survivors to know that they are believed and that this verdict today does not stop the fight to ensure all institutions and perpetrators of harm are held to account.

This decision today does not bring the justice deserved to so many who continue to fight hard for their own story to be heard. What we see is the strength you have all shown in living your lives with courage. There will be no more silence and there are many who continue to support you and fight alongside you to create a safer and braver world.

Today is about your truth, your safety and your supports. Reach out to those who surround you, to those who are here right beside you, remember you are seen, you are heard, and you are believed.

For National Redress Support click here or call 03 96636733.

“The Phone hasn’t stopped!” MyMob app users demand funding be reinstated! 

A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday September 29^th, entitled ‘Judges mandate app for separated parents” about our family community app, MyMob used by families, including separated families, to communicate with their children and for parents to share information with one another in a safer, transparent and non-reactive space.  The article points out that Stepfamilies Australia and drummond street have been forced to decommission the app unless there is government or philanthropic funding to support the necessary technical upgrades to keep it operating.

“The phone hasn’t stopped! We’ve been inundated with concerns that the app is untenable in its current form and want to know how they can support MyMob’s sustainability.” says Karen Field, CEO of Stepfamilies Australia and drummond street services.

Karen continues “Members of the community have asked if they can donate money to us to keep the app going?  This support is welcome, but even though it is not a typical ‘bricks and mortar’ type service, being virtual, it should be supported by ongoing government funding.

Governments give funding to big tech companies but still seem slow in recognising how technology can augment direct services. MyMob gives families access to information and support, as well as their ability to manage their own communication and parenting obligations, outside the business hours of services”.

Government and the community need to do more to ensure access and services need to fit into how families want to access information and support now”.

“As a not-for-profit organisation it’s a hard situation to be in. We really want to keep this app available, as we know it fulfils a need for some many children and their family arrangements, and its potential for separated parents. However, it is simply about not having enough money to keep up! Without it, we have to call it quits. It’s deeply upsetting.”

The app has features for family members to stay in touch in a child-friendly way that supports child safety. It has filters to safeguard children and parents from negative communications and allows children to share what’s happening in their life, irrespective where their parents live. It’s is interactive and allowing parents and children to share special moments in co-parenting or shared parenting arrangements.

With a significant number of MyMob users asked to use this app as a result of a court order, along with families wanting a good communication tool in their day to day lives it’s proves there is a significant need for such an app to continue.  We would love to see some financial support from government and philanthropists to keep MyMob available to Australian children and families.

For comment or for more information please call 03 9663 6733 

In 2016 drummond street (ds) services commenced collecting pre- and post- evaluation measures to assess the impact our support services make in the lives of the adults, children and young people that come to us for support.

Our evaluation was rolled out across all ds community and family service programs using a range of validated, clinical measures to assess outcomes across drummond street’s domains of wellbeing. This allows us to measure meaningful changes and demonstrate to ds staff, in addition to program funders, the efficacy in the investment in support and impacts achieved at both program and service levels.

With thanks to the practitioners and clients for participating in the evaluation process. The snapshot series will be produced annually. This report refers to the period between November 2016 and March 2019. Individual snapshots are designed to be able to be removed from this report and act as stand alone snapshots across the five main areas measured: Adult mental health and wellbeing, child and young person social and emotional wellbeing, family relationships, social connectedness and financial distress. The report will end on insights across all domains.

Annual Report – Snapshot Series CFRE

Recognising ‘ALL’ Stepmothers/Other Mothers/ Spare mothers/ on Mother’s Day May 12^th

There are over a million of us living in step and blended families Anyone willing to take on the care of another’s child deserves our appreciation and recognition! Step and blended families start off as strangers however with care, patience, persistence, love and lots of time they can go on to build strong, supportive relationships.

Did you know:

Step and blended families are the fastest growing family type in Australia.

Did you know:

That if Bill Shorten becomes our next Prime Minister, it will be the FIRST stepfamily to live in the lodge!

Did you know:

Many families don’t like the word ‘Stepfamily’ and therefore don’t identify as being in a stepfamily. Making these families much more common then we think!

Mother’s Day is just one day of 365 days to recognise and acknowledge the role of all women and all female carers; mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, guardians, carers in their often unsung and unpaid roles as carers of Australian children. Biology is not the only determinant of family relationships, with contemporary Australian families coming in many different forms, histories and origins. Taking on the care of somebody’s children is always something that deserves our acknowledgement, respect, appreciation and celebration.

The work we do through Stepfamilies Australia (www.stepfamily.org.au) brings us in contact with many stepmothers and every year, as Mother’s Day approaches they ask for advice on how they should behave or the expectations they should have on Mother’s Day?

We say:

• The biological parents need to take the lead. On Mother’s Day or any other day, a child should not be coerced to thank their stepparent. Thanks, and acknowledgement towards all female carers should be encouraged from biological or primary parents
• Keep your expectations real. Stepparents start as strangers, relationships rely on history and shared experiences. The first 5 years are the trickiest time and these relationships are still forming.
• Be patient. Cards and presents are great, but this might take a while and will also depend on the age of the child/children. Children naturally feel guilty, like they are betraying their biological parent by giving cards and gifts to step parents.
• Use lots of communication. Silence breeds assumptions. It is so important to talk about these special days. Bring it up so the children know that its ok to thank their stepmum and also have the language to do so.

Our founder Margaret Howden has written an awesome book “Ossie’s World Upside Down” about a 10 year old boy, Ossie going through the process of being in a stepfamily. It is not only warm and funny but is great as a conversation starter with your children about the unique challenges that step and blended families face. Buy your copy from our website, all profits go towards helping other step and blended families http://stepfamily.org.au/book/ossies-world-upside-down/

Head to our Stepfamilies Australia website www.stepfamily.org.au you can find further information, tips, resources and links to advice and support that promote the best outcomes for children, young people, parents and stepparents.

drummond street services Geelong is excited to be coming down to the Surf Coast in March. We will be running one of our most popular seminars Parenting Children Who Worry.

Worry is a normal emotion but too much can impact your children’s sleep, schooling, peer and family relationships.  Finding good strategies to manage your own anxieties and teaching kids to recognise and understand emotions will help in many aspects of school and family life.

One parent who attended the course said “I was able to take home and use so much from this and doing so has made a huge difference to our family. I believe this course is valuable to all parents, not just those with kids that worry, and I learnt so much to help all of my kids’ emotional wellbeing.”

The seminar will be held at Bellbrae Primary School, 50 School Rd Bellbrae on:

• Seminar: Wednesday 13^th March 2019, 1.30 – 3.30 pm
• Cost $10 per person or free with a HCC. Free for parents at Bellbrae School
• Bookings: Please book online at our website www.ds.org.au under Parenting groups or direct at the school

If cost is an issue, please contact us and fee can be waived.

Contact for media: Frances McAloon Drummond St Services 9663 6733

AUSTRALIAN STEPFAMILIES FACE THEIR MOST CHALLENGING TIME

Helping your Stepfamily over the Holidays – ‘The Survival Guide’

Contemporary Australian families look significantly different to what they did a generation ago.  Step and blended families are our fastest growing family types and face unique difficulties over this so called “most wonderful time of the year”.

“More than a million of us are in stepfamilies, and they can be a truly wonderful, and at  other times very challenging,,” says Stepfamilies Australia Executive Officer, Phoebe Wallish.

Peak organisation STEPFAMILIES AUSTRALIA www.stepfamily.org.au has released a ‘Stepfamily Survival Guide for the Holidays’, along with a useful book appropriate for  the whole family to offer some help to the 1 in 5 of us in step and blended families to positively communicate with one another at this often stressful time of year..

STEPPING UP Tip for less stress in the holiday season:

1. Be realistic with your expectations – It is the season of giving – so ‘give’ a little, accept that it not always possible to please everyone, including yourself! You may have to divide up your holidays or ‘your time’ with the children.  It doesn’t all have to be on the one day, suggest options and be open to later in the week or even in the New Year, make the getting together NOT the day itself count.
2. Spending time rather than money – Presents are good, but children do want happy, fun and calm times with their parents and their families – these are the memories that they store and recall as adults.  Focus on experiences and memories by making the most of your time together.
3. Honour the ‘old’ and Create the ‘new’.  Family traditions are so important! Ensure you keep some traditions from before you blended, as kids hold onto these, but also create new traditions as stepfamily. It is a good opportunity to involve everyone to ‘cherry-pick’ the best of your combined and collective family histories and experiences.
4. Offer time, support and understanding – particularly for stepchildren and stepsiblings, acknowledging at first that they have no shared family histories. Don’t pressure kids to feel or act in certain ways. Make the time special for all whatever it might look like.
5. Remember perfect families don’t exist – Despite manufactured, media images of perfect families – no family (stepfamily or otherwise) is immune from holiday conflicts, divided loyalties, competition. Try to be in the moment and enjoy what you can – All things pass with time – including the good and the bad – knowing this can help.
6. Long-distance parenting can be hard, particularly at this time of year – Make sure you plan ahead and have something positive for yourself to do on the day.  You may not be able to be there with your children but keep communication open and positive – Kids these days use phones to text, email, Facebook, Instagram etc.  It is not the same, but it is the next best thing and you will have something to share when you next see one another.

Stepfamilies Australia’s Book for the Holidays – Ossie’s World Upside Down by Margaret Howden

Stepfamilies Australia’s founder, Margaret Howden has written a wonderful family book “Ossie’s World Upside Down”.  It is about Ossie, a 10 year old boy, adjusting to the changes in his family. It is a warm, funny and affirming read, as well as  great conversation starter for parents to talk with their  children about the dealing with the changes that step and blended families face.

Buy your copy for the holidays at http://stepfamily.org.au/book/ossies-world-upside-down/ (any profits go towards helping other step and blended families)

When things seem all too hard, it is important to reach out, connect and get some advice. It can be the most positive thing you can do for yourself, your children and your relationships.  The Stepfamilies Australia website www.stepfamily.com.au  has some advice and helpful links, as well as connecting with professional support and other stepfamilies through our Facebook page where you can connect with others who understand the ups and downs of stepfamilies. We also have some tips for school holiday activities to help during this time.  https://ds.org.au/boredom-busters-for-the-school-holidays/

Interviews:

For all media enquires please contact Phoebe Wallish on phoebe.wallish@ds.org.au

Some Stepfamilies stats that important to know:

• 76% of homeless teens come from step and sole parent families (Chamberlain and MacKenzie)
• 1 in 5 children and young people will grow up in stepfamilies (survey of family research by Pryor and Rodgers, Children in Changing Families: Life after parental separation, Blackwell, 2001)
• Step mums out number step dads three to one
• One in 3 marriages is now a remarriage and half of stepfamily couples do not marry (ABS)
• Family breakdown costs the community $3 billion per year (Commonwealth Parliament Committee report 1998)
• Stepfamily breakdown rates are twice those of first families – (AIFS research)
• If parents are not coping with relationship breakdown then they don’t parent well, leading to issues for their children including: higher incidence of mental health issues, drug and alcohol abuse, early teen pregnancy and school leaving, homelessness, antisocial behaviour, crime and suicide

How the Victorian political parties stack up to safeguard LGBTIQ Health, Wellbeing and Equality

drummond street services welcomes the opportunity to offer its comments on the Labor, Liberal, and Green’s parties election platforms proposed for the LGBTIQ communities in the lead-up to Victorian State election.

We firstly need to acknowledge and recognise the achievements of the Andrew’s led Labor government and their renewed commitments to build on their investment in infrastructure, capacity building and substantial service investment across a range of LGBTIQ health and wellbeing areas. Therefore, it is critically important that the Liberal State party, if elected, build on rather than dismantle this investment.

Karen Field, CEO, drummond street services – queerspace, says, “both the Labor and Greens parties continue to demonstrate their commitment in using existing evidence to address the real causes of disadvantage, exclusion, discrimination that contribute to poorer health and wellbeing outcomes for many LGBTIQ Victorians and their families and children.”

“As well as their ongoing pledges to implement the urgent legislative reforms that ensure the human rights of LGBTIQ Victorians, including the eradication of legally sanctioned discrimination.”

We are delighted to see both party’s commitment to address in real terms critical issues of LGBTIQ housing and homelessness, mental health, inclusive health care and slated legislative reforms to address discrimination. Labor’s new investment in the much-needed support of families of LGBTIQ people, their housing/homelessness package and ongoing investment in social and health infrastructure that is inclusive of elders, bisexual and multi-gender attracted communities, along with their funding for family violence and mental health services. Commitments and funding to public health policy and programs needs to be commended to any government, and it has been the Andrews Labor government that has put dollars and actions into this commitment. We need all parties to do this.

The Liberal party’s commitment to Health and HIV testing is also welcome. However, we do need to express some concerns on the lightness of the detail in their platform. Without any explicit commitments to new or expanded funding, the health and wellbeing needs of all LGBTIQ Victorians and the existing services, we need those assurances, and we need them NOW.

The lack of detail on funding continuity of social and infrastructure investment or existing LGBTIQ specific services, many established under the Andrew’s government; in areas of housing, homelessness, family violence, mental health, Seniors support, and capacity building for LGBTIQ peer-based LGBTIQ organisation’s is concerning.

We agree with some of their points outlining the dearth of current Australian research investment, and the need to further LGBTIQ specific evidence. As well as the specific and diverse needs of those living regional and rural areas, people with Intersex variations, and our Trans and gender diverse Victorians. We do question the value of a Parliamentary Inquiry as the mechanism to do this. At this time, we need to progress the development of a Victorian LGBTIQ Health and Wellbeing Plan. An action-oriented plan that provides an investment blue print that support the full range of health and wellbeing needs for all LGBTIQ Victorians and their families.

Additionally, this plan would map existing, as well as identify opportunities to target and expand investment to address the diverse and needs of specific groups. It would also ensure the setting of targets, and the mechanisms to measure actual outcomes, reported annually. This ensures public accountability, transparency and important visibility of the issues and needs of the LGBTIQ communities. We also strongly challenge some of the assertions expressed in the Liberal’s statement, which appear to politicise and question the value and achievements of the Gender & Sexuality and Equality Commissioner, and their Branch.

As a LGBTIQ service organisation, deeply embedded within the community, we dispute the framing of the Commissioners role as “vague and nebulous to date”. This is not our experience, nor importantly of many LGBTIQ Victorians. It has been instrumental in coordinating and propelling effort across broad-ranging policy areas and overseeing significant investment in real services and actions. Since the establishment of this role (a first) we have witnessed unprecedented achievement in the building of both needed infrastructure, capacity building and coordinated public health investment in LGBTIQ health and wellbeing. The offering up of an Inquiry and criticism of the Commission diminishes the achievements, as well providing little comfort for LGBTIQ support needs.

“The last 3 years – we have come so far and been through so much – with the politicisation of the LGBTIQ community at the hands of conservative political commentary. It is these impacts we continue to see every day in the increased demand for our queerspace LGBTIQ mental health services. This is not the time to question the merits of the hard-fought existing infrastructure, services and the small but important gains. What is needed now is transparent and authentic commitments and statements to continued investment, accountability and visibility. No dismantling or risks to services but more public health investment towards LGBTIQ health, wellbeing and healing.”

For further media comment or enquiries please contact enquiries@ds.org.au