• 2: Child & Family
  • 2.1: CAFS
  • 2.2: Domestic Violence
• 3: Counselling
• 4: Disability
  • 4.1: EW Tipping Foundation
  • 4.2: Merrimu Services Inc
  • 4.3: Moorabool Respite Forum
  • 4.5: Parent Support Group
• 5: Education
  • 5.1: The Laurels
• 6: Emergency
• 7: Health
  • 7.1: Djerriwarrh Health Services
  • 7.2: Alcoholics Anonymous
• 8: Seniors
  • 8.1: Meals on Wheels
• 9: Service Clubs
  • 9.1: Lions Club
• 10: Sport & Recreation
• 11: Youth
  • 11.1: Rotary Youth Services
• 14: Sitemap

Child & Family Services (CAFS)

CAFS is a community service organisation with a long history of supporting children, young people, individuals and families in the Grampians region of Victoria.

We provide assistance to families and children at risk via services such as family support, infants’ programs, financial counselling, men’s groups, foster care and homelessness programs. Our goal is to give parents, young people and children the optimal opportunity to live in safe and nurturing homes and families.

CAFS provides a range of services to support and strengthen families. The largest group of these services is funded by the State government as components of family support services, to be known as Integrated Family Services from April 2007. These include the Family Support Innovations projects, Child FIRST, Parenting Assessment and Skill Development Service and Intensive Family Service.

Specific services for families with infants and young children are delivered from CAFS Chisholm St Centre.

The Commonwealth funded Children's Contact Service facilitates contact visits between children and their non-resident parents where the Family court may be involved.

People interested in volunteering to meet and mentor one of our local families and become family friends may train as Family Mentors.

CAFS is largely funded by state and federal governments and works closely with the Victorian Departments of Human Services and Justice, and Commonwealth Family & Community Services to ensure that the services we provide are aligned with government policy and meeting all quality standards.

We employ mainly social workers and welfare workers, alongside other professions such as psychologists, family therapists, teachers and nurses, all of whom are qualified, experienced and supervised.

CAFS offices are located in Ballarat, Ararat, Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh. Our services are generally free, and we welcome enquiries from any person or family in these localities.