National Parenting Resources and Support

We have compiled a list of parenting services that cater for mothers, fathers, single parents and LGBTIQ parents in Australia.

Parentline Australia is a confidential telephone service providing professional counselling and parenting help. Hotline numbers vary according to the state from which you are calling – refer to their website for more information.

Relationships Australia is a leading provider of relationship support services for individuals, families and communities. They offer services around the country that include counselling, family dispute resolution (mediation) and a range of family and community support and education programs.

Australian Government – Families The Department of Social Services helps to support families and children through programs and services, benefits and payments. 

The Department of Human Services provides information to parents regarding benefits and payments.  You can view their payment estimators here.  For information on the Child Care Rebate, click here.  For separated parents, click here.

Child Support Guide provides all the information you may need regarding child support assessments.

My Child is a government website containing all the information about Child Care Centres and school in Australia, including vacancies and performance/assessments.

The Raising Children Network  provides information that can help parents with the day-to-day decisions of raising children, and to also help parents and carers look after their own needs. The offer information packages as well as forums in which parents can communicate.

The Australian Childhood Foundation help parents from different cultural backgrounds to improve their knowledge and confidence through the distribution of parenting information that has been translated into 16 languages. They also offer education, training and advocacy services to parents in Australia.

Playgroup Australia offers a place for you and your child to interact with other parents/caregivers and their children. Playgroup provides opportunities for play and learning. Your child will develop new skills and gain confidence by interacting with other children.

Meetup is an online hub for all types of meet up groups, and has a great range of mothers, fathers and parents groups. To find a group in your area, type in the key words “mothers”, “fathers” or “parents” into the search bar along with your location.

Connect2mums is an online community where you can read articles, join discussion and attend live chat parties which celebrate mums. They also publish a monthly online magazine filled with articles, interview and information.

Pregnancy Counselling Australia: provides a supportive, confidential and non-judgemental counselling environment for women with concerns or queries associated with an unexpected or difficult pregnancy, or if you are experiencing grief or anxiety following termination of or other pregnancy loss.

Australian Breastfeeding Association  is Australia’s leading source of breastfeeding information and support. Through a range of services, the Association supports and encourages women who wish to breastfeed their babies, and advocates to raise community awareness of the importance of breastfeeding and human milk to child and maternal health.

Breastfeeding Centre of WA provides breastfeeding information and support for families in WA.  The centre offers a state-wide telephone counselling service for health professionals and women experiencing breastfeeding problems.

Australian Multiple Birth Association is a not-for-profit organisation comprising of multiple birth families. Through a tiered membership structure, their organisation provides support, resources and education to multiple birth families.

Kid Pointz: provides hundreds of free resources from reward charts to family schedules.  Perfect for the busy family.

Mums at Work offer return to work programs, working parent toolkits, flexible work solutions and support to help parents balance work and family.

Attachment Parenting Australia aims to provide parenting help and support for those interested in or practising attachment parenting. It also aims to provide information about attachment parenting for health professionals and researchers.

Real Mums is an Australian based website, providing you with a real alternative to mainstream parenting help websites, magazines and all the rest of the ‘experts’ telling you what to do with your kids and how to parent.

Post and Antenatal Depression

Post and Antenatal Depression Association (PANDA) provides information and support services for men and women experiencing post and antenatal depression. They offer education and training services as well as support online and over the phone.

Pandsiprovides support, education and information for families in the Canberra and ACT region who are experiencing Antenatal Depression (AND), Postnatal Depression (PND) or Anxiety.

North Queensland Postnatal Distress Support Group gives information on local support groups and phone support to people suffering from PND in Townsville.

Parents of Premature Babies

Miracle Babies is a national organisation that supports sick and premature newborns and their families. They offer a 24 hour family help line as well as other support services.

Austprem aims to support parents and caregivers of other premature infants and children. They offer online information and forums.

Life’s Little Treasures provide support, friendship and information specifically tailored for families of children born premature or sick.

Pre-Term Infants Parent’s Association provide a support network for the families dealing with the premature birth of their baby in Queensland and Northern New South Wales Hospitals.

Information for Parents of Pre-Term Infants is a resource guide for parents whose child has been born prematurely.

Fathers

Dads in Distress offers peer support that aims to provide help and hope for separated dads and their families. You can talk with someone who has personally experienced separation and discover what it might take for you to get through it.

Dads Online is an Australian-based interactive website for separated fathers. The site offer online support as well as forums in which readers can share stories, ideas and promote activities and events for Australian fathers.

Families NSW provides information and support for new dads.

Fathers Matter offers practical information for fathers on bonding with your children, everyday fatherhood, rough and tumble play and parenting after separation.

Dads Link: aims to enhance the relationship between fathers and their children by providing information, support and a range of hands-on activities for dads, kids and families in Victoria.

Fatherhood Support Network aims to support men in their role as a parent. Part of the Children and Families Integration Service, the program is managed by the Parenting Network and works closely with WCH antenatal staff and midwives to provide support for men who are about to become dads.

Single Parents

Lone Father’s Association of Australia is a national peak body for separated parents.  It is a non-sexist, non-sectarian, non-profit, and self-help educational and welfare organisation devoted to the interests of lone fathers and their children, as well as their friends, extended family, and carers.

Parents Without Partners provides single parents and their children with an opportunity for enhancing personal growth, self-confidence and sensitivity towards others by offering an environment for support, friendship and the exchange of parenting techniques.

National Council for Single Mothers and their Children provides single mothers with access to parenting help, information and support, particularly focussing on areas of financial hardship, domestic violence and child support.

Single Mum is a social website that provides entertainment media, information and forums catered toward single mothers.

Council of Single Mothers and Their Children: is a state wide (Victoria), membership-based, community organisation run by and for single mothers.

Sole Fathers United is a non-profit, non-sectarian, non-political organisation that assists fathers with giving their children the best start in life to nurture the development of responsible, contributing adults. They initiate this through proactive engagement, positive and practical parenting practices.

Single Parents Active Kids is a group is run by single parents for single parents on a volunteer basis.  They are all about getting together in a positive/welcoming/social environment.

Victorian Single Parent Resource Centre:provides practical support, opportunities for growth and a sense of hope for one-parent families across Greater Victoria.

Single with Children provides fun, exciting activities, social events and meetups for single parents and their children.

LGBTIQ Parents

Gay Dads Australia is a parenting help website which aims to support gay men who are planning on becoming or who are already parents.

Rainbow Families Queensland is a group of volunteers who come from a range of backgrounds and professions. They are dedicated to supporting rainbow families (and prospective rainbow families) and to creating awareness among the general population about rainbow families.

Pink Parents are a supportive and understanding community of future parents, single parents, couples, toddlers, babies, school-aged kids, extended, blended but importantly inclusive families.

ACT

Mothers of Pre-Schoolers gets Mums.  They understand the unique needs, challenges and joys in this vital season of early mothering. At MOPS every mum is welcomed, accepted and challenged to reach her potential and recognise her influence with her family and her world.

Marce Society for Perinatal Mental Health is dedicated to supporting research and assistance surrounding prenatal & postpartum mental health for mothers, fathers and their babies.

Parentline is a not-for-profit community organisation that is the only telephone counselling service for parents and carers in the ACT.  The service extends a unique, immediate and accessible source of support, information and ideas, to all parents of children of all ages –available through a simple phone call (or email).

Parentlink recognises that parenting is often shared by grandparents, relatives, friends and those who care for children. To shape and influence a child’s life is one of the most important things one can do. ParentLink aims to provide information based on the latest research and promote the importance of effective parenting practices.

Canberra Mothercraft Society is a postnatal and early childhood primary health service for families with children up to three years of age. The Centre is staffed by an interdisciplinary  team including nurses, midwives, mothercraft nurses, counsellor,  community development officer, medical officer, and other health professionals visit and are referred to when required.

Canberra One Parent Family Support aims to support sole parents in their capacity to strive towards their independence, safety and security. They aim to assist parents with issues that they face on a daily basis, whether it be Family Court matters, dealing with Housing or Child Protection, or just supporting them in their role as parents with the challenges that they might face.

NSW

Family & Community Services: provides some tips, advice and guidelines for parents and carers.  There is information about caring for babies and toddlers, as well as general parenting tips and advice.

Resourcing Parents lists a number of resources and events for families in NSW.

Tresillian is a non-for-profit organisation that assists close to 80,000 Australian families in the early years of their child. They help parents gain confidence in their new roles as mums and dads and teach new parents about routines in breastfeeding, sleep, settling and nutrition.

Karitane works with children and their parents from birth to 5 years of age. Their services cover parenting support and advice, antenatal support and education, services to alleviate parental depression and anxiety, managing toddler behaviour and other issues related to this challenging but rewarding period in families’ lives.

Northern Territory

NT Department of Families provides information, resources and links to services to help you better understand and care for your children.

Department of Education Indigenous Education builds family knowledge of early learning through active engagement in quality early childhood education programs. Play based programs support families through modelling, side by side engagement and discussion. Resources have been developed to give families information about how young children learn and how parents can make the most of everyday opportunities.

Palmerston & Rural Parenting Support Service assists families by providing access to a range of supports, which may include group-work activities, outreach support and a drop in centre for parents and families.

Queensland

Young Parents Program is aimed at assisting young parents (parents who are under 25 years of age), their partners and their children through various projects, outreach and information and referral services.

Toughlove Queensland is a non-profit, educational organisation offering self-help materials to parents, kids in trouble and the professionals working for them.

Queensland Centre for Mothers and Babies: is a website that helps you to know what to expect when having a baby, gives you tips about how to get the information you want, supports you to be involved in making decisions, if you want to, and lets you share your story of having a baby in Queensland.

Belmont Private Hospital operates the Brisbane Centre for Postnatal Disorders (BCPND) Program – a day program which is designed for women who are experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties through pregnancy or after the birth of their child.

South Australia

Parenting SA is an initiative of the Government of South Australia established in 1996 to promote the value of parents and the important role of parenting.

SA Kids is a magazine to provide South Australian parents with up to date, practical, positive and local information about raising children.

Helen Mayo House is a State-wide acute mother-baby unit which admits parents (usually mothers) and their children 3 years of age or younger, if the parent needs treatment for mental health problems such as depression, anxiety or psychosis following childbirth.

Parents Without Partners is a world-wide, non-profit, volunteer organisation dedicated to the interests and support of today’s single parents and their children. They offer regular and diverse social gatherings for those who are recently and even not so recently finding themselves in the role of a single parent.

Tasmania

Parentline Tasmania is available at any time to assist parents, of children 0-5 years, with stressful parenting issues or concerns.   Call 1300 808 178.

Parenting Centres operate within the Child Health and Parenting Service.  They offer more intensive support for families experiencing difficulties with children 0 to 5 years of age.

Tasmanian Early Years Foundation is a non-profit organisation that supports and promotes the wellbeing, development and learning of Tasmanian children up to the age of 6 years.

Child Health Centres Tasmania provides opportunities for new families to network with other services within the community.  Child and Family Health Nurses offer parent information on many topics including: child health and development, practical parenting tips, nutrition, breastfeeding, sleep and settling, communication, play and safety, nutrition, oral health, post natal depression, fathering, balancing work and family life, play, injury prevention, SIDS and immunisation.

Hobart Mum’s Network has established a community in which all mums across the Southern Tasmania region are connected to one another and the wider community.

Victoria

ABCD Parenting is for everyone interested or involved in the ABCDs of parenting teenagers. Whether you are a parent or a professional, you will find additional helpful tips and ideas based on this original Australian program, and information about how to get involved.

Maternal & Child Health Line Victoria is a 24 hour, 7 day a week statewide telephone service available to Victorian families with children from birth to school age.  Call 13 22 29.

Caroline Chisholm Society offers support to pregnant women and parents with children up to school age.  The Society provides a range of programmes for families in need, including counselling, housing, material aid and in home family support.

WA

Parenting WA helps parents and carers keep up-to-date on information and events about parenting in Western Australia.

Ngala is a provider of Early Parenting and Early Childhood services with a passion for supporting and guiding families and young children through the journey of parenting.  Their services are available for families with young children who work or reside in Western Australia and their online information is available to everyone.

Meerilinga promotes positive parenting through integrated services such as resources, home visiting, telephone support and advice that is informative, researched and delivered in a friendly and caring way.