SYDNEY YOUNG PARENTS’ PROGRAM

I have been the Antenatal Social Worker specialising in Young Parents for close to six years. And in this time have worked very closely with Launchpad.
The caseworkers from Launchpad go above and beyond for their clients. In pregnancy we work with vulnerable young people who have experienced childhood trauma, homelessness, have mental health diagnoses, issues with addiction, experienced domestic violence and have potentially been in the child protection system as children themselves.

Launchpad caseworkers support young people and are flexible in their approach to the clients’ needs and assist them to address any issues in their lives that are impacting on their safety or the safety of their children. They have provided stable accommodation for too many of the pregnant mothers to count; sometimes providing them with the first safe accommodation they have ever had and removing them from cycles of homelessness or very unsafe living situations.

The casework they provide educates young people and supports them in becoming parents who are able to effectively recognise and meet the needs of their children, as well as being able to access support if challenges arise.

Launchpad have been and are considered to be an integral part of the Pregnancy Family Conferences that hospital social work and DCJ have with families when child protection issues have been identified. These meetings are designed to address risk in pregnancy and in the post-natal period by fostering strengths of the families and linking them with support and services. The level of support that Lauchpad have offered our families is invaluable when planning for families to be discharge home, safely.

The caseworkers such as Rahnia, Sienna and Alana always keep the children’s safety as the most important thing whilst acknowledging that to support the child you also have to have the support needs of the parent or parents at the forefront of your mind.