In 2002-2003 the service had worked with a total of 154 families with 334 dependent children.

Of these families:

* Approximately 8 per cent were sole fathers with either full-time or shared care of children;

* Approximately 4 per cent were Aboriginal;

* Eleven per cent has been directly referred to Family Support by DoCS, and 22 families were identified as receiving a service on a "one-off" basis;

The new service users were from Bega 52, Bemboka 3, Bermagui 7, Brogo 1, Candelo 7, Cobargo 5, Eden 15, Kalaru 1, Merimbula 18, Millingandi 1, Numbugga 2, Pambula 10, Quaama 3, Tanja 4, Tathra 12, Tura 5, Wolumla 6, Wyndham 2.

Ms Powell said the wide distribution of the service's colourful brochure had enhanced public awareness of the support available to families in the Bega Valley.

The service was established in 1988 to respond to the needs of families, particularly disadvantaged families, living within the Bega Valley Shire.

It employs four part-time workers to provide a range of centre-based and home-visiting services.

Family workers are Fiona Doquile and Jo Dodds, Pauline Wellington is in charge of administration and bookkeeping and Andrea Powell is co-ordinator.

As a component of the Families First-funded Community Parenting Project in 2003, the service engaged three casual employees, Leah Williams, Megan Young and Sharon Perry, to facilitate Aboriginal playgroups in Eden and Bega.

The service also received $137,101 from the Community Services Grants Program to operate three days, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, each week.

Analysis of the work diary indicated that in addition to family work with ongoing service users and newly referred families, the staff had also provided telephone support, information and referral on 85 occasions and responded to 97 "drop-in" service users.

Both these figures were an increase over previous years.

The range of services requested by families comprised individual and family counselling, (including one-to-one work with children), advocacy, crisis intervention, referral to other services, information (community resources, legal, housing, health etc), group programs, court assistance, library and other resources (photocopier, phone, fax).

New service specifications for the next three years were developed in line with reform of the Community Services Grants Program and these were approved in June 2003.

Support with parenting, relationship problems, domestic violence and separation, are among the many reasons why families access the service.

Helping parents to respond to the needs of their children and themselves in times of family change remained a significant part of family support work.

Legal issues, especially family law, presented many immediate and long-term problems for families.

Over the past year, staff had worked with families affected by Family Court orders relating to access visits with non-custodial parents, often involving very young children being required to travel interstate on a fortnightly basis.

A 10-weeks therapeutic group program for women experiencing postnatal depression was held in Merimbula from August 2002.

This group was facilitated by early childhood nurse Mary Hourigan and Fiona Doquile, with support from Rachel Grant, a social work student on placement with the service

Over the past year the library had been substantially replenished with new (preferably Australian) titles relevant to parenting babies, young children and teenagers, in addition to a wide range of other subjects connected with family relationships, such as young people and mental health, suicide prevention and emotional resilience.

The service participates in and receives referrals from the Bega Women's Domestic Violence Court Assistance Scheme which assists women seeking AVOs at Bega Court.

"Our involvement in this scheme allows us to offer services and resources to families at what is often a critical period in their lives," Ms Powell said.

Over the past year staff have also provided support to women at Eden Local Court.

The "Families First" funded Community Parenting Project continued to evolve throughout the past year.

A rolling program of workshops was conducted throughout the Bega Valley, in both daytime and evening sessions, covering topics selected by parents and childcare workers.

After extended discussion and consultation with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community members, the supported playgroup in Eden commenced in late March 2003.

Leah Williams and Megan Young facilitate this playgroup which is held on Thursdays at Eden Pre-School.

The ongoing support and assistance of the Eden Pre-School director, Jill Goodchild has been instrumental in making the playgroup accessible and welcoming to families in Eden.

Early childhood nurses, Katungal Aboriginal Medical Service staff and family support workers have also attended the playgroup, providing mothers with requested health and child development information.

Establishment of a similar playgroup in Bega has been hindered by a number of factors, particularly the inability to find an acceptable venue and transport issues.

With the support of St John's Anglican Church and playgroup facilitator, Sharon Perry, a small playgroup has met on several occasions in the church hall, but transport remains a prohibiting factor.

After school and school holiday activities in the Glebe housing estate park were organised via NSW Deptartment of Housing Regional Support Development Project.

Family Support contributed to these activities by providing food and refreshments and a family worker to assist the coaches.

In conjunction with the Koori Midwifery Access Program (Katungal) and midwife Heather Black, the reading program has been extended to provide Aboriginal families with indigenous storybooks for young children.

These have proved to be very popular, as well as being a non-intrusive means of letting Aboriginal families know about the service.

Family Support staff are involved in a wide range of service and community networks and contribute to the planning and delivery of many community services.

Over the past year, the development of the Youth Accommodation Partnership project has resulted in a comprehensive and co-ordinated interagency approach to the problems faced by homeless young people.

Goals for the year ahead include becoming part of the Better Service Delivery Program and up-grading the client information system, and continuing to offer a flexible, family-focused service based on respect for cultural diversity and autonomy.

In the election of officers, Claire Lupton was re-elected as chairperson, with Caroline Long as vice-chairperson, Eve McConnell as public officer, Joanna Rideaux as secretary, Pam Lawler as treasurer, and Heather Black, Dene O'Shea and Mary Hourigan as committee members.