Karinya Support Services

Supported housing for families

Supports women, children and young people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, including those experiencing family and domestic violence. Participants are supported and empowered to find safety and stability through client-led, strengths-based and holistic specialist homelessness case management, which may result in being allocated to supported crisis or transitional housing.

Families supported by this team may also be referred to the specialist services delivered by the Children, Youth and Communities team.

For information or referrals

• Call the Uniting Ballarat entry point on 03 5332 1286 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
• Victorian Statewide Homelessness Line on 1800 825 955, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Children, youth and communities

Provides a variety of support services focussed on strengthening community connections, enhancing the capacity of parents, and supporting the wellbeing of children and young people.

Children’s support and creating connections

Provides intensive case management to children and young people who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless. The program aims to support participants’ health and development, emotional and mental wellbeing, education outcomes, engagement in recreation, relationship outcomes, and community connectedness. Guided by children’s wellbeing assessments and individual action plans, the program offers strengths-based and trauma-informed case management including advocacy, access to brokerage, and referrals when required.

For information or referrals

• Call the Uniting Ballarat entry point on 03 5332 1286 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

Recreation and mentoring programs

MEA Cats 

Cats is an after-school activities program for children aged six to 12 years. The program aims to encourage social inclusion, respectful relationships and, above all, fun! This group supports children to develop social skills and friendships and to build their self-esteem with a hands-on play-based focus. At MEA Cats we champion the child’s strengths and engage them with curiosity and respect for their independence. MEA Cats is facilitated by staff and volunteer mentors who demonstrate the healthy and safe behaviours we wish to encourage in our community.

For information or referrals

• Referrals for MEA Cats are received internally through our Supported Housing for Families program.

Family connections

Delivers innovative, inclusive activities focused on cultivating relationships and attachments within families. All families who’d like to connect with other families in the community are invited to build parenting skills and have fun with their children.

Activities include a musical playgroup ‘Sing Play Grow with Coco Sounds’, support groups such as Masterful Mums, structured parenting programs including Tuning into Kids, Circle of Security and Bringing Up Great Kids, and pop-up parenting information sessions covering subjects such as budgeting, school refusal and fussy eating. Many participants have also been involved in lived experience research and development opportunities.

For information or referrals

• call Karinya Support Services on 03 5336 7400 or email karinya@salvationarmy.org.au

Karinya occasional childcare

A supportive and engaging environment for children from eight weeks old to school age. The centre fosters children's developmental growth through a stimulating environment that encourages curiosity, experimentation, problem-solving, and exploration. In this nurturing and compassionate space, every child feels valued, safe, and respected, allowing them to flourish. We extend this support to families, treating them with dignity and respect.

The childcare operates Tuesday to Friday, 9.30am to 1.30pm, during Victorian school terms (excluding public holidays). All our educators meet qualification and regulatory requirements. Through limiting daily care to 15 children, the centre provides personalised attention and caters to the diverse needs of children and their families.

For enrolment information

• Call 0436 399 309 from 9am to 1pm, Monday to Friday, or
• Call Karinya Support Services on 03 5336 7400 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

Chaplaincy

Our onsite chaplain works alongside all Karinya Support Services’ staff and clients to listen and support people in times of crisis. They can also provide advocacy, debriefing, education, support in times of grief and loss, and faith pathways when requested. Our chaplain is a skilled listener who respects the spirituality of all members of our community and provides a high level of professional confidentiality and spiritual care.

For information or referrals including self-referral

• call Karinya Support Services on 03 5336 7400 or email karinya@salvationarmy.org.au