CCS Annual Report 2023-2024

ANNUAL REPORT 2023 - 2024

“I am forever grateful for the support I received...”

- 2024 CCS Client

Our Supporters & Donors Thank you to our corporate volunteers:

And our community supporters:

North Essendon Niddrie

Caroline Springs

St Albans

Epping

Strathmore

Essendon

Thank you all!

Essendon

1

Pictured: Bunnings Caroline Springs hosting a CCS knitwear stall

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY In acknowledging the traditional owners of the lands on which we live, work and provide services, Wurundjeri, Bunurong and Yorta Yorta, we also acknowledge the Indigenous Australian families who have come in to contact and sought out our services over the past year. In seeking out our services, the Society also acknowledges Indigenous organisations we have the privilege to collaborate with in working closely with families to achieve their hopes and goals as parents.

We also acknowledge Dr Philomene Joshua, and Mrs Pat Coffey OAM, and the countless women and men who committed to making an impact in the lives of women and children over the past 50 years. We honour this heritage, and pay tribute to this work, as well as especially paying tribute to the ongoing and everyday labour of love we witness through the privilege of being a part of the lives of mothers, children and families.

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT The Caroline Chisholm Society is committed to child safety and is a child safe organisation.

Client’s names have been changed throughout the report to respect their privacy.

All photos have been used with permission.

Thank you Eric Ng and Rimaya Khaleel for the photography, design and editing.

2

Contents 4

Thank you Robyn

5

A message from our President

6

A message from our Treasurer - Our Financials

7

A message from our Leadership Team

8

Our Impact - Stories of Lived Experience Parenting Capability and Skills Housing & Homelessness

11

8 10

Key Impacts & Outcomes Goal 1 - Keeping Families Together Goal 2 - Strengthening Our Impact

11 12

Goal 3 - Develop & Nurture Our People

14

15

Volunteers

16

Our Impact - Shepparton Pictured: CCS staff and corporate volunteers at the 2023 Santa Gift ‘Shop’

Finding a Deep Sense of Purpose in the Mission of Helping Local Families

4

Robyn’s connection to the Caroline Chisholm Society (CCS) began back in 2018, thanks to her involvement with the Country Women’s Association (CWA) Essendon branch. With a focus on supporting mums and children, Robyn attended the opening of CCS’s Essendon branch and was immediately drawn to the organisation's work. Though many of her fellow CWA members also volunteered, it was Robyn who stayed on, finding a deep sense of purpose in the mission of helping local families.

Thank you Robyn

Volunteering with CCS felt like the perfect fit for Robyn. The local connection, bright and welcoming space, and focus on helping women and children really resonated with her. As a registered nurse with over 40 years of experience, Robyn has always been passionate about caring for others.

4

while things are slowly improving, she knows the Material Aid program and the role of volunteers will need to adapt.

“Volunteering is a dying role these days,” she reflected, but she’s hopeful that more people will get involved as the world continues to bounce back. For Robyn, volunteering at CCS is more than just something to do—it’s about making a real difference in the lives of women and families who need it most. Her dedication and passion are a huge part of what makes the organisation’s work so impactful.

Volunteers like Robyn remind us of the power of community and the importance of lending a helping hand.

From her time working in community nursing and at Austin Health to her other volunteering roles at the Melbourne Zoo and Moreland Community Register, giving back has always been a big part of her life. At CCS, she found a new way to make a difference, especially through the Material Aid program.

What keeps Robyn coming back is the ability to see the direct impact of her efforts. Whether she’s putting together packs of essentials for mums, children, or dads, she loves knowing that these items will go straight to families in need.

“Seeing that end result helps.” Hearing how grateful families are for the support they receive from CCS makes it all worth it for her.

Looking ahead, Robyn acknowledges that volunteering is changing. COVID-19 had a big impact on volunteer numbers, and

Pictured: Robyn Anderson

President’s Report Amidst all the commentary after Brisbane’s recent win in the AFL Grand Final, one comment really resonated for me. After what had been a challenging year for team, Chris Fagan, Brisbane’s coach said, “The interesting thing is that crisis creates opportunity.”

Our mothers, fathers, children, and carers have faced often more than one crisis before they come to the Society. Our dedicated practitioners, the entire CCS staff, all volunteers help them create opportunities. Our families are not part of a Grand Final parade or on the last Saturday in September take centre stage at the MCG but their efforts to improve their child or children’s wellbeing and future are as worthy of accolades as sporting heroes.

Congratulations to every family who has worked with the CCS team and has created their own ‘Premiership’ win.

One initiative of the CCS team is the follow-up phone contact with our families one month, three months and six months after they conclude with our service. After those calls, if a client needs some follow up, we will assist them. On the evidence to date, a combination of the Society’s ‘wrap around’ service whilst they are with us plus the three follow up calls has enabled our families to not be notified or renotified to child protection. Because life with babies or young children is unpredictable, our care is available beyond an immediate crisis.

When you read this annual report, please pay particular attention to the contributions of mothers who have shared their experiences with 5

Caroline Chisholm Society. Precious qualities shine in their writings.

Thank you to the staff who have worked with our parents, caregivers, and families. Thank you to the leadership team who navigated some challenging times in the second half of the DFFH funding period.

Thank you to the current Board for your contributions and to our past president Dr Michael Christie who provided additional assistance whenever asked.

Our Vice President, Phil Gatens, has significantly contributed as Chair of the Clinical Risk and Governance Committee as well as stepping into the President’s role when required. Thank you to Kate Solly and Louisa Rennie whose Board involvement concluded this year. Of note at this AGM is the Board retirement of our Treasurer Stephen Mullins who has been an integral member of the Board as Treasurer for 7 years.

From the Society’s inception, CCS’s membership has been the Society’s foundation. This year, Board members have issued invitations and as a result we have been joined by new members.

Thank you to those joining us for their first annual meeting and reading their first CCS Annual Report. I trust that the new Board will continue to actively build the membership base of the Society.

May the work of the Caroline Chisholm Society continue to flourish so that expectant mothers and mothers and fathers with preschool children know that when they need help, we will provide them with opportunities to grow as a family.

Christine Campbell President

Treasurer’s Report On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish to present the audited financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2024. The full set of audited financial statements can be found on our website at www.caroline.org.au.

The Society recorded a deficit of $272,862 for the year ending 30 June 2024 (surplus of $191,507 in 2023).

The Society’s total revenue was approximately $3.1M ($3.2M in 2023). The revenue from service contracts with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) totalled approximately $2.5M. These contracts enable us to deliver specialised services for mothers and families in Brimbank Melton and Western Melbourne.

We acknowledge and appreciate the generous financial support of local government, corporate partners, philanthropic organisation’s and individuals who enable us to fund programs and other work which is separate and additional to our contracted services with DFFH. This includes programs to support women during their pregnancy and in early parenting where poverty, homelessness, mental health and social isolation are common issues as well as supplying material aid to help those in need. The key geographic locations that this funding supports are Brimbank Melton, Western Melbourne and the Goulburn Valley area but we do support women and families with young children who come to us for support from any location wherever we can.

6

In particular, the Society thanks and acknowledges a significant grant from Westpac’s Safer Children, Safer Communities which totalled $600,000 over the last three years and was the key funding for our work in the Goulburn Valley area. The Society is continuing to fund services that were established under this grant from our financial reserves to support mothers, children and families while we seek to obtain further support to ensure longterm sustainability of our work in this location.

This year, lower than anticipated funds from partnership grants, donations and fundraising impacted on the Society’s financial performance. We are always looking for ways to partner and collaborate and for opportunities to make a difference and welcome any opportunities that can further advance our work in keeping families together.

The financial position of the Society remains sound with net assets of approximately $4.4 million. We own outright our properties at 977 Mt Alexander Road, Essendon and 1 Darebin Place, Caroline Springs as well as our fleet of vehicles.

Thank you to all those who financially support us and to those that give up their valuable time to support our work in improving the lives of families.

I also wish to thank the Finance Committee and the Society’s employees for your support during the year.

Stephen Mullins Treasurer

Leadership Team Report As we reflect on this year’s journey as a leadership team, we are inspired by how far we’ve come in making a real difference for women, families, and young children. This year’s annual report highlights the impact of our programs, all of which align with our commitment to three key goals: Keeping Families Together, Strengthening Our Impact, and Developing & Nurturing Our People.

Keeping Families Together remains central to our mission. This year’s report amplifies the powerful voices of our clients, who have bravely shared their stories in the hope of reaching other women and families affected by violence, homelessness, and mental health challenges. Their strength and resilience inspire all of us and serve as a reminder of how essential our prevention and family services are in mitigating the risks these families face every day.

Strengthening Our Impact has also been an area of great progress. This year, our practitioners delivered over 15,000 sessions of integrated family services, with more than 12,000 hours dedicated to home visits, brief consultations, and single-session support. Our outreach efforts have taken us across more than 35,000 kilometres in Melbourne’s western suburbs, allowing us to forge even stronger connections with families.

Developing & Nurturing Our People has always been essential to our success.

Thanks to the Board’s approval and work by our Business Manager, staff at CCS now enjoy one of the sector’s best parental leave policies.

We remain deeply committed to ensuring that our staff are welltrained and supported. Ongoing training and development, including specialised programs, have equipped our team with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive. It’s heartening to hear feedback from sector trainers praising our staff’s commitment, engagement, and strong foundation of learning.

We were also fortunate to have corporate volunteers from local and national organisations step in to support our material aid efforts this year. Their generosity made a tangible difference, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions.

As a leadership team, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to each member of our staff. Every day, you bring compassion, dedication, and resilience to your work, ensuring that our clients are treated with dignity and respect, no matter their circumstances.

Thank you for everything you do.

Additionally, our material aid programs in Melbourne and Shepparton distributed over 5,000 clothing packs and essential items for children, ensuring that every child gets the support they need during their most formative years.

7

CCS Leadership Team

Our Impact - Parenting Capabilities & Skills

Equipped and ready to handle challenges Practitioner, who, as I expressed, was

8

The first couple of weeks after Noah was born, he wasn't sleeping. Life was difficult. My partner and I were easily agitated and stressed. After five months of sleep deprivation and my partner’s challenges with sensory overload, we decided to try sleep school.

Coupled with this, I also came from a traumatic background, and this was a triggering experience for me too. We tried sleep school at Queen Elizabeth Centre, but with not much luck as Noah’s sleep wasn’t improving. By the time he was 14 months old, we had been to sleep school six times.

Noah wasn’t gaining the right amount of weight for his age; he would wake up every hour at night with very little naps during the day. Finances started to become an issue as my partner had to take some time off due to our chaotic and mentally draining life, and I needed more support to get through it. I also have three other children, one of them live with me part-time, so I was juggling being a mom to them as well as to a newborn.

It felt like our world was turned upside down with little or no reprieve, and with no support network for me in the Western suburbs, I felt isolated and overwhelmed.

I reached out to the Orange Door, who referred me to the Caroline Chisholm Society for parenting support.

Mal, the practitioner assigned to my case, helped establish a routine and a sleep plan. She provided us with baby clothes and nappies as needed. It also meant I got to speak to another adult during the day while caring for Noah, which made a world of difference.

Mal then connected me with Michelle their Perinatal Mental Health

the only psychologist was able to make an impact in my life. I am forever grateful for the support I received from a mental health perspective, as that helped me manage and deal with the situation.

I also engaged in the Circle of Security program run by one of the senior practitioners, which helped immensely with my relationship with Noah. Circle of Security is an evidence-based parenting program based on attachment. Rachel their senior practitioner, empowered me with new skills to be a more connected as a parent and encouraged and helped build my confidence in my already existing parenting skills.

Mal has continued to support me in terms of connecting with the community, check-ins, and helping me achieve my parenting goals. Mal’s level of care and support has made a huge impact amid a storm.

At the Caroline Chisholm Society, I believe in their wrap-around approach for mothers. They provide the tools needed in the early parenting journey that set us up for success.

Noah is 19 months now, and while it's a different set of challenges we face, I feel equipped and ready to handle them with the knowledge and support I’ve received from the team at the Caroline Chisholm Society.

Our Impact - Parenting Capabilities & Skills

A parents journey to find essentials for their newborn babies

9

Riya and her husband Jadav had longed for a baby, and after years of trying and medical intervention, they received the joyful news that they were expecting triplets.

Thanks to the support from the Caroline Chisholm Society, Riya and Jadav were able to focus on their babies’ health without worrying about these essentials.

Having moved to Australia from overseas, they had little in the way of a local support network. At five months into her pregnancy, Riya experienced complications and was hospitalized. Their three babies—Nira, Om, and Namya— were born at just 29 weeks, and despite the challenges, the couple embraced their two beautiful girls and charming boy with full hearts.

Now, a year later, the triplets have celebrated their first birthday. Riya and Jadav often share photos of their babies dressed in clothes provided by the Society, expressing their deep gratitude for the support that helped them through one of the most challenging periods of their lives.

The early arrival of their children brought unexpected difficulties. Jadav was between jobs, leaving the couple with an unsteady income, and Riya had not yet officially begun maternity leave.

The Caroline Chisholm Society continues to offer short-term material aid and support to families in need, helping bridge gaps until they are back on their feet and can provide for their families again.

With all three newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the emotional and physical toll began to weigh heavily, especially as Baby Namya remained in the hospital longer than her siblings. Without a strong community to lean on, the pressure of caring for premature triplets became overwhelming.

During this critical time, the couple connected with our Practitioner, Claudia, who immediately provided material aid support. They hadn’t anticipated the sheer amount of formula, nappies, and clothes that caring for three newborns would require.

Pictured: Riya and Jadav and their triplets

Our Impact - Housing & Homelessness

A safe place to call home

10

Aisha, a 34-year-old single mother of five children aged 15, 12, 11, 9, and 5, has lived in Melbourne for 17 years, having originally moved from South Australia. Her life took a sudden turn when a devastating fire destroyed their rental property in Melbourne’s western suburbs, leaving it uninhabitable. With no place to call home, Aisha relocated to Adelaide to stay with her family.

However, with her siblings still living in the family home, space quickly became an issue. Aisha’s five children needed room to grow, and living with extended family wasn’t a long-term solution. For over a year, Aisha and her children found themselves homeless, moving between a cousin’s house and a friend’s home, often confined to a single room. These temporary living arrangements, while helpful in the short term, were far from the safe, stable environment that Aisha’s children needed.

Desperate for a solution, Aisha approached a local MP, who was connected to her family. The MP’s office reached out to the Caroline Chisholm Society, asking if any support could be provided. Our Specialist Housing Services Officer, Gerda, immediately began searching for private rental options to help Aisha and her children find a stable home.

In the midst of Victoria’s housing crisis, finding affordable rental properties has become a significant challenge, particularly for single mothers. With limited availability and high competition securing a home can be an uphill battle.

However, the Caroline Chisholm Society was able to advocate on Aisha’s behalf, providing letters of support to bolster her rental applications. Thanks to a combination of determination, advocacy, and luck, Aisha successfully secured a home for her family.

Gerda also worked closely with the Salvation Army Housing Services, another organization we collaborate with, to ensure Aisha could pay rent for the first two months. In addition, she tirelessly sought out household goods to furnish the new home, ensuring the family of six could settle in comfortably.

The Caroline Chisholm Society’s approach is to work alongside other organisations to provide comprehensive support to families in need. For Aisha, this meant assistance with securing rent, bond, and furniture, and creating a stable, safe environment for her children. Now that her family is housed, Aisha is looking ahead. She plans to renew her qualifications and work in the disability support sector once her youngest daughter starts school.

Housing is a fundamental need for families, providing the security they require to thrive. In a time of housing uncertainty, the Society continues to work hard to ensure that families like Aisha’s have a place to call home. This is another success story of providing shelter and stability to a family in need.

Goal 1 - Keeping Families Together

Key Impacts & Outcomes

Helping Families

11

920+

609

families supported through our meeting services

families seeking parenting improvement services

Image from our 2024 Sing & Grow sessions

A sample of our material aid packs

1200

4824

children were given material aid through our Every Child Program

material aid items provided worth:

70+

50+

80+

102+

women reported a history of child protection involvement as young children

women received our direct perinatal mental health services

women presented with mental health issues impacting parenting capacity

women presented with disabilities including 14 with intellectual disabilities

$484,428

Housing & Homelessness

67

56

households experienced housing as an issue, of which

women with children experienced homelessness

Family Violence

70+ women reported family violence as an issue

Pictured: CCS client family photoshoot

Goal 2 - Strengthening Our Impact First 1000 Days

116

291

pregnant women were referred to the Society

children under 5 years and 174 under 2 years and their families requiring intensive support services

Pictured: CCS client and baby

First 1000 Days and Early Years

Key Impacts & Outcomes

Shepparton

154

15

families accessed over 468 sessions of outreach services

families with complex case work

Integrated Family Services Pictured: CCS former client Loredana and her child

15,502

12,949

sessions of integrated family services conducted

hours of practitioner time in sessions

35,000

1,130

kilometres covered across western suburbs of Melbourne

hours on the road to provide place-based programs, outreach and home visits.

Pictured: former client Seval and her two children

12

Top 4 Identified Goals for Mothers when goal setting 1

Mental, emotional and cognitive health

3

Safety and stability in the home

2

Physical health

4

Family and social support networks

Goal setting outcomes in keeping children safe & 49% Improvement understanding of child development

26%

Improvement in emotional wellbeing

25,000+ people reached through social media accounts to raise awareness

Key Impacts & Outcomes

24% Improvement in social networks

13

Pictured: three of our regular volunteers at the Essendon site making material aid packs

Referrals

49%

38%

7%

6%

Community services referrals including family violence and police; maternal and child health services

Self-referral

Child Protection

Hospitals

Every Child Program

11,788+ 1169+

14,976+ 1,730

Hours of consult sessions with mothers requesting material aid and short interventions

Kilograms of donated goods sorted, packed and distributed

Vulnerable children supported with material aid and supports

Volunteering hours contributed in the value of $60,000 of valued time.

Goal 3 - Develop & Nurture our People Over the past 12 months, the Society has continued its commitment to ensuring that we meet our goal to develop & nurture our people.

The Society’s staff are well trained and supported in their roles, undertaking over 19 all-staff training in the year 2023-2024.

Notable training includes: Mental Health First Aid Cultural Diversity & Trauma Informed Practices Training Motivational Interviewing How to Prepare for Court Involving Fathers Outcome Star Refresher training In addition to All-Staff training, there were workshops on case presentation, outcomes and evidenced based and strength-based practice training.

Key Impacts & Outcomes

These additional workshops and training provided the platform for staff to share their knowledge and case work experience as well as reflect on their practice.

14

Pictured: CCS 2024 Staff Day at CERES

Volunteers The Society takes great pride in the tradition and heritage of volunteering – it was as a volunteer organisation the Society developed into the professional organisation it is today.

Volunteering continues to be a vital part of our work, providing material aid in donations, sorting and packing as well as outreach to families across Victoria.

Kaye Murphy – Thank you for your ongoing support for the Society

Thank you Kaye

In 1969, at just 19 years and one week old, Kaye became a single mother with the birth of her son, a time when it was uncommon for mothers to keep their babies rather than placing them up for adoption. Kaye lived in the countryside with her newborn, her parents, and five siblings.

15

Years later, as a member of the Country Women’s Association (CWA), Kaye heard about the ongoing work of the Caroline Chisholm Society in supporting women, children, and especially young, single mothers.

Grateful for the kindness and support she received in 1972, Kaye decided to continue giving back.

Today, she actively supports the Society both personally and through the CWA, donating and sourcing material aid to help other women and children.

In her words, it is her way of repaying the compassion shown to her all those years ago.

In 1971, she was selected to join Victoria Police, requiring her to leave her two-year-old son in the care of her family while she moved to Melbourne.

During this challenging time, someone suggested that Kaye reach out to The Caroline Chisholm Society for assistance in bringing her son to Melbourne.

“I visited the office in Park Street, Moonee Ponds, and spoke with a staff member about my situation. After a few discussions, I realised that with shift work and no family support in Melbourne, it wasn’t feasible to bring my son to live with me,” Kaye recalled.

“I was incredibly grateful for the advice and support I received at that time. For a while afterward, I donated clothing to the Society as a way of saying thank you.”

Pictured: Kaye Murphy

Our Impact - Shepparton Since our inception in 1978, the Goulburn Valley Pregnancy and Family Support has been a cornerstone of the wider Shepparton community, offering free confidential services to pregnant women and vulnerable families with children from 0 to 5 years of age.

In 2023-2024, our Goulburn Valley team supported more than 140 families, dedicating over 616 hours and running more than 740 sessions. Assessment and planning and material aid sessions were the top two services accessed by our clients.

Pictured: CCS Shepparton Staff members

We estimate that the services we offer in the Goulburn Valley are valued between $200,000 to $300,000 per year. This includes the cost of volunteer time and the provision of material aid. Our dedicated volunteer base plays an indispensable role in our operations, ensuring that material aid is meticulously sorted, packed, and ready for distribution to families in need. The extensive involvement of our volunteers highlights the community’s dedication and the substantial impact of volunteer efforts. This contribution emphasizes the importance of community engagement in sustaining our operations and enhancing the overall effectiveness of our material aid program.

These efforts are made possible through the generous donations of in-kind goods and clothing from our community and local partners. Over 4,680 kilograms of clothing are donated annually to our Goulburn Valley site, diverted from landfill, demonstrating our commitment to reducing waste and providing essential resources to those in need.

Our work in the Goulburn Valley also has a significant impact on women who are at risk of having an unborn child report. An unborn child report occurs 16

when Child Protection services receive and share information about the mother of an unborn child with a service provider for assessing risk or seeking advice. This period, before the baby is born, is often a missed opportunity to connect expectant mothers with prevention and early intervention services. In 2023-2024, we assisted with 15 unborn reports through Goulburn Valley. This is a significant number, considering that over 2,000 women in Victoria are at risk of having an unborn report filed every year1.

Our work in the Goulburn Valley demonstrates the significant impact of early intervention. By engaging with women early, we aim to divert them away from Child Protection and provide necessary support to ensure the safety and well-being of both mother and child.

This proactive approach not only prevents the immediate trauma of newborn removals but also promotes long-term family stability and child wellbeing. Investing in these preventative measures ensures a stronger, more resilient support network for vulnerable families and contributes to the overall social and economic stability of the Goulburn Valley region.

Thank you for supporting Caroline Chisholm Society

Caroline Chisholm Society Caroline Chisholm Society Keep in touch and up to date with our latest news, scan this QR code:

T: 03 9361 7000 E: info@caroline.org.au A: 977 Mt Alexander Road, Essendon 3040 1 Darebin Place, Caroline Springs 3023 15A St Andrews Road, Shepparton 3630