Pathfinders is a not-for-profit organisation providing family and community services in the North-West and Mid North Coast of NSW for over 30 years.
We facilitate foster care, out-of-home care, homelessness services, family referral services and supported independent living for young people.
We carry out additional functions such as delivering tailored services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, providing support services for people with disability, and offering early education programs and training programs for young people.
Family and Community Services
Our Family Connect and Support program is a home visiting and outreach service which aims to engage and link families with relevant services that best meet their needs in a manner that is culturally appropriate. As a key initiative of the Government’s Keep Them Safe Action Plan these services are implemented by NSW Health. Pathfinders FCS assists children and young people who do not meet the statutory threshold for child protection intervention but would benefit from accessing support to address current problems and prevent future escalations.
In delivery of FCS Pathfinders has a broad range of partnership and referral arrangements with other community and government agencies.
We have formal relationships (through Memorandum of Understanding) with the Bila Muuji Aboriginal Health Service and the Northern Region Aboriginal Alliance, which represents 14 Aboriginal Lands Councils. We have a range of agreements in place that support our FCS school and visiting services presence.
Mid North Coast interagency relationships and meetings
- Taree: Mental Health Interagency; Child Health Interagency,
- Port Macquarie: Hastings Interagency.
- Coffs Harbour: Youth Action Meeting; Safety Action Meeting; Coffs Harbour Child and Family Interagency; Coffs Committee Against Domestic Violence. Coffs Harbour Aboriginal Interagency; Family Law Pathway Network; Y-Net at Groundworks; Coffs Harbour Area Disability Employment and Education Network; Coffs Harbour Area Disability Employment and Education Network; Child Protection Week Planning Interagency; Community of Support.
- Kempsey: Child and family interagency Kempsey and Nambucca meetings.
Regional NSW family and community services in local schools and facilities
- The converted Royal Hotel in Glen Innes (a community service and activity hub developed by Pathfinders that also provides Special Homelessness Services)
- SHS Outreach,
- Ashford Central School,
- Ashford – Bun Bun Aboriginal Playgroup,
- Inverell – Women’s and Children’s Refuge,
- Gunnedah/Narrabri- Aboriginal Early Years Program,
- Gunnedah High,
- Gunnedah Public School,
- Gunnedah South School,
- Tamworth – Oxley Vale School,
- Tamworth – Hillvue School,
- Armidale – Homes North, and Youth Refuge.
Our friendly staff helps connect families with appropriate services that best meet their needs, including:
- Domestic family violence (DFV) counselling/support
- Drug/Alcohol Programs
- Family Support
- Mental Health Services
- Parenting Programs
- Education and Employment
- Housing
- Counselling
- Youth Support Groups
- Centrelink
For more information please Contact Us.
