Late in 1995 Glastonbury moved from Belmont to the current site in Malop Street. This move enhanced the community’s access to Glastonbury and contributed to Glastonbury receiving funding to develop a short to medium term family support service to improve family care so that child protective intervention was not necessary.
In 2003, a number of separate family support programs were combined into Family Based Services. A continuum of service responses (short, medium and limited long term options) offer flexible interventions tailored to meet the needs of children/young people and their families.
The agency has also established new services that respond to the developmental needs of children from socially disadvantaged families, often resulting from generations of neglect or abuse. Parents participate by working in collaboration with staff to provide stimulating programs that promote their children’s development and help them be ready for pre-school and school. This is achieved through the parents being guided with a weekly curriculum, which they provide to their children. Some parents are also employed as tutors to assist other families.
The program of activities stimulates the cognitive, gross and small muscle skills, social skills and self-confidence of children. It also contributes to improved parent-child relationships and to parents’ interest and ability to participate in their child’s progress at kindergarten and primary school, and to undertake further training and employment. These are important factors for school success.
