Lagolago Malosi Faaleaiga (IFS)

Intensive Family Support (IFS) supports families at high risk of child protection involvement to keep their children safe, make positive changes, and thrive.

We recognise that parents can experience challenges such as trauma and disadvantage, social isolation, service system fragmentation, and structural barriers that may impact your ability to care for children.

We believe that you are the best person to meet these challenges. We work with you to identify and strengthen what you’re good at, build your community connections, and develop goals and plans that support change for your family.

By the end of the program, we aim for you to:

• feel safe, well and hopeful
• have a safe home to live in
• be financially resilient
• be stable enough to pursue education and employment/volunteering
• have developed knowledge and skills to support your family to thrive
• have connections that enhance your child’s safety.

We will get in touch within a week of receiving your referral. If we are unable to see you immediately (because of high caseloads), we will contact you by telephone weekly until we’re able to support you. IFS is a voluntary program; we only work with you if we have your consent.

Support is available in person through outreach in homes, in the community, and at places where families feel comfortable. We can also use a range of contact methods, depending on your family’s preferences.

When we start working with you, we help you identify what is important to you and your family and what you want to work towards. Everyone’s needs, strengths, and interests are different, so support looks different for each family. These are some examples of what we can help with:

• expanding parenting skills managing money
• learning how to secure and maintain housing
• keeping children safe
• understanding your child’s development and behaviours
• getting out in the community and connecting socially
• learning positive ways of communicating.

We usually work with you for about nine months, but we can extend our support for up to three months if needed. We meet with you once or twice a week.

Intensive Family Support (IFS) accepts referrals from YFS staff, Family and Child Connect (FACC), Child Safety, community-based professionals, community services and government departments.  

Direct referrals can be made using the Family and Child Connect referral form.

Or, to refer someone to IFS, please contact the YFS Office on 07 3826 1500 or email [email protected].    

Intensive Family Support is funded by the Queensland Government, Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety.