Stronger Families, Stronger Communities

National Families Week (15-21 May 2021) celebrates the vital role that families play in teaching, supporting and nurturing children as they grow up.

The week highlights that families are the central building blocks of communities across the Northern Territory. Families come in many shapes and sizes – grandparents, uncles, aunts and older siblings are so important for the safety, wellbeing and development of children.

Anglicare NT supports people across the Northern Territory to build connections that strengthen children, families and communities. Services include playgroups and early learning activities, childbirth education perinatal support, intensive family parenting support, family skills and parenting education. Anglicare NT also provide Territorians with relationship counselling, mediation and post separation support.

We work with local partners in Alice Springs and East Arnhem to strengthen families, provide opportunities and help create child friendly communities and services.

During National Families Week, Anglicare NT is hosting the ‘We Grow Them Up’ Learning Forum on the Gove Peninsula. The forum celebrates and showcases collaborative approaches and culturally meaningful, locally based early childhood, children’s and family support initiatives. It is a genuine two-way learning approach where Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal knowledge is shared and respected.

In Alice Springs, the Child Friendly Alice project continues to work with a range of partners and the wider community on ways to improve opportunities for children to grow up safe, strong and healthy. In May, community members shared their ideas for a child-safe Alice Springs during a child friendly event at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station.