Child, Youth and Family
From a child’s first playgroup to a young person accessing individual support, CRCS Child, Youth and Families services created welcoming places where people could connect, build confidence and access support.
During 2025–26, Youth Engagement, Family Support, Family Foundations, Bungee and Wellbeings delivered early intervention, family and therapeutic support, education, creative programs and community activities. Guided by participant feedback and strengthened through partnerships with schools, community organisations and specialist providers, services responded to the needs and experiences of children, young people and families.
This work contributed to meaningful social impact by supporting people before challenges escalated, strengthening social and emotional wellbeing, and building confidence, skills and community connections. Teams also improved pathways to CRCS and external services and delivered safe, inclusive, accessible and culturally responsive programs.
Connection and Belonging
Through playgroups, youth programs, family support and wellbeing services, Child, Youth and Families creates welcoming spaces where people can connect with others who share similar experiences and life stages. Playgroups provide important safe and informal “third spaces”, where families see familiar faces each week, share experiences and build friendships that often continue beyond the CRCS setting. Alongside community activities and individual support, these programs strengthen social networks, reduce isolation and help children, young people and families feel connected and supported.
74%
of surveyed Bungee participants
reported feeling accepted by others and that they belonged somewhere.
Confidence in making new friends among surveyed Bungee participants increased from
45% before the program to 74% afterwards.
80%
of surveyed Family Support participants said
CRCS always helped them connect and engage with their community.
“The best thing about playgroups is that there are multiple groups organised every week. It can be really isolating and overwhelming being a stay-at-home mum and finding the motivation to take your kids to fun places by yourself. Feeling really blessed these groups exist and are even free of charge.”
– Playgroups participant
Youth Engagement
100% of young people surveyed said CRCS helps them connect to and engage with their community most of the time or always. Youth Engagement provides welcoming spaces where young people can spend time with peers, participate in activities and events, develop trusted relationships and connect with support without judgement.
Family Foundations
83% of playgroup participants surveyed said CRCS helps them connect to and engage with their community. Playgroups bring families together to build friendships, strengthen local connections and access support.
Family Support and Education
Family Support helps families strengthen connections with community, services and support. After the program, parents’ ability to build an emotional connection with their child increased from 69% to 89%, alongside parenting education and community-based support.
Bungee Youth Resilience Art-based Program
Bungee uses art, creativity, counselling and group experiences to help children and young people build relationships, strengthen social confidence and connect with others. After the program, the proportion who felt confident making new friends increased from 45% to 74%.
98% would recommend CRCS to their family, friends and community (this applies to all Child, Youth and Families )
Purpose and Wellbeing
Child, Youth and Families helps children, young people and parents build confidence, skills and resilience to navigate challenges and pursue opportunities that matter to them. Support ranges from emotional regulation and parenting confidence to practical life skills, independence, education and employment pathways.
89% of surveyed Bungee participants
reported being able to find ways to feel calm.
78% of surveyed Bungee participants
reported feeling confident and believing in themselves.
100% of surveyed Circle of Security
participants said they felt more confident as parents and better understood their child’s behaviour.
“The support I received over the six weeks helped transform the way I communicate with my children. Since completing the program, the level of respect between us and our family dynamics have improved significantly.”
– Parent, Tuning in to Teens participant
Youth Engagement
Youth Engagement helps young people build practical skills, confidence and independence through individual support and education and employment pathways. After completing Easy P, 100% felt more confident making safer road-safety choices, while Bridge to Brighter Futures helps young people prepare for further study or employment.
Family Foundations
Through Family Foundations, child and family practitioners work with the whole family for up to 18 free sessions to strengthen children’s development and family wellbeing, build parents’ and carers’ confidence, address challenges and connect families with other supports early.
Family Support and Education
Evidence-based programs including Circle of Security and Tuning in to Kids help strengthen family relationships. After Circle of Security, 100% of surveyed parents felt more confident, while their average ability to identify children’s emotional needs increased by 21%.
Bungee Youth Resilience Art-based Program
Through creative and therapeutic approaches, Bungee helps children and young people express emotions, build confidence and manage challenges. Following the program, strong agreement about expressing feelings increased by 37%.
Participant Voice
Children, young people and families are more likely to benefit from services when they feel listened to and can influence the support they receive. Across Child, Youth and Families, participant feedback shapes individual support, group activities and broader service delivery, keeping programs responsive to people’s needs and aspirations.
100% of surveyed Family Foundations participants
said CRCS consulted with them and provided choice and control.
85% of surveyed Bungee participants
said important people listened to and understood how they were feeling.
74% of surveyed Bungee participants
reported feeling able to be themselves around other people.
Youth Engagement
Young people’s feedback directly shapes Youth Engagement activities, opening arrangements, outreach and events, with Advantaged Thinking placing young people’s strengths, aspirations and potential at the centre of the program.
Family Foundations
Family Foundations works closely with parents and caregivers to understand their circumstances and priorities, helping families influence the support they receive and connecting them with assistance that responds to their individual needs.
Family Support and Education
Family Support works collaboratively with families, tailoring support and education to their circumstances and offering flexible approaches, including individual delivery where barriers make participation in group programs difficult.
Bungee Youth Resilience Art-based Program
Bungee creates supportive environments where children and young people can express themselves, share how they are feeling and influence their experience, with participant feedback helping guide therapeutic and creative approaches.
Highlights
Celebrating creativity through Bungee
Two Bungee exhibitions showcased children’s and young people’s creativity, attracting more than 200 people to their opening events. The exhibitions gave participants an opportunity to proudly share their artwork, ideas and experiences with family, friends and the broader community.
Harmony Day: celebrating diversity
Families came together for Harmony Day through culturally responsive activities, shared stories, songs and the creation of a 100-metre community paper chain. The chain represented the diversity, connection and collective strength of the Family Foundations community.
Wear It Purple Week
Young people celebrated pride, inclusion and self-expression through a week of activities, including drag makeup sessions, live performances, trivia, prizes and a vibrant community celebration.
Building emotional literacy through art
Bungee continued to explore creative ways to strengthen resilience. Art and emotional literacy activities helped children recognise, express and better understand their feelings in safe and accessible ways.
National Playgroup Week
Families celebrated National Playgroup Week with face painting, music, games and interactive activities. The event created joyful opportunities for children and caregivers to connect, form relationships and feel part of their local community.
Our programs at a glance
These highlights show the scale and breadth of our work during 2025–26. They complement the impact and outcomes shared throughout this report, providing a fuller picture of what we delivered.
Youth Engagement
Youth Engagement combined centre-based activities, including Friday night dinners and Bit Bent, with outreach, early intervention, education and employment pathways, wellbeing assistance and individualised Planned Support. Young people aged 10–24 accessed welcoming spaces, practical help and tailored support. School outreach expanded, alongside holiday Drop-Ins and activities shaped by young people’s feedback.
- 371 people engaged with the service
- 4018 individual engagements
- 402 people participated in youth holiday activities
- 164 people regularly participated in centre-based activities
- 89 people obtained their learner licence through the Pre-Learner Licence Course
- 25 people participated in Bridge to Brighter Futures program.
Family Support and Education
Family Support provided early intervention, parenting education, service coordination and community connections. Families received practical, individualised assistance to address challenges early, strengthen relationships and access specialist support. Evidence-based parenting programs were delivered in groups or one-to-one where barriers existed, alongside culturally responsive outreach and collaboration with the West Belconnen Child and Family Centre.
- 80 families received Family Support
- 67 families were referred to the service
- 175 participants attended 17 family education groups, including Circle of Security, Tuning in to Kids and Seasons for Growth
- 128 participants took part in 8 community groups delivered with the West Belconnen Child and Family Centre.
Family Foundations
Family Foundations expanded its team and reach through playgroups, early intervention, parenting education and wraparound support. Playgroup attendance doubled (and sometimes tripled) while strengthened referral pathways and partnerships with more than 80 organisations helped families access coordinated support.
- 1,401 children and 1,069 parents and caregivers participating
- in playgroups
- 161 playgroups delivered
- 19 referrals received
- 16 participants receiving wraparound support across 90 session s
- 263 hours of support provided at CRCS early childhood centres
- 13 INFANT sessions and 18 Circle of Security Parenting sessions delivered
Bungee Youth Resilience Art-Based Program
Bungee used creative and therapeutic approaches to strengthen the emotional and social wellbeing of children, young people and families. Programs combined art, emotional literacy and counselling for children, teenagers and families. Bungee also delivered Tuning in to Kids and Tuning in to Teens and held two exhibitions showcasing participants’ artwork.
- 3,173 individual participations across Bungee activities
- Four school-holiday programs at Florey Primary School
Wellbeings
Wellbeings, CRCS’s multidisciplinary allied health practice, provides accessible, evidence-based psychology, counselling and autism and ADHD assessments for children, young people, adults and families. During 2025–26, CRCS strengthened intake, clinical and assessment systems. A new partnership with Think Mental Health created more connected pathways and supported expanded service delivery.
Real People, Real Connections
Here, we share how CRCS services make a real difference in the lives of participants, families and communities.
Max’s Journey: Finding a Place to Connect
Discover how a safe, welcoming environment helped Max participate at their own pace, build confidence and begin forming meaningful connections with other young people.
Big Voices From Little Humans
Creative, child-friendly feedback gave children a meaningful say in their playgroups, helping the Family Foundations team understand what matters to them and shape future activities.