SHINE
Are you worried about your child’s wellbeing? Family Life’s SHINE program can help strengthen your child’s resilience and coping skills by offering wellbeing strategies.
If you’ve noticed that your child is feeling anxious, angry, frequently upset, or sad, or if they’ve experienced a change in their usual behavior or wellbeing, Family Life is here to help. Our SHINE program supports children and their families, guiding them toward happier, healthier lives.
About This Service
SHINE is an early intervention program, assisting children and their families who are feeling the effects of challenging situations or experiences. It aims to reduce the risk of a child developing or experiencing an escalation in mental health concerns by helping them to strengthen their resilience and coping skills.
SHINE is available to support children in the following circumstances:
- Children showing early signs of developing mental health concerns.
- Children who need support regaining confidence or requires support to improve their wellbeing.
- Children who have a parent experiencing mental health concerns.
Is This Program for My Child?
The SHINE program supports vulnerable children aged 0-18 and their families, who live in the Casey and Greater Dandenong (Victoria) regions.
For support and advice outside the Greater Dandenong and Casey areas, please contact Family Life for alternative service suggestions.
How We Help
Our Child and Family Practitioners work with young people and their families to address key issues and strengthen their resilience and wellbeing.
Depending on your child’s situation, we’ll work with you and your child either on a short-term (up to 6 weeks) or long-term basis (up to 6 months).
Both pathways will involve your child:
- Working closely with a case worker
- Talking about issues they are experiencing
- Identifying areas they would like to improve on
- Learning about mental health and wellbeing
- Taking part in small group work
Additionally, we’ll also work closely with you and your family to support and manage your child’s wellbeing. We can assist you to gain a better understanding of mental health and connect you with other supports services where necessary.
Getting Started
If you would like to know more or check your eligibility, contact Family Life on (03) 8599 5433 or visit our Contact Us page. To request support from this service, please complete this online support request form.
We’ll do a quick assessment to see if SHINE fits your situation. If it does, we’ll assign a case manager who’ll work with you to identify areas where SHINE can make a difference.
Imran's Story
‘Imran’, a 9 year old boy, was referred to the SHINE program due to concerns about the impact of family violence and parental separation. Imran needed support in relation to emotional regulation, low self-esteem, low mood, and behavioural issues both at school and home.
Our SHINE program was not only able to provide the support that Imran needed, but created increased stability in his environment through working together with his mother and his school.
FAQs
How do I know if my child would benefit from the SHINE program?
If your child has experienced difficult circumstances, is acting out or you’re wondering how to best support your child, SHINE could assist your family. SHINE is equipped to provide a multitude of strategies that could assist your child to better manage their emotions or possible referral to other more specialised services.
Here are a few ways you can tell if your child is at-risk of developing mental health concerns:
- Regularly anxious or distressed
- Struggling to overcome recurring problems
- Unable to sleep, eat or concentrate
- Avoiding regular social or family activities
- Demonstrating/experiencing challenging behaviours at home/school/community
- Finding it challenging adapting to their new cultural environment as newly arrived migrants and refugees.
English is not mine or my child's first language, can I still access the SHINE program?
If you struggle to communicate in English, we have bilingual case managers and have access to interpreters to communicate with you in your native language.
How much does it cost to access the SHINE program?
SHINE is funded by the Federal Department of Social Services to deliver support for children and their families in Casey and Greater Dandenong regions. There is no cost to access SHINE services.
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