Children & Families

The After School Care operates week-days after school . The program provides activities for children from 5 yrs old to 16 yrs old. Activities are based around health, fitness, hygiene and team play.

The After School program has a policy “No School, No Pool” in partnership with the Minyerri Primary School. The Billa-Pool provides a refreshing activity for the kids to cool off of hot afternoons. Activities are also run at the recreation basketball court to keep our children fit and healthy.

The Vacation Care program operates through School Holidays. A schedule of activities are organised and planned to keep the children in community busy over the holiday period.

​Family life is central for Arrernte people, when the elders started Akeyulerre they wanted to make a place that families feel comfortable to sit down together, heal and show respect for each other. At Akeyulerre we support the cultural systems and connections that hold families together and keep them strong, we understand the importance and challenges of living in large family networks.

Our ‘family nights’ happen monthly, bringing together and celebrating Arrernte families, we share stories, teach our kids and enjoy time together. We run annual Healing Camps on country to deepen our connections and to keep teaching our young people about country, language and healing.

The heart of our families is with our elders. At Akeyulerre our elders are employed to guide our work, teach the younger generations and provide important healing services within our community. We support our elders to sustain their roles as knowledge holders and carers, in their families and communities, as well as offer practical help for everyday life.

Family Support Services
The Family Support Service program invites Arrernte families to share their stories about what is important for them to be strong and safe. Akeyulerre will work with our families and elders to apply their understanding of being resilient and connected, to inform a model of care that will help Anglicare work well with Arrernte families.

Ampe Akweke Place (Mothers and Babies Place) is a program for young woman, 13 to 23 years of age, who are having a baby or have a baby 2 years and under. Ampe Akweke offers both outreach support and residential support, if the young women have nowhere suitable and safe to stay. Young women can stay in a safe house for up to three months.

Ampe Akweke works with young women to ensure they have theirs, their unborn child or their babies health needs met. Ampe Akweke residential support workers provide parenting, education and support as well as case management to all young women accessing the program.

Ampe Akweke house is a 5 bed facility that caters to the current needs of each individual who requires a safe space. Ampe Akweke’s main goal is to create independency, seek safe housing options and provide support for raising strong, healthy babies.

Please contact the Team Leader by calling or texting 0429 405 082 for further information.

We provide confidential, non-clinical, non-financial support to anyone who has lost a child from conception to 18 years. This loss can be through miscarriage, stillbirth, termination, SUDI (Inc. SIDS, sudden illness, youth suicide and accidents.

We also support families with pregnancies after loss, helping to relieve common anxieties.

Our Support Officers are mobile and can meet clients a various different locations around Darwin, Palmerston and the surrounds.

Support can be face to face or via the use of technology.

The Child and Family Contact Service (CFCS) supports children and young people in the care of the CEO of Territory Families to have meaningful and quality contact with their parents and family members. Families are supported to develop parenting skills and a safe environment to help facilitate the return of children into their care. Where reunification is not possible at that time,children and families are provided with contact opportunities that enhance connection to family,culture and community. Referrals are through Territory Families,Housing & Communities.

HIPPY is a free two-year, play based curriculum of fun activity packs. Starting when your child turns 3, your HIPPY Tutor will practice the activities with you during home visits. Each pack has activities for you to do with your child and ideas so that learning can happen anywhere and any time.

HIPPY assists children to become curious learners and to achieve important developmental milestones.

The Intensive Family and Parenting Support (IFPS) helps keep vulnerable families together by providing trauma informed assistance where children are vulnerable to, or have been identified by Child Protection as at risk of, significant harm. Through assertive outreach, intensive engagement and case management families engage with practical and educational supports to strengthen parenting skills, connect with family networks and engage with community supports to sustain safe environments and promote the preservation of the family. The program works closely with Elders and locally based community, health and support services. *Referrals are through Territory Families, Housing & Communities.

The Ngukurr Freshwater Playgroup is based at the at the Guluman Child and Family Centre. The Playgroup is staffed by a pool of locally based Aboriginal Playgroup Workers and operates in collaboration with the Family as First Teachers (FAFT) program. Activities are age and stage appropiate and encourage parental/carer engagement,cultural connections and school readiness.

The Numbulwar Saltwater Playgroup is based at the Numbulwar School. The Playgroup is staffed by a pool of locally based Aboriginal Playgroup Workers and operates in collaboration with the Family as First Teachers (FAFT) program. Activities are age and stage appropiate and encourage parental/ carer engagement,cultural connections and school readiness.

Pandanus is a free,voluntary and confidential youth friendly Child Birth Education and Perinatal support service. It is for pregnant young women and young parents (12 – 25 years of age). Midwives provide one off Child Birth Education (CBE) information sessions,adapted CBE group courses. The Caseworker provides short term case management support,practical assistance,referrals to ongoing assistance and new parent information and connection group sessions. Pandanus promotes healthy relationships,pregnancy awareness,positive parenting and peer support and is guided by a Youth and Professionals Reference Groups.