Cafs welcomes Respect Victoria funding to strengthen respectful and safe relationships for Ballarat families

Child and Family Services Ballarat (Cafs) has welcomed funding from Respect Victoria to deliver a new early intervention program that will support children and families to build respectful, safe and healthy relationships.

Cafs has received funding through the Respect Ballarat Grants Program to deliver Primary Connections: Respectful and Safe Relationships in Middle Childhood, an evidence-informed program supporting children aged 8–12 years and their caregivers.

Cafs Chief Executive Officer, Wendy Sturgess, said the funding is a significant investment in Ballarat’s long-term safety and wellbeing.

“We are delighted to receive this funding through Respect Victoria and thank the Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Minister Melissa Horne, for allowing Cafs to deliver the program as part of Respect Ballarat’s response to the prevention of gendered violence,’’ Ms Sturgess said.

“Primary Connections recognises that middle childhood is a critical time to support children who have experienced family violence, before harmful attitudes and behaviours become entrenched. This program allows us to step in early, work alongside families, and intentionally build skills around respect, emotional regulation and healthy relationships.”

The program will work with children and their caregivers through structured group sessions and supported family practice, using trauma-responsive and gender-equitable approaches. It will be delivered in partnership with local primary schools and community organisations, ensuring consistent messages across home, school and community settings.

Ms Sturgess said the program fills an important gap in Ballarat’s prevention system.

“Local schools and services are seeing children carrying the impacts of family violence at younger ages. This program provides a safe, non-stigmatising way to support families early, strengthen relationships and reduce the likelihood of harm escalating later in life,” she said.

“By working with children, caregivers and schools together, Primary Connections supports lasting change that benefits not just individual families, but the whole community.”

The project aligns with Respect Ballarat’s long-term vision to reduce gendered violence through coordinated, community-wide prevention action, and will contribute to strengthening local prevention infrastructure and shared learning.

“This funding demonstrates trust in Cafs’ deep local knowledge and trauma-informed practice, and in the Ballarat community’s ability to work together for change,” Ms Sturgess said.

“We look forward to delivering this program and sharing learnings that support Ballarat’s ongoing efforts to ensure everyone is safe, respected and free from violence.”

Primary Connections will commence in July 2026 and will run for two years.