Berry Street is one of Australia’s largest independent family service organisations and has been operating since 1877.
We believe that children, young people and families should be safe, thriving and hopeful.
Berry Street provides programs to more than 35,000 children, young people and families each year.
Services Offered
Our parenting and family services aim to increase parenting skills and knowledge so that families and their children can be safe, thriving and hopeful.
Our services include: -family therapy -programs that help to develop parenting skills -financial literacy programs -support for separated families.
Matters is a free family therapy program run by Berry Street that supports families who live in Melbourne's North East region. The program works with a diverse range of families who are experiencing challenges with family functioning and connection.
Our therapists support families with a range of issues, including: -challenging adolescent behaviours -family conflict -loss and trauma.
The program has a focus on improving family relationships and preventing family breakdown. Our family therapists work with the ‘whole of family’, which allows various family members to attend sessions. This approach gives each family member the opportunity to express their thoughts or feelings, not only about the problem, but also possible solutions.
The Matters program aims to help families: -strengthen the connection between older children or adolescents and their family -increase parenting confidence, capacity and skills -experience less stress, conflict and harmful behaviours -have more positive family relationships.
Adolescents who have participated in the program often say they feel more supported and better able to communicate with their parent.
Berry Street's trauma services help children, young people and families heal and recover from trauma. Our Victoria-wide therapeutic service, Take Two, helps to address the mental health impacts on children of the trauma they have experienced from abuse, neglect or adverse experiences.
Take Two supports families and caregivers nurturing babies, children and young people aged 0 to 17 years old. We use clinical frameworks, neurobiological research and evidence-informed approaches to understand a child’s experience through their eyes. We know the children we work with are not to blame for the trauma they are suffering.
The damage done from within relationships can only be healed within relationships. That's why we work to repair or create new networks of caring relationships in a child’s life. Real change can happen for a child when the adults in their life understand what they need.
We have the skills and expertise to see the child, their feelings and needs rather than just their behaviours. We can help a child understand their emotions, build on their strengths and encourage their hopes for the future. All babies, children and young people have the right to feel safe, loved and valued.
Fees and Payment
Therapeutic and counselling services are free of charge.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.
