What sets BABI apart from many other youth services is that our first priority is to help young people stay connected with family and community. We do this by working alongside young  people and their families.
We help young people identify their goals and innate strengths, give them the tools to plan for the future, assist them in accessing resources, and provide targeted support to help them achieve their goals.
Over the years BABI has developed real expertise in developing young peoples’ skills and resilience so they can move forward with confidence.
We’ve also had tremendous success helping parents develop the skills and knowledge necessary to make the job of parenting teenagers a genuinely enriching and pleasurable experience.
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Services Offered
BABI offers a professional counselling services to parents and carers, including Young Parents, living in Bayside.
In the Family Support Program, counselling services are offered to family members, those who are parenting, in relation to families with children and young people (aged 0-18 years) who find themselves in vulnerable situations, but are not currently subject to statutory child protection intervention.
Counselling is provided in a safe, respectful and supportive environment by caring and professional counsellors.
Counselling assists you to consider your options, your personal and parenting goals, and to enhance your relationships, through a process of change in your life. You may attend as an individual, couple, or with any of your family members or other  significant people in your life.
Counselling Services aim to: -Improve the wellbeing and safety of children, young people and their families -Promote healthy and respectful communication and relationships -Promote positive and developmentally appropriate parenting skills -Help preserve families -Prevent entry/re-entry into the statutory child protection system
Counselling provides opportunities for clients to find positive and practical ways to work on improving communication, reduce family conflict and enhance your relationships.
A range of approaches and theoretical frameworks are drawn upon to facilitate counselling at BABI, including family centred approach, goal-directed, strengths and solution focused practice, narrative therapy, systems theory, attachment theory, trauma informed practice, developmental theory across life stages, play therapy, art and creative therapies, mindfulness. Although not an exhaustive list of theories and approaches used, it provides some understanding of the specialist knowledge and skills utilised in practice.
Fees and Payment
Counselling is provided free of charge for those who meet the program eligibility criteria.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono
If You Call, Please Let Us Know How it Went:
Were You Able to Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
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.