Please see all available programs below, and click on their titles to visit the corresponding websites for more information.
| Program name and provider | Program description and aims | Program structure and dosage | Where the program is operating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violence prevention programs | |||
| Sisters Day In Djirra (previously known as Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service) | This program focuses on the prevention of family violence against Aboriginal women, by addressing the root causes of family violence and victimisation. | This program offers family violence education, including information on how legal and other services can assist women and children to achieve safer outcomes. The day also includes pampering such as hairdressing, massage, and nail treatments. | Dame Phyllis Frost Centre and Community Correctional Services. |
| Community re-entry programs | |||
| Beyond Survival Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency | The program helps to reintegrate women (and men) into their family and community once they are released from prison and helps stop the cycle of re-offending. Program includes healing and connection with community and culture, community re-entry and in-prison visits from Elders. | In community, post release. | Victoria Women’s Correctional Centres. |
| Parenting programs | |||
| Growing Up Kids Relationships Australia, Victoria | This program focuses on the development of culturally focused parenting practices, ensuring that children are provided for and protected. | Information not available. | Victoria Women’s Correctional Centres. |
| Keeping Us Together Shine4Kids | The Keeping Us Together parenting program is offered to Mums in custody and helps them to understand the dynamics of and build confidence in building healthy, respectful relationships with their children. | The program is structured into 6 workshops, 2 hours each, with each workshop focusing on a particular component of the parent– child relationship. | Secure, open custody, and transitional correctional centres across Victoria. |
| Visiting and mother-child connection programs | |||
| Child/Parent Activity Days Shine4Kids | This day provides an extended visit where children and parents can interact and bond. The days provide 4-hour visits which includes everyday activities such a creating art and craft or play ball. The visit includes a morning tea and lunch. | 4 hour extended visit once a term, during school holidays. | Victoria Women’s Correctional Centres. |
| Story Time Shine4Kids | This program enables parents in custody to strengthen their bond with their children, by reading them a story on pre-recorded audio. | Stories are pre-recorded onto a CD or Hallmark recordable book by the parent. The book and/or CD are forwarded onto the child so that they can read the book while listening to their parent’s voice reading the story. | Secure, open custody, and transitional Correctional Centres throughout Victoria. |
| Alcohol and drug use treatment programs | |||
| Intensive Alcohol and Drug Program Provider not specified | This program addresses chronic alcohol or illicit drug problems. The programs combine traditional pyscho-educational components with intensive treatment in its approach. | In custody - run over 9 modules. | Northern Territory Correctional Centres. |
| Work skills and traineeship programs | |||
| Time to Work (Employment Services provided by Career Employment Australia Ltd) 13 providers deliver the service. Their details are available on the website link provided. | The Time to Work Employment Service assists sentenced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners to access support for employment and reintegration into the community upon their release from prison. | Must be sentenced and within 2 to 4 months of their release from prison. Sessions and formats differ. | Available in all States. |
| Healing and cultural programs | |||
| Dilly Bag Djirra (Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service) | Dilly Bag draws on cultural principles and the strength of Aboriginal heritage to promote healing, to motivate and to unlock the potential within each participant according to their expectations and circumstances. This program is an intensive trauma treatment program. | Information not available. | Dame Phyllis Frost Centre and Community Correctional Services. |
| Marumali Healing Program Connecting Home Ltd and Winangali-Marumali | This is a group-based healing program for stolen generation members, their families, and their communities. The Marumali program aims to increase the quality of support available for Aboriginal survivors of removal policies to identify and understand their trauma, on their 'healing journey'. | 4-day workshops are held in correctional centres. | Correctional Centres across Victoria. |
| Torch Program Victorian Department of Justice | The in-prison component is run across all 14 Victorian correctional facilities. Incarcerated Indigenous men and women are supported by Indigenous Arts Officers to learn more about their language group, culture, and Country, and provided support with art skills development. | Sessions are run with men and women in custody. Dosage information not available. | 14 Correctional Centres across Victoria. |
| Women's Journey Relationships Australia Victoria | A cultural strengthening and healing program, supporting women who have experienced trauma from violence and victimisation. | In custody. Information not available. | Community Correctional Services, and Correctional Centres across Victoria. |
| General offending programs | |||
| Making Choices Provider not specified | Making Choices is a moderate intensity women’s program for female prisoners that addresses general offending behaviour. The program uses a range of treatment methods effective in reducing recidivism, including relapse prevention planning, problem solving, safety planning, mood management techniques and the use of cognitive behavioural methods. | Support matched to different presenting needs, may include a few months before release and a few months post release. | Victoria Women’s Correctional Centres. |
| Playgroup programs | |||
| Playgroups Shine4Kids | The Shine4Kids program provides opportunities for parents and children to enhance their relationship in a supportive environment, increase their parenting skills and confidence and develop valuable social and family support networks. | This program runs once a week, for a 2-hour session. | Secure, open custody, and transitional Correctional Centres throughout Victoria. |
| Stay Together, Play Together Shine4Kids | Stay Together and Play Together offers high-quality, fun, structured and unstructured play experiences and provides opportunities for play-based learning to support positive child development. | This program runs once a week, for a 2-hour session. | Secure, open custody, and transitional Correctional Centres throughout Victoria. |
| Support programs for children with an incarcerated mother | |||
| Ride By Your Side Shine4Kids | A mentorship program for children with a mother in prison. The program provides children with a supportive, caring, and non-judgmental adult mentor. The mentor engages the child in a relaxed environment as they travel to and from the prison where their mother is held. Mentoring continues fortnightly post a mother's release if it is within the 12 months. | This is a 12-month program that runs monthly on weekdays or weekends. | Victoria Women’s Correctional Centres. |
| Rise Shine4Kids | This program is an educational support for children with incarcerated parents. | This program offers a one-on-one mentoring out of the classroom bi-weekly for 1 hour to a student with a parent in prison. | Victoria (Kempsey, Townsville, Brimbank, Frankson, Clarence, Goulbarn, Cessnock). |