Taking care of your family’s day-to-day needs can take a lot of time, money and planning for parents and caregivers.
When the unexpected happens — like losing your job or getting sick — families can be stretched to breaking point.
Even during tough times, kids have the right to feel safe and secure.
Support is available to help take the pressure off you and get your family back on track.
ASK can help if you’re struggling with:
- finding a safe place to live for your children, family and pets
- putting food on the table
- your family’s mental health and wellbeing
- having enough money to pay the bills
- finding someone to talk to.
It’s ok to ASK for help. ASK is a safe place.
Housing and emergency housing
SA Housing Authority (formerly the SA Housing Trust) helps provide housing opportunities for all South Australians.
RentRight SA is a free, independent service, helping people maintain their tenancies in private rental, community housing or public housing.
They can help with leases, bond disputes, property maintenance and unpaid rent.
Phone 1800 060 462
Email RentRight SA
Hours: 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Monday to Friday
Nunkuwarrin Yunti delivers culturally based health, social and emotional wellbeing services to build a healthy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. It provides practical support in areas like health, dental, care of children, managing bills, housing and other matters.
There are offices at Elizabeth Downs and Wakefield Street in Adelaide.
Phone 8406 1600
Homeless Connect SA provides crisis advice and accommodation for anyone who is homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Homelessness service provider directory
Provided by Uniting Communities and SYC, they can also connect you with:
- domestic and family violence services
- youth services
- mental health support.
Phone 1800 003 308 (24-hour service)
Centacare can support you to get private rental, advocacy for public housing, emergency accommodation and supportive housing program.
'The Foundry' is a youth hub service for young people (15 to 25) experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. This includes young parents with children.
Phone 1300 306 046
Food help
Ask Izzy is a website that connects people in need with:
- housing
- a meal
- money help
- counselling and much more.
It is free and private.
Foodbank is a not-for-profit food relief organisation. They operate in every state.
Fred’s Van provides a hot meal, fruit and drinks, blankets and beanies at 10 sites.
The Adelaide sites are:
- Aldinga
- Christie Downs
- City centre
- Elizabeth
- Gawler
- Kilburn
- Salisbury
- Semaphore.
Plus :
- Port Lincoln
- Port Pirie.
Check the Fred's Van web page to see where the van will be next.
Anglicare SA provides cheap groceries, nutritious meals and emergency food to support people in times of crisis.
Magdalene Centre (city) - Phone 8305 9434
Elizabeth - Phone 8209 5400
Christies Beach - Phone 1800 748 149
Puddle Jumpers Community Food Nights are every Monday night (including Public Holidays) at their Glandore office.
Offering:
- a market-style food and toiletries collection
- home-cooked meal
- tea and coffee
- Community respite to the parents and carers as they get food, while the children play.
Phone 7071 5270
Mobile 0400 999 349
Email mtate@puddlejumpers.org.au
Managing money
Centrelink provides a one-off crisis payment if you’ve experienced an extreme circumstance and are in severe financial hardship.
Includes:
- COVID-19 isolation
- domestic and family violence
- release from psychiatric confinement
- release from prison.
Centrelink offers other ways of getting help during Covid-19.
Salvos emergency financial assistance supports people who need financial aid. If you're struggling and need assistance the Salvos are here to help.
Phone 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
UnitingCare Wesley Bowden offers free, non-judgemental support for individuals and families experiencing financial difficulty.
Phone 8245 7100
Uniting Country SA can help with budgeting, low income support, utilities literary program and community education. Hours: Monday-Thursday
Phone 1300 067 777
Email financialcounselling@ucsa.org.au
Uniting Communities supports people to manage their finances. Services are free, independent and confidential.
Phone 1800 615 677
Lutheran Community Care has financial counsellors to assist families with a range of services relating to personal finances. The service is free and confidential with a qualified staff member.
ac.care provides free, independent financial counselling services offering information and support to individuals and families who are experiencing financial difficulties.
Affordable SA connects South Australians with support services and financial assistance.
Phone 1800 025 539
Transport
Public Transport
Adelaide Metro provides all public transport in South Australia, and there are discounted fees for kids and concession card holders.
- Kids under the age of 5 travel free at all times on public transport, when accompanied by a parent or carer.
- On weekends, up to 2 kids (aged 5 to 14) travel free with an adult who is using a Regular or Concession Daytrip MetroTicket.
- Kids are eligible for a discounted student fare. They don’t need a Student ID card until they are aged over 15.
Adelaide Metro InfoLine Phone: 1300 311 108
Hours: (7.00 am to 8.00 pm every day)
Regional School Students
Primary and secondary school students living five kilometres or more from the nearest public school or school bus run can apply for a travelling allowance.
Phone the Department for Education on 8226 2406
Centrelink also provide an Assistance for Isolated Children allowance for geographically isolated parents with children at secondary level who board away from home to attend school and a fares allowance for eligible tertiary students living away from home to study.
Red Cross Transport Services
Red Cross Transport Services provides door-to-door transport for people who have no other transport options to attend non-emergency medical appointments.
Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS)
Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS) is a subsidy scheme funded by SA Health to assist South Australians who must travel more than 100km each way to access necessary and approved medical specialist services that are not available locally.
South Australian Transport Subsidy Scheme (for Taxis)
People with permanent and severe disability that limits their ability to use public transport may apply for subsidised taxi fares through the South Australian Transport Subsidy Scheme (SATSS).
Phone 1300 360 840
South Australian Transport Subsidy Scheme
Companion Card
A Companion Card is for people with significant and permanent disability. When a cardholder buys a ticket at participating venues and activities in South Australia, their companion or carer will be given free entry.
Phone 1800 667 110
Health
COVIDKIDS is by referral only and is not a drop-in clinic.
If your child is diagnosed with COVID-19, and needs medical support, they can be referred to this service through:
- your GP
- Health Direct
- SA Ambulance Service
- a paediatric emergency department
- the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
A general practitioner (GP) is a doctor. A GP can help you stay healthy through check-ups, health screening, and early treatment.
Bring your Medicare Card and any Health Care Cards you have to appointments with your GP.
Some GPs charge a fee. You can claim back most of the fee from Medicare. Some GPs bulk bill, which means you do not need to pay.
Family conflict and separation
Family Relationships Online provides information about family relationship issues, including:
- Dealing with relationship difficulties
- Going through separation
- Children and parenting after separation
- Dealing with family and domestic violence.
Family mediation and dispute resolution services are available to help families make decisions about kids.
Phone 1800 050 321
The Women's Information Service provides information to South Australian women.
They do this:
- online
- over the phone
- in person at their shopfront in the city.
WIS aims to increase access to information that promotes choice and empowerment. They offer an anonymous service.
Free phone 1800 188 158
Phone 8303 0590
Shopfront: 101 Grenfell Street, Adelaide
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
Childcare and respite options
These centres offer a range of services bringing together education, health, community development activities and services for families.
Services may include:
- preschools
- long day care
- occasional care
- playgroup
- programs to support families with children from birth to school age.
Care and play-based learning options are available for babies and children up to six years old. Some childcare providers also offer before- and after-school care to school aged children.
There are different types of early childhood services to consider for your family and you can search for local services at Childcare Finder.
Some centres also offer Emergency Childcare.
Respite is when someone else takes care of the person you care for, so that you can have a break. A break can give you time to do everyday activities or just to relax, deal with stress and look after yourself.
The Carer Gateway provides a directory of emergency and planned respite services, and information on any applicable costs.
Those with an NDIS plan can search for providers in their area.
Someone to talk to
Centrelink provides social work services to assist individuals and families with
- short-term counselling
- information and referral to support services
Ask to speak to a social worker when you call Centrelink.
Lifeline provides counselling for lots of different issues and referrals to services in your local community. Mobile phone calls are free. Online chat is available.
Phone 13 11 14 (24-hour service)
Text Lifeline (12 noon to 12 midnight)
Lifeline Online Chat (7.00 pm to 12 midnight)
If life is in danger, phone 000 (triple zero)
Kids Helpline provides help and support for young people aged 5 to 25 years (and their parents/caregivers) and is staffed by professional counsellors. Online chat is available.
Phone 1800 55 1800 (24-hour service)
If life is in danger, phone 000 (triple zero)
The Suicide Call Back Service supports people in crisis.
It also offers ongoing counselling to:
- people at risk of suicide
- carers for someone who is suicidal
- those bereaved by suicide.
Phone 1300 659 467 (24-hour service)
Beyond Blue gives access to information and referral to relevant services for depression and anxiety-related matters (not a counselling service). Cost of a local call.
- Pregnancy and new parents information
- Advice for new dads
- Lesbian, gay, bi, trans, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+), and bodily, gender and sexually diverse people
Phone 1300 22 4636 (24-hour service)
Online Forums for sharing your experiences and tips for staying well
Women’s Safety Services SA (WSSSA) supports women and their children who are experiencing domestic and family violence. WSSSA are committed to helping people find safety and support during and after experiencing abuse.
If life is in danger, phone 000 (triple zero)
1800 RESPECT is a national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.
Phone 1800 737 732 (24-hour service)
The Domestic Violence Crisis Line offers information, counselling and safe accommodation support for women experiencing domestic violence in South Australia.
You can phone the Domestic Violence Crisis Line for free. They can organise a safe telephone interpreter. Let the person know what language you need.
Phone 1800 800 098 (24-hour service)
If life is in danger, phone 000 (triple zero)
There are services available specifically for Aboriginal families.