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Information for our consumers – Updated 16 November 2022
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Child and Family Health Service
Acknowledgement
The Child and Family Health Service acknowledges Aboriginal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of Country throughout South Australia. We acknowledge and respect their ongoing and deep spiritual connection and relationship to land, air, sea, waters, community and country. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away.

CaFHS Services Overview

1568 Outreach 49

The Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS) offers a range of support for infants, children and families living in South Australia.

On this page:

Child health, development and emotional wellbeing Relationships Caregiver wellbeing and parenting

The Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS) supports families in South Australia with children aged 0–5 years by responding early in life to children’s health, development, and wellbeing needs. The child is at the centre of all decision making and intensive support is offered to those with greater need.

CaFHS work with families for the best health and development outcomes for children, and staff will refer families to other healthcare and community services as required.

Child health, development and emotional wellbeing

Promoting optimal child health, development and emotional wellbeing for infants and children is the foundation of CaFHS services. Clinical staff work with families in the areas below:

  • growth and developmental health checks
  • nutrition
  • vision
  • child safety
  • hearing
  • sleep
  • breastfeeding
  • feeding
  • infant mental health
  • dental developmental screening and promotion.

Relationships

Nurturing and stable relationships with adults who are caring are essential for healthy human development and influence all aspects of development. CaFHS staff work with families in the context of:

  • child-caregiver relationships
  • parental relationships
  • extended family and kinship relationships
  • identifying and responding to traumatic relationships.

Caregiver wellbeing and parenting

Providing a nurturing environment for children can be a demanding job which requires a lot of physical and emotional energy. Caregiver wellbeing is therefore critical for children's wellbeing. Staff support caregivers through their work in the following areas:

  • promoting a nurturing family environment
  • settling
  • parenting together
  • supporting child behaviour
  • caregiver mental and emotional health
  • caregiver physical health
  • parenting practices.