Exciting Expansion of
MIST Program to Rockingham
Parkerville Children and Youth Care are excited to announce their expansion into Perth’s southwest corridor with the opening of their new Rockingham Child, Youth and Family Centre on 1 July 2024.
This new facility houses a new Multi-Agency Investigation and Support Team (MIST), dedicated to providing comprehensive support and services to children, young people and their families who have been impacted by child sexual and physical abuse.
This expansion will enable greater coverage and faster response times for those affected by child abuse in Western Australia, offering more localised support to the community. The new Rockingham office will extend vital support to approximately 51% of all child sexual abuse investigations across Western Australia, significantly impacting the lives of those affected.
MIST, a collaborative initiative between WA Police Child Abuse Squads and Parkerville Children and Youth Care, involves specialised Parkerville team members such as psychologists, advocates, family therapists, domestic violence experts, and allied health practitioners as well as specialist Child Abuse Squad Detectives and Special Investigators.
The Parkerville team provide crucial case management, advocacy, therapeutic and psychological support to children and families following the disclosure of sexual assault. This support begins promptly, aiding victims throughout police investigations, court proceedings, and the family impact resulting from the abuse. This partnership allows WA Police to concentrate on investigations and legal proceedings, reassured that children and their families are receiving vital support and assistance from Parkerville’s specialist MIST team members.
The Child, Youth and Family Centres are exemplary models of best practice, providing comprehensive services in one location for children, young people and their families following incidents of physical or sexual abuse. These centres, including the new Rockingham centre, operate on a no-wrong-door policy, ensuring that clients or families entering any of the three centres can access a range of services, including support, advocacy, and therapeutic services. With 1,788 reported cases of child sexual assault in Western Australia in 2023 alone, the demand for services is urgent. The Rockingham Child, Youth, and Family Centre will address this need in the Perth’s southwest metropolitan areas.
Parkerville Children and Youth Care is grateful for the ongoing support from the Perron Foundation for our Southwest expansion and welcomes a three-year grant that will support the ongoing costs of the MIST team. Additionally, Parkerville is very thankful for a generous bequest from a local family who agreed that Parkerville could use the funds to commit to leasing an office for three years and fit it out so that children and young people are supported in a trauma informed, inclusive, and inviting space.
It is crucial to highlight that both the Centres and MIST operate independently of government funding, underscoring the critical role of external support (in kind, pro bono, donations and advocacy) in sustaining their impactful programs. The MKDC commercial interior design team deserves special recognition for generously donating their time and expertise to the fit-out of the Rockingham Centre. Their contributions have been instrumental in making this expansion into the southwest possible, reflecting a shared commitment to positively impacting the lives of many more families through the new Rockingham MIST offices.
If you would like to make a gift towards the Multi-Investigation Support Team (MIST) or the Child, Youth and Family Centres, please visit www.parkerville.org.au/donate or email together@parkerville.org.au.