Home-based care and education

The Remote Area Families Service (RAFS) provides a unique, mobile, early childhood program with an emphasis on children aged up to and including five who do not have access to any other early childcare services. Enrolment in the program is voluntary and free of charge.

Our early learning educators can travel to your home to provide a range of play-based activities and family support services. For example, why not get a group of fellow parents and their pre-schoolers together at your home and book our mobile playgroup to come to you? Or you can request a home visit from our professional team, who can tailor their approach to best suit your child.

In a home visit, our team of qualified educators will come to your home for a morning or afternoon visit and stay overnight. As part of the visit, we look at the family’s and children's interests, strengths and challenges, in order to determine what sort of assistance is required. This individualised support will involve a program of activities for the children and parents (this can include group activities, as well as discussions with parents). We can also refer families to extended services and support.

Staying in touch with other children is a wonderful way for your child to learn and develop. Group activities such as playgroups are a great way to get kids interacting, playing and socialising with their peers, and they’re perfect for parents too. Being able to talk to other parents, particularly with children of the same age, you can share your experiences, issues and tips with dealing with your child’s developmental leaps and ages which makes the parenting journey all that more enjoyable and easier. We can help you set up a playgroup in your own community – we’ll assist by providing support, ideas and resources.

Early childhood is a crucial stage in the learning journey, so it’s important that children and families have the right support. We can provide:

• Quarterly newsletters
• Support packs
• Play-based activities at community events and open days
• Toy library and parent resource library
• Quarterly newsletters
• Support packs
• Information and advice (by phone or email)
• Referral to other services
• Activity and kit boxes
• Arts and crafts
• Information packs
• Toy and parent book resources

RAFS operates from five key bases and services a large number of bordering regions. For more information contact your local RAFS team:

Charleville – Roma, Dirranbandi, along NSW border, Betoota, Windorah, Tambo, Injune, all areas in between

Phone: 0439 922 815

Email: charleville.rafs@uccommunity.org.au

Emerald (based in Mackay) – Charters Towers, Nebo, Taroom, Bymount, Tambo, Alpha, Duaringa, back to Charters Towers, all areas in between

Phone: 0439 932 958

Email: emerald.rafs@uccommunity.org.au

Longreach – Charters Towers, Jericho, Tambo, Windorah, Kynuna, Richmond, along the Flinders Highway and all areas in between

Phone: 0439 963 603

Email: longreach.rafs@uccommunity.org.au

Mt Isa – Queensland areas of Normanton, Neila, Kynuna, Birdsville, the Northern Territory border, the Gulf of Carpentaria. Northern Territory areas:

Camooweal, Three Ways, Elliot, Cape Crawford and all areas in between

Phone: 0439 912 957

Email: mtisa.rafs@uccommunity.org.au

North Queensland (based in Mareeba) – Charters Towers, Maxwelton, Richmond, Normanton, Coen, Laura and all areas in between

Phone: 0447 115 083

Email: nq.rafs@uccommunity.org.au