With many families marooned on properties and completely cut off from towns and services due to flood damaged roads, the Mt Isa Remote Area Families Service team (RAFS) from Frontier Services is doing everything possible to provide support to isolated families.

“We have been trying to contact and lend support to families who are isolated due to the flood waters,” said RAFS Field Coordinator Bel Anderson.

‘’Some people have been stranded on their properties for days, and several weeks for others, while some families can’t get back from their family holiday.’’

The team returned to the office last week and have already begun visiting families. Although some roads remain closed or with limited access, they are planning trips to families in the region and will deal with any weather concerns as they arise.

‘’We have been updating the family database and planning what roads have been least affected by the floods and what properties we can access,’’ said new RAFS Field Coordinator Jenny Jenkins who herself couldn’t get into the office because of road closures.

The RAFS teams provide early childhood advice and support for families with young children in isolated areas.

Many remote families and communities cannot access mainstream early childhood services. The five Frontier Services RAFS teams travel a combined 160,000km every year to fill this gap with their network of mobile early childhood specialists covering Queensland and parts of the Northern Territory.

RAFS services include mobile playgroups, home visits, kit boxes, art and craft materials as well as educational books to borrow. It provides families with early childhood resources and activity ideas, one-on-one advice on early childhood development and parenting and general support for isolated parents. The teams operate from Emerald, Longreach, Charleville, Mount Isa and Mareeba.

“Thousands of families across Queensland receive support to which they would have no access otherwise,” said Frontier Services National Director Rosemary Young.

With many families marooned on properties and completely cut off from towns and services due to flood damaged roads, the Mt Isa Remote Area Families Service team (RAFS) from Frontier Services is doing everything possible to provide support to isolated families.

“We have been trying to contact and lend support to families who are isolated due to the flood waters,” said RAFS Field Coordinator Bel Anderson.

‘’Some people have been stranded on their properties for days, and several weeks for others, while some families can’t get back from their family holiday.’’

The team returned to the office last week and have already begun visiting families. Although some roads remain closed or with limited access, they are planning trips to families in the region and will deal with any weather concerns as they arise.

‘’We have been updating the family database and planning what roads have been least affected by the floods and what properties we can access,’’ said new RAFS Field Coordinator Jenny Jenkins who herself couldn’t get into the office because of road closures.

The RAFS teams provide early childhood advice and support for families with young children in isolated areas.

Many remote families and communities cannot access mainstream early childhood services. The five Frontier Services RAFS teams travel a combined 160,000km every year to fill this gap with their network of mobile early childhood specialists covering Queensland and parts of the Northern Territory.

RAFS services include mobile playgroups, home visits, kit boxes, art and craft materials as well as educational books to borrow. It provides families with early childhood resources and activity ideas, one-on-one advice on early childhood development and parenting and general support for isolated parents. The teams operate from Emerald, Longreach, Charleville, Mount Isa and Mareeba.

“Thousands of families across Queensland receive support to which they would have no access otherwise,” said Frontier Services National Director Rosemary Young.

With extensive flooding across the region, the Frontier Services Remote Area Families Service (RAFS) in Longreach is doing everything possible to assist isolated families.

RAFS, which provides early childhood advice and support for families with young children in remote areas, has been contacting community members and sending kits containing games and activities to flood-isolated families.  

It is not just remote homesteads isolated by the recent deluge. Sandra Tunn, RAFS Field Coordinator, is slowly making her way across Queensland back to Longreach after being stranded by water-logged roads.

In the meantime, the other team members have been busy contacting the community, checking road conditions and planning safe routes in preparation for the first visits of the New Year.

Longreach RAFS Field Coordinator Helen Avery estimated that it would be at least 10 days before the house calls could be made due to flood damaged roads. 

“We are really looking forward to visiting families and seeing all the children after the Christmas break,” she said.

“We will try to visit communities on the highways and bitumen roads. However, at this stage, there will be no station visits until at least the end of the month.”

Five Frontier Services RAFS teams provide crucial services to remote families and communities who cannot access mainstream early childhood centres. Travelling a combined 160,000km every year across Queensland, the teams provide essential support to remote families with their network of mobile early childhood specialists. The teams operate from Longreach, Charleville, Mount Isa, Emerald and Mareeba.

RAFS services include mobile playgroups, kit boxes that provide families with early childhood resources and activity ideas, one?on?one advice on early childhood development and parenting and general support for isolated parents.

With extensive flooding across the region, the Frontier Services Remote Area Families Service (RAFS) in Longreach is doing everything possible to assist isolated families.

RAFS, which provides early childhood advice and support for families with young children in remote areas, has been contacting community members and sending kits containing games and activities to flood-isolated families.  

It is not just remote homesteads isolated by the recent deluge. Sandra Tunn, RAFS Field Coordinator, is slowly making her way across Queensland back to Longreach after being stranded by water-logged roads.

In the meantime, the other team members have been busy contacting the community, checking road conditions and planning safe routes in preparation for the first visits of the New Year.

Longreach RAFS Field Coordinator Helen Avery estimated that it would be at least 10 days before the house calls could be made due to flood damaged roads. 

“We are really looking forward to visiting families and seeing all the children after the Christmas break,” she said.

“We will try to visit communities on the highways and bitumen roads. However, at this stage, there will be no station visits until at least the end of the month.”

Five Frontier Services RAFS teams provide crucial services to remote families and communities who cannot access mainstream early childhood centres. Travelling a combined 160,000km every year across Queensland, the teams provide essential support to remote families with their network of mobile early childhood specialists. The teams operate from Longreach, Charleville, Mount Isa, Emerald and Mareeba.

RAFS services include mobile playgroups, kit boxes that provide families with early childhood resources and activity ideas, one?on?one advice on early childhood development and parenting and general support for isolated parents.