Our People
Here at UnitingCare Family Services, our staff are committed to helping you find the support or information you need to assist you develop happy and healthy relationships within families and strengthen your relationships. The staff have created a warm and welcoming atmosphere at our central offices at 34 Paterson Street Launceston, and they are all trained to provide a childsafe and friendly environment, and uphold your right to confidentiality and privacy.
Call in and meet us, Tuesday to Friday, and we can help you find the support or information that you need.
General Manager & Mediation Manager
Deborah Smith
It has been my great pleasure to be able to work here both for my former employer, Pilgrim Services Board in 2004, and now UnitingCare Family Services since 2005.
My role has many parts to it as I see it. I have commitments and responsibilities to the church, the community and my Board of Governance members; I have the creative privilege to work with and hopefully guide a great team of staff members and services and to work alongside some wonderful clients; as a mediator and legal officer, I am committed to providing a service to both parents, that is in keeping with the principles of fair play, objectivity and the instructions from Family Law; and as a mother, community member, and member of a family - to ensuring we offer our clients, our staff and their family members, an environment of safety, respect and support.
The Uniting Church is a great employer organisation. It lets us work knowing we are a valued part of a wider network and family. It also honours our right to individualism, and allows us to work flexibly within a system of give and take.
I hope you find our services and staff are able to help you. Let me know if I can be of any assistance to you, and please remember these words as you face challenging times within your family or relationships :
If our expectations
If our fondest prayers and dreams are
not realised
Then we should bear in mind
That the greatest glory of living
Lies not in never falling
But in rising every time you fall
Nelson Mandela
Library Resource Officer
Sally Young
Sally has been relieving in the UnitingCare Family Resource Centre Library for many years and now joins us as a permanent part-time addition to our staff team.
We are delighted to have her. Sally continues to work for a country State Government library and brings much experience to this exciting phase of our library's development as we are totally updating our resources and acquiring many new books and DVD's.
Sally will be at the Centre's library all day Tuesdays and Thursday mornings and is happy to help you with your selection and offer you support and information on family and parenting resource matters.
Pregnant Young Parents Service Co-ordinator (PYPS)
Carmen Gumley
Hello. My name is Carmen Gumley and I am the new PYPS Co-ordinator while Raelene is away on maternity leave for a year.
I have specialist training and experience in pregnancy support, breastfeeding, parenting and Lifeline counselling and am able to assist you through the changes, challenges and joys during this period in your life. PYPS also has an extensive range of information, groups and networks that may be of benefit to you.
Call in and meet me, Tuesday to Thursdays at 34 Paterson Street Launceston, or phone me on 63 344249.
Family Support Workers
Robyn Rice
My name is Robyn and I am the Family Support Officer at UnitingCare Family Services. I am also trained in mediation and parent effectiveness skills, and run parenting classes both one-on-one and for groups depending on the need. But most importantly, I am me, and a mum and a wife. I understand families and children.
Call in and talk with me on Thursday mornings or Fridays, or phone 63 340895 and make an appointment.
Jennifer Carriere-Saxon
Jen is the newest edition to our family team. She joins us with an extensive background working in the community services sector, with families, homeless youth, drug education, early childhood, and drop-in centres.
We can learn alot from her in the area of family life and parenting, and with Robyn, they are teaming up on some innovative parenting projects.
You can see Jen on Wednesdays at UCFS
Dads Support Worker
UnitingCare Family Services is committed to providing support and information to all family members, regardless of gender.
We have resources for both mothers and fathers.
If a client wants to specifically speak with a male support worker, we can arrange this through our networks.
Call us on 63 340895 so we can arrange your appointment.
Child Care Director
Marilyn Chapman
My name is Marilyn and I am the full-time Director at the Pilgrim Occasional Child Care Centre. My job is wonderfully chaotic and ranges from caring and playing with the children in the centre, to managing, rostering, planning and ensuring your child has an enjoyable, safe and profesional experience during their time with us. As the only short term child care centre in central Launceston, we can offer you a much needed break or time-out from the often busy stresses of your day or family life. We can also offer you longer, more regular care sessions - all depending on your needs, those of your children and our vacancies.
Call in at 34 Paterson Street to have a look around, or phone me on 63 318803
Child Carer
The UnitingCare Pilgrim Occasional Child Care Centre, in the heart of the City, offers affordable, fun, professional, licensed and approved child care. As a parent with a child at our centre, you can trust our ability to deliver high standards of care, and benefit from a break for yourself or an opportunity to work.
We have been operating now for 20 years, and we aim to offer a warm, welcoming, safe and professional environment for all our children, from babies to pre-schoolers. We believe in respecting and modelling positive behaviours at our centre.
Call in and speak with our Director, have a look around the Centre, and book your child in for a session.
Board Members
The Board of Governance for UnitingCare Family Services is made up of local representatives from both professional, business, church and community backgrounds - both female and male members.
It is a Board committed to good governance - and to ensuring its services provide wonderful service delivery to the families in Launceston.
Because of our relatively small size, we share guidance and direction from the larger presbytery of UnitingCare Victoria & Tasmania.
The Board meet monthly to discuss our directions and how we can best help to develop happy and healthy relationships within families.
Absent - Rev Tony Duncan, Nick Lancaster
Finance Officer
Julie Barber
Julie Barber is the Finance Officer / accountant who works for UCFS and helps us to stay on track with sound financial stewardship. Apart from being an accountant with lots of experience in that field, Julie has a background working with community services, is a new young mum, a wife, a great Easter Egg maker, and a valueable addition to our staff team.
Julie helped establish UCFS from the beginning in 2005 in her former role as a Board Member, and has a sound working knowledge of our operations. We really appreciate her time at our agency
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