Stepfamilies Australia

17/09/2026

Today, Drummond Street Services is proud to unite with Tandem and a coalition of 27 mental health, community sector and grassroots organisations to call on Victoria’s political leaders to commit to meaningful action to support mental health carers.

Together, we’re calling on political parties and candidates to:
Create a dedicated mental health carer policy agendaListen to mental health carers and families about the issues affecting them, value their expertise and what they say they need to care sustainably and wellBuild an understanding of the diverse communities impacted by mental health caring
Embed the mental health carer voice in policy, service design, and delivery at the highest levelChampion relationship-centred mental health services that recognise the important role families and carers play in supporting mental health recovery and wellbeing

Read the Call-to-Action and add your voice: tandemcarers.org.au/2026election/Call-to-Action

06/09/2026

Happy Father’s Day to those who are celebrating today.

Becoming a dad can be wonderful, rewarding and full of joy. It can also be hard work, and sometimes lonely.

We know that dads need support too. When fathers have the opportunity to build connections, talk openly about the challenges of parenting and develop confidence as caregivers, it can have a positive impact on the whole family.

That’s why we’re proud partners of Dadfit, a community helping dads build connection, confidence and healthy parenting skills.

Dadfit brings dads together through regular Dad Teams, combining physical activity with honest conversations and practical challenges around fatherhood. Their goal is simple: to help every dad be the best parent they can be, while contributing to healthier, safer and more gender-equal families.

At Drummond Street, we believe creating gender equality starts at home, and that supporting dads to be active, nurturing and involved parents is an important part of that work.

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, stepdads, foster dads, birthing dads, grand dads, father figures and other carers who are showing up, learning, caring and doing their best.

Find out more about Dadfit: https://www.dadfit.au/about

31/08/2026

We are proud to partner with Equity Victoria to contribute to the campaign. We will be sharing a series of videos in the lead up to Fathers Day that we hope demonstrate the many ways fathers and father figures contribute to children's wellbeing, stronger families and more equitable communities.

28/08/2026

It's Wear It Purple Day! Since 2010, on the last Friday of every August people across the country come together and wear purple in solidarity with LGBTIQA+ young people. Bullying and discrimination can have a devastating impact on everyone, especially LGBTIQA+ youth, so we'll be wearing it purple tomorrow to tell young people they're not alone.

This year's theme is Colours of Courage. It celebrates both the big moments of bravery, like coming out, but also the quieter ones. Being yourself at work, in public, can take courage, so tomorrow we'll honour that bravery by wearing it purple.

Let us know if you'll wear it Purple, and how.

31/07/2026

On 30 July, the Victorian Government delivered a formal apology in Parliament to victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in Victorian government schools.

Featured in this video is our Complex Trauma Manager, Vicki Khouri, a survivor and advocate whose strength and bravery played an important part in bringing this apology about.

We condemn, in the strongest terms, the failures that allowed this to happen. If this raises anything for you, support is linked below.

There have been emotional scenes at State Parliament as hundreds of...

26/05/2026

Congratulations to Meriki Onus (they/them) and Djaran Murray-Jackson (he/him) for being elected as the new Co-Chairs of the First Peoples’ Assembly/Gellung Warl. Gellung Warl (tip of the spear or pointed spear in Gunaikurnai language). It is a new body formed as part of Australia’s First Treaty designed to make decisions about First Nations Peoples, provide oversight to government and ensure truth-telling in the healing process. As Rueben Berg, Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly, stated in his first address to Victoria’s Parliament, “The tip is Gellung Warl, the wood of the spear is our community, the binding is Treaty, the line of sight and the throw are our self-determination".

Treaty has been a long time coming, and we stand behind every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person and community who has fought hard for this milestone. First Nations autonomy, agency and voice are key to the ongoing truth-telling process, ensuring that decisions about First Nations people are made by First Nations people.

Recognising First Nations peoples as the custodians of the lands and responding to the harms of colonisation are top listed priority in our Social Justice Action Plan and Framework. DSS is proud to stand in solidarity with Gellung Warl, and as an ally supports Treaty wholeheartedly. Treaty is an important step in rectifying the injustice of colonisation, and a necessary step for healing. We support the First Peoples’ Assembly and Gellung Warl in their work, and wish Meriki and Djaran all the best.

Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

Image credit First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria

25/05/2026

What a fantastic week at the Family and Relationship Services Australia (FRSA) Conference in Brisbane last week!

Our team and partners did an incredible job showcasing the breadth and impact of Drummond Street Services' work while keeping audiences engaged and inspired along the way.

From conversations about intersectionality, to musical workshops helping children explore body positivity, and discussions on co-designing research and evaluation with young people, the team highlighted the power of inclusive, community-led practice, with a little ukulele playing in the mix too. Well done, all!

16/05/2026

Today, 17 May 2026, marks International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, a global moment of solidarity and resistance for LGBTIQA+ communities.

27/04/2026

What if the “wicked stepmother” wasn’t the villain after all?

MARA by Hanna Pyliotis reimagines the Cinderella story through the eyes of Mara, a single mum navigating love, grief, and the complexities of stepfamily life. When she marries a widower still mourning his first wife, unsettling moments begin to surface, blurring the line between reality and something darker.

We had the pleasure of connecting with Hanna during her time in Australia a few years ago for an early staging of MARA, and her thoughtful approach to stepfamily dynamics really shines through in this work.

A powerful, human story that invites us to rethink familiar stereotypes around (step)motherhood and belonging.

https://www.theatreworks.org.au/2026/mara

07/04/2026

When your child is struggling, it can feel overwhelming and isolating. You do not have to go through it alone.

Connected Stories is a support group for parents and carers of children aged 5 to 12 with mental health needs. It is a safe, understanding space to share experiences, connect with others, and feel supported.

For more information, call (03) 9663 6733 or email [email protected]