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Our values

We offer services underpinned by the principles of:

Respect for every pregnancy and every mother is at the heart of our care, compassion and care, social justice, empowerement, recognition of diversity and accountable best practice

Our story

Our story began in the 1960s when our founder, Dr Philomena Joshua set up the first pregnancy support phone and emergency aid service out of her Box Hill family home.

In her time as a General Practitioner, Dr Joshua recognised that what pregnant women really needed was so much more than medical support.

‘She wanted to give the women choices so they didn’t feel they had to marry whoever the father was, because making a bad marriage was not a solution to their problem.’

1960s

Determined to support vulnerable pregnant women and mothers with babies, it was out of Dr Joshua’s house in Box Hill (Victoria) where a group of volunteers set up the first pregnancy support phone service.

Recognising the areas of need, the group expanded support to provision of basic baby essentials, counselling and home visitation programs.

A few years later, Mrs Pat Coffey (OA) living in Shepparton at the time, established a volunteer service also responding to the needs of pregnant women and mothers and their families.

1970s

Within a decade, the Melbourne and Shepparton networks would come together. Taking inspiration from Caroline Chisholm to become the incorporated, accredited and registered community service that it is today, carrying on in the spirit and intent of a group of women with a vision to make a difference in the lives of women and children.

About Caroline Chisholm

Our namesake, Caroline Chisholm was a changemaker successful in advocating for immigrant women and family welfare during the 19th century in Australia.  Undoubtedly an Australian heroine, Chisholm was a social reformer dedicated to improving the living conditions of single women and women with children arriving in the new colony of New South Wales.  Providing practical assistance including housing, work and social protection – as well as agitating for change on behalf of women and their children.

Our founders and Caroline Chisholm believed every family deserves support. For over 50 years, we’ve carried that vision forward – helping vulnerable Victorian families build stronger futures.

Today

Today, working across three sites in Victoria’s Western and North-Eastern regions, the Society is recognised for our specialisation in the field of family services, where we work to prevent the need for child protection involvement for thousands who might otherwise have entered or experienced the trauma of out of home care.

Our communities

What started in volunteers’ homes over 50 years ago has grown into three community-embedded across Victoria, located at Moonee Valley, Caroline Springs, and Goulburn Valley. 

Our approach remains the same: sustainable local support for local families. 

We acknowledge that our work takes place on the lands of the Wurundjeri, Bunurong, and Yorta Yorta People.

Learn more about our community sites below:

Moonee Valley

Opened in 2017, our Essendon office provides a contemporary, professional environment with purpose built spaces designed to support our practitioners, students and other professional services. The site includes dedicated areas for training and professional development, the sorting and distribution of the Society’s renowned material aid program as well as improved health and safety facilities for receiving donations.

The Essendon office is a welcoming space for volunteers and members to come together for workshops, planning sessions and for the coordination of outreach activities.

Our Essendon office supports The Orange Door Western Melbourne Alliance which includes suburbs within the local government areas of Moonee Valley, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melbourne City and Wyndham. 

Caroline Springs

Having supported communities in Bacchus Marsh, Laverton, Caroline Springs and Sunbury since the 1980s, the Caroline Chisholm Society opened the Caroline Springs office in 2010. This office provided much needed space for delivering programs and outreach services beyond Melbourne’s inner west, expanding into the growing communities of Melton and Brimbank. In 2015, with the support of the City of Melton, the Caroline Chisholm Society opened the former Wirrigirri Preschool as a dedicated centre for delivering early parenting and childhood programs.

Our Caroline Springs office supports The Orange Door Brimbank Melton Alliance which includes suburbs within the local government areas of Brimbank and Melton.

Goulburn Valley

In 1974, when the team of pregnancy support volunteers in Greater Shepparton led by Mrs Pat Coffey (OAM) joined forces with the volunteer team led by Dr Philomene Joshua in Melbourne, Caroline Chisholm Society was born.

Continuing the work of Goulburn Valley Pregnancy and Family Support, our work provides much needed support and material aid to mothers with complex needs seeking assistance,  as well as social workers and agencies.

Based in the Greater City of Shepparton, our Goulburn Valley site has outreach across the Goulburn Valley including the communities of Numurkah, Nathalia, Kyabram, Tatura, Kialla, Echuca, Seymour, Euroa and Murchison.