Remote Area Families Service
Also known as Emerald RAFS
Closed
Child and Youth
The Remote Area Families Service is an Early Childhood program designed to support children and families in rural and remote Queensland and the Barkly Tablelands of the Northern Territory, who live beyond the reach of mainstream services. Our service aims to support parents’ needs in relation to the early childhood development and education of their children in rural, remote and isolated areas. The focus of the service is directed at all families with children aged birth to 5 years regardless of their cultural or religious background.
RAFS operates throughout QLD from five bases:
■ Charleville
■ Emerald (based in Mackay)
■ Longreach
■ Mt Isa
■ North Queensland (based in Mareeba)
Please note: We do not provide a babysitting service during any of our events. RAFS staff are unable to take sole responsibility of children during the play sessions.
Ways to access the service:
The early childhood program targets children aged from birth to five years; however, if older siblings wish to participate, they are most welcome. The experiences that are planned for the birth to five year old children are play-based and use the Early Years Learning Framework as a point of reference. The team will aim to be a consistent presence in the families’ and children’s lives through a variety of ways. Families can contact the RAFS team and request face-to-face contact any time during the year.
Playgroups
RAFS playgroups are an excellent opportunity for families to come together and experience a wide variety of early learning activities. Playgroup allows children to play in a relaxed, informal setting, where they can interact with other children, make choices, explore, share ideas and learn to work cooperatively and independently.
Home Visits:
Home visits, as the name suggests, are when a RAFS team visits a family, in their home, at a mutually suitable time. A home visit differs significantly from a playgroup. Spending one-on-one time with children is an opportunity for the RAFS team to tailor the program exclusively to each child. Sharing time with the whole family, being able to let children take the lead in showing the RAFS team their home, is wonderful for self-esteem and confidence-building. Home visits will normally take the form of either a morning or afternoon/overnight visit.
Contact Details
287 Shakespeare Street, Mackay, QLD 4740
PO Box 5607, Mackay Mail Centre, Mackay, QLD 4740
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Call for further information. Hours of operation maybe subject to change.
Eligibility
No referral required.
No appointment required.
No waiting list.
Not Applicable
Charges and Fees
Private
This is a free service.
Accessibility and Special Requirements
Not applicable