Ruby’s Reunification Program – keeping families together.

Ruby’s works to keep young people (aged 12 to 17 years) out of the homelessness sector and out-of-home care services, and in their family home, through a voluntary therapeutic residential and counselling service and circuit-breaker temporary accommodation service.

The program is aimed at young people experiencing family conflict, or at risk of homelessness, and who need a safe place to stay in the short-term while they and their families work towards reunification.

Ruby’s is underpinned by evidence and best practice including family therapy, narrative therapy, attachment theory, adolescent development, trauma informed care and strengths-based practice.

This accommodation is a critical ‘circuit breaker’, reducing conflict within families and providing whole-of-family therapeutic counselling and practical support to help rebuild relationships. This includes linking family members with services and assisting young people to attend school.

Uniting Communities in South Australia started the program over 30 years ago. There are now 4 houses operating in South Australia, one in Western Australia and 2 in Queensland. 

An evaluation of the program run in South Australia found over 72% of young people who engaged with Ruby’s over a two-year period did not return to homelessness and over 80% of young people successfully returned home after completing the program.  You can see the full report here.

Ruby’s is an early intervention program that stops problems developing and proceeding to more costly solutions later in life. It costs $550K per annum for a child to stay in residential care, $2million per child in youth detention and $17k to support a child experiencing homelessness through service system costs.

The Ballarat area has been chosen as the location for the first Ruby’s in Victoria based on need and its proximity to Uniting Vic.Tas child, youth and family and homelessness services.

In a five-bedroom house in Soldiers Hill, Ballarat.

Young people aged 12-17 years who need short term accommodation as a circuit breaker from family conflict. For example, they may stay 2-3 nights a week before returning home.

The house has five bedrooms and around 10 young people will stay there on alternate days during the week. It is not a longer-term residential facility.

The young people will be supported by an onsite Team Leader and full-time Counsellor. Additionally, they will receive support from youth or family counsellors.

In Victoria, there is a need for early intervention services for young people who are experiencing family conflict, are at risk of homelessness and need a safe place to say in the short-term.

Ruby’s is an early intervention program. It offers early help to families to prevent problems from escalating, thereby reducing the need for more intensive, costly services such as homelessness services, youth justice, child protection and out-of-home care.

We have received philanthropic funding from the Kilmany Trust which stipulates funds are used for the ‘relief, benefit and advancement of disadvantaged youth’.

This will enable us to set up the house and run the program for up to three years.

We are currently seeking planning approval for use of the house by a community service. The house also requires some renovation.

We hope to open the renovated accommodation in early 2026.