MacKillop Family Services
MacKillop Family Services is an Australian non-profit providing trauma-informed foster care, NDIS disability services, specialist education and heritage programmes to vulnerable children, young people and families across Victoria, NSW, ACT, WA and the NT.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersSouth Melbourne, Australia
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What MacKillop Family Services does
MacKillop Family Services is an Australian non-profit organisation registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ABN 79 078 299 288) that delivers trauma-informed support to vulnerable children, young people and families. It operates through four service divisions — Child, Youth and Family; Disability (as a registered NDIS provider); Education; and Heritage — across Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, with headquarters in South Melbourne and a workforce in the 501–1,000 range.
The organisation's underlying methodology is the Sanctuary Model, an evidence-supported, whole-of-organisation framework for safety and trauma response, supplemented by the ReLATE (Reframing Learning and Teaching Environments) and PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) models. Core programmes include foster care (short-term, long-term, part-time/short-break, kinship and permanent), residential care, the Paw Pals animal-assisted education programme pairing trained therapy dogs with facilitators, NDIS-registered disability services, specialist education (MacKillop Education Maidstone, Geelong and Ballarat) for disengaged students, live-in youth mentoring and heritage/information services for former residents of historical Catholic homes.
MacKillop's revenue model combines three streams: donations and community fundraising (monthly "Childhood Partner" giving, bequests, school fundraising, and named appeals including a 2026 Paw Pals Appeal with a A$150,000 goal and a Family Together Tax Appeal with a A$310,000 target), fee-for-service programme income (e.g., Paw Pals at A$357 per school-based session and A$210 per 1:1 mentoring session from 1 January 2026, payable by schools, case managers, families or the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing), and government/NDIS funding. Distribution is community-led: relationships with schools, Catholic education networks, community groups, and 38+ university/TAFE partners drive foster carer recruitment, donor acquisition and volunteer conversion across five jurisdictions.
MacKillop Family Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MacKillop Family Services
- Legal name
- MacKillop Family Services Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://mackillop.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- MacKillop Family Services is an Australian non-profit providing trauma-informed foster care, NDIS disability services, specialist education and heritage programmes to vulnerable children, young people and families across Victoria, NSW, ACT, WA and the NT.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MacKillop Family Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Child and Family Social Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Family Advocacy, Parent Training & Support Services (EDAJAKAK), Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)
Keywords
Where MacKillop Family Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices6 records
Markets served
MacKillop Family Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, monthly giving (Childhood Partner program), bequests/gifts in wills, community fundraising events, and appeal campaigns such as Paw Pals Appeal and Family Together Tax Appeal.
- Fee-for-Service Programs: Revenue from service fees such as Paw Pals school-based programs ($357/session) and 1:1 individual mentoring ($210/session), paid by schools, families, case managers, or government departments.
- NDIS Services: Funding through the National Disability Insurance Scheme for disability support services to children and young people with disability and their families.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | School-based Paw Pals program |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 1:1 Individual mentoring/tutoring program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
MacKillop Family Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MacKillop Family Services delivers trauma-informed child, youth, and family support services across four divisions: Child, Youth & Family (foster care, residential care, family support, A Place To Go Functional Family Therapy); Disability services as a registered NDIS provider; Specialist Education (Maidstone, Geelong, Ballarat campuses plus the Paw Pals animal-assisted education program); and Heritage services for former residents of Catholic orphanages. All services are underpinned by the Sanctuary Model framework.
Product overview
MacKillop Family Services is a community services organisation providing trauma-informed support to vulnerable children, young people, and families across Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory. The organisation operates four service divisions: Child, Youth & Family; Disability (as a registered NDIS provider); Education; and Heritage services. Key programs include foster care (short-term, long-term, part-time/short-break, kinship, and permanent), residential care, the Paw Pals animal-assisted education program, live-in youth mentoring, family support, and school engagement initiatives. The Sanctuary Model underpins service delivery as an evidence-supported, whole-of-organisation framework.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Foster Care Services Comprehensive foster care program offering short-term, long-term, part-time/short-break, kinship, and permanent foster care arrangements across Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia for children unable to remain safely at home.
- Paw Pals Animal-Assisted Education Program Animal-assisted education program pairing trained therapy dogs with facilitators to help students who have experienced trauma regulate emotions, rebuild confidence, and re-engage with learning. Offers school-based group sessions (8-10 weeks at $357/session) and 1:1 individual mentoring ($210/session). Over 6,700 sessions delivered across Victoria.
- NDIS Disability Services Tailored NDIS-funded disability services for children and young people with disability and their families, delivered as a registered NDIS provider to build confidence and encourage independence.
- MacKillop Specialist Education Specialist schools at Maidstone, Geelong, and Ballarat campuses that re-engage young people who have disengaged from mainstream education, integrating the Paw Pals animal-assisted education program within a trauma-informed framework.
- Family Support Services (including A Place To Go) Family support services including the A Place To Go program which delivers Functional Family Therapy (FFT) to support families through crisis and reconnection, alongside broader casework support for families in need.
- Live-In Youth Mentor Program Volunteer live-in mentor (lead tenant) program providing safe, stable, caring environments for young people who cannot live safely in their own homes due to family breakdown or other circumstances.
- Heritage and Information Services Heritage and information service providing records and information about Catholic orphanages and children's homes for former residents and their families, including Requests for Records and access to historical care information.
Quantifiable outcome
- Paw Pals program has delivered over 6,700 sessions across Victoria
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use MacKillop Family Services
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
MacKillop Family Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
MacKillop Family Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- 38+ Australian Education ProviderscoreMacKillop has formal partnerships with 38+ universities and TAFEs across Australia including Australian Catholic University, Deakin, Monash, University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, UNSW, RMIT, UTS, and others for student placements in social work, community services, youth work, and disability support from Certificate IV through to Masters and PhD levels.
- Access PayminorAccess Pay provides salary packaging services enabling MacKillop employees to package everyday expenses (groceries, rent, mortgage, utilities, car expenses) from pre-tax income, saving up to $5,500+ per year in tax.
- Mahogany Rise Primary SchoolminorPaw Pals program delivery partner school providing animal-assisted education sessions for students with social and emotional learning needs.
- Victorian Mental Health Menu FundscoreSchools can access the Paw Pals Program services through Victorian Mental Health Menu Funds as a payment source for the school-based program.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MacKillop Family Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- OzChild: Victorian-headquartered child and family services NGO offering foster care, family preservation and education programs. Directly comparable in therapeutic, trauma-informed practice and geographic base.
- Barnardos Australia: National child welfare NGO providing foster care, kinship care, adoption and family support. Directly comparable as a foster-carer-led, trauma-informed child and family services provider in the same states as MacKillop.
- Life Without Barriers: One of Australia's largest community-services NGOs, delivering out-of-home care, foster care, disability (NDIS), and youth services nationally. Most directly comparable in scale, service mix and multi-state operating model to MacKillop.
- Berry Street: Large Victorian-based NGO delivering foster care, residential care, education and family services. Comparable in service breadth, trauma-informed frameworks and education partnerships.
- Key Assets Australia: Foster care and out-of-home care specialist with operations across multiple Australian states. Highly comparable given the overlap in foster care, kinship care and therapeutic service models.
- CatholicCare Victoria: Catholic-affiliated family, children and community services provider in Victoria and Tasmania. Directly comparable as a faith-based peer delivering family support, foster care and counselling.
Broad incumbents
- Anglicare Australia: Federation of state-based Anglicare agencies delivering community services including out-of-home care, family support and disability. Broader incumbent offering overlapping services across multiple Australian states.
- Uniting (NSW/ACT): Large faith-based community services provider offering out-of-home care, foster care, disability and family support across NSW and ACT. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping service lines.
- Wesley Mission Victoria: Faith-based community services organisation offering family support, youth services, disability and homelessness programs. Overlaps with MacKillop on family and community services but with broader service remit.
Others
- Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (VIC): State government department that funds and oversees out-of-home care, family services and child protection in Victoria. Comparable as a major counterparty/funding partner for MacKillop rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MacKillop Family Services social profiles
Digital presenceMacKillop Family Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
MacKillop Family Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MacKillop Family Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
MacKillop Family Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MacKillop Family Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MacKillop Family Services
What does MacKillop Family Services do?
MacKillop Family Services delivers trauma-informed child, youth, and family support services across four divisions: Child, Youth & Family (foster care, residential care, family support, A Place To Go Functional Family Therapy); Disability services as a registered NDIS provider; Specialist Education (Maidstone, Geelong, Ballarat campuses plus the Paw Pals animal-assisted education program); and Heritage services for former residents of Catholic orphanages. All services are underpinned by the Sanctuary Model framework.
Is MacKillop Family Services a public or private company?
MacKillop Family Services is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was MacKillop Family Services founded?
MacKillop Family Services was founded in 1997. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is MacKillop Family Services based?
MacKillop Family Services is headquartered in South Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does MacKillop Family Services make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are fee-for-Service Programs and NDIS Services.
Who are MacKillop Family Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are OzChild, Barnardos Australia, Life Without Barriers, Berry Street, Key Assets Australia and CatholicCare Victoria. Broad incumbents are Anglicare Australia, Uniting (NSW/ACT) and Wesley Mission Victoria. Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (VIC) is listed as an others.
Does MacKillop Family Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for MacKillop Family Services.
What industry is MacKillop Family Services in?
MacKillop Family Services's product category is Child and Family Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAE, Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAC, Family & Parenting Support Services. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.