MacKillop Family Services

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.

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

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

• Foster care services
• Trauma-informed care
• NDIS disability services
• Animal-assisted education
• Child and family support

Headquarters

HQ city

South Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core 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

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 38+ Australian Education ProviderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMacKillop 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 PayminorOthersAccess 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 SchoolminorOthersPaw Pals program delivery partner school providing animal-assisted education sessions for students with social and emotional learning needs.
• Victorian Mental Health Menu FundscoreOthersSchools 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

Direct 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

• Facebookfacebook.com/MacKillopFamilyS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mackillop-family-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/mackillopfamilyservices
• Xx.com/MacKillopFS

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MacKillop Family Services