About Us

CSMC is a statewide community organisation run for and by single mothers and their children. We provide telephone support and counselling, referral, advice and emergency relief to single mothers throughout Victoria, and have over 2100 single mother members. CSMC aims to improve the conditions of single mother headed families and is funded by the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (having recently moved from Department of Human Services). We work closely with our members as well as many organizations and institutions that support single mothers, including the National Council of Single Mothers and their Children (NCSMC) and the Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS). CSMC is well recognised as a source of expert advice on issues of relevance to single mother headed families. Our expertise is grounded in the concerns expressed to us by single mothers calling our telephone contact line.

Recent Web Additions

CSMC History - Book now available

Single but not alone: the first 40 years of the Council of Single Mothers and their Children by Deanne Carson and Fiona Hendry

Purchase a copy:

Copies can be purchased for $20 ($10 for CSMC members) plus $6 p&h

Download our printable order form here, collect and pay at the CSMC office or pay by credit card at www.trybooking.com/CATE

Enquiries 03 9654 0327

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REMOVES PARENTING PAYMENT ELIGIBILITY FROM ALL SINGLE PARENTS WHEN YOUNGEST CHILD TURNS 8 YEARS OLD.

From January 1st 2013 ALL Australian single parents will lose eligibility to the payment Parenting Payment Single (PPS) once their youngest child turns 8 years old. Centrelink is trying to contact all single parents who will be immediately affected by this legislation but CSMC is concerned that there is not enough time for this to practically happen. If you think this may affect you and have not heard from Centrelink please call the Centrelink Families line on 13 61 50 or drop into your local office and ask to speak to the special team dealing with the changes to PPS. Centrelink assures us you can be put through to someone who will be able to help.

For more information about the changes please click here.

FEDERAL BUDGET 2012 -2013 For an analysis of the effects on single mother families please click here.

NCSMC in consultation with CSMC Vic have formulated policy platforms on single mother issues. Click on the links below to view.