Mirabel believes that every child deserves a childhood. We assist children who have been orphaned or abandoned due to their parents’ illicit drug use. MIRABEL S VISION The Mirabel Foundation is driven by the simple, core belief that every child deserves a childhood. Mirabel currently supports over 1900 children in Victoria and NSW who have been orphaned or abandoned due to parental drug use. Each week, seven new children are referred to Mirabel, the only organisation in Australia dedicated to helping these children. Mirabel aims to help these vulnerable children reach their full potential as adults and break the ravaging cycle of drug abuse. WHO ARE MIRABEL KIDS? The tragedy of drug related deaths is compounded by the children left behind. Children without family may find themselves in foster care, sometimes separated from their siblings. Many go into the care of extended family (kinship care), usually with elderly grandparents who have little or no financial or moral support. These are Mirabel children. And it s our determined focus to provide them with all the emotional and practical support they need to have the most normal childhood possible. A MIRABEL STORY I should have taken better care of Mummy. Then she would still be alive. Rebekah is a typical Mirabel child. She was 7 when she found her mum hanging from the roof of her living room. Rebekah now lives with her grandmother. She attends Mirabel s therapeutic girls group, where she takes comfort in the fact that she is not alone. Within 6 months of the group starting, 5 of the children had their second parent die from drugs. Rebekah comforts the other children with gentle words and reassuring hugs. She vividly recalls the night her mum died and the difficult times leading up to her death. She feels safe now that she lives with her grandmother but still misses her mum. She blames herself for her mother s death and thinks that she should have taken better care of her. Mirabel works with Rebekah to help her make sense of her world, catch up on her schooling and help build some happy memories of her childhood. THE MIRABEL TEAM As a drug and alcohol counsellor, Jane Rowe witnessed the devastating effects drug use had on the children of users. She also discovered the profound difference that positive support could bring to these tender, troubled lives. So she established The Mirabel Foundation in 1998 and continues as CEO today. Jane leads a remarkable and dedicated team of 31 employees supported by many volunteers. Mirabel also has three patrons Dr Jeff McMullen AM, Deborah Conway and Shane Jacobson; a host of prominent ambassadors; and a board of management chaired by Ben Dortimer. MIRABEL S PROGRAMS Each child is central to the way Mirabel works. Our tailored services include: Counselling and support Therapeutic groups and individual support Recreation programs and educational assistance Children and family events, kinship carer support groups Family camps at Somers Youth teens groups meetings and outings Needs assessment, referral to additional specialist services, advocacy