CLAN Midland has had a long history of supporting families since 1993.

In its early days the inspiration for CLAN was inspired by a quote from controversial anthropologist Margaret Mead, “We now expect a family to achieve alone what no society has ever expected an individual family to accomplish unaided. In effect, we call upon the individual family to do what a whole clan used to do.” The idea of engaging volunteers was to act as a surrogate clan to support parents, hence the acronym; “CLAN”. (from Bret Hart - original founder of CLAN).

The service provision in the early years included:

• Service to socially isolated families via volunteers
• Intimidated by accessing services
• Low confidence
• Case-by-case basis (engagement was not time-limited)
• Connect families to other community services, play groups etc.
• Model appropriate behaviours to parents and children
• Respite camps for families

As told by Megan Dawson - "CLAN Midland’s first days were at a little house in Hooley Road Midvale. I remember I had an old table as a desk, and had to bring a fold up chair from home to sit on!! The house was owned by the then Dept. of Community and was also used by the Depts Family Resource Workers to run groups for parents and children. Later that year (1993) CLAN moved to the Churchill Brook Family Centre at Marlboro St Swanview. We had the office at the western end of the building and did our volunteer training and meetings there too.”

CLAN then moved to Lotteries House around 1995 before finally settling at 36a Mathoura St where they still are today.

2023 CLAN Midland celebrates 30 Years