The Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCS IA) funds the Housing Assistance and Homelessness Prevention Progr am. The aim of the init iative is to prevent homelessness by intervening early with families and young people to stabilise and improve their housing situation and improve their level of engagement with family, work, education, training and their local community. This is achieved through interventions such as counselling, mediation, group work and practical support in culturally and contextually appropriate services. Reconnect is an early intervention service strategy under the Housing Assistance and Homelessness Prevention Program with an emphasis on family reconciliation. Following a two-y ear pilot Youth Homelessness Project, Reconnect was established in 1998 as a response to youth homelessness. These Operational Guidelines provide the framework for the implementation and administration of Reconnect. The Guidelines provide the basis for the service delivery of Reconnect and should be read in conjunction with the contractual arrangements under which payments to deliver Reconnect services are made. The operational guidelines include:

• The purpose of Reconnect; 
• FaHCSIA expectations of service providers including performance expectations; and
• Other relevant information pertine nt to the successful delivery of Reconnect.

FaHCSIA reserves the right to amend thes e guidelines from time to time by whatever means it may determine in its absolute discret ion and will provide reasonable notice of these amendments.