This report contains the methods and baseline results of a process evaluation of the Communities for Children (CfC) program, which is part of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy (SFCS). 

The SFCS aims to: 

• help families and communities build better futures for children
• build family and community capacity
• support relationships between families and the communities they live in
• improve communities’ ability to help themselves.

Under the CfC initiative, non-government organisations are funded as 'Facilitating Partners' in 45 community sites around Australia to develop and implement a strategic and sustainable whole of community approach to early childhood development, in consultation with local stakeholders.

The evaluation includes information from: 

• demographic profiles
• service mapping
• a services coordination survey
• field work relating to partnership model and service coordination.

At this stage it is not clear whether the implementation of CfC has had a strategic impact in the sites; that is, whether it has been able to build sustainable service networks and improved services. It appears that continued financial engagement by state and federal governments remains essential.