The Family Partnership Model (FPM) is an evidence-based approach to working with families that has played a central role in the inception, design, planning and delivery of 12 integrated Child and Family Centres (CFCs) in Tasmania. The Model is founded upon a respect for an encouragement of the expertise and self-determination of parents. It requires and encourages a different approach to service design and delivery.

In this paper we seek to provide policy-makers, organisations and communities involved in the design, planning and delivery of services for young children and families with an insight into the benefits and challenges involved in utilising the FPM to engage communities. What does the model look like when it is used with entire communities?

The paper begins with a description of the Family Partnership Model and Tasmanian Child and Family Centres. We then describe the importance of community engagement in the context of rapid and far-reaching social changes in Australia that have benefited many families, but have left other families behind. We then provide six case studies that provide an insight into the integral role of the FPM in the process of engaging the 12 Tasmanian communities. We conclude with a discussion regarding the key lessons learnt about community engagement as a result of the design, planning and delivery of the Tasmanian CFCs.

This paper does not report upon the evaluation of the CFCs, nor is it intended to be a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. Rather this is a conceptual paper that outlines a number of key lessons regarding community engagement that are especially relevant to communities experiencing significant levels of socio-economic disadvantage.