Family services

ALTERNATIVE LABELS
Family support
Family support services


Website

Menu of evidence: children and family services

The Menu of Evidence (the Menu) is an online portal and searchable repository of the best available evidence on what works for improving outcomes for children, young people, families, and carers.
Briefing paper

Child and family hubs: an important ‘front door’ for equitable support for families across Australia

Other authors
Valsa Eapen, John Eastwood, Rebecca Goodhue, Caitlin Graham, Lauren Heery, Harriet Hiscock, Michael Hodgins, Anne Hollands, Kim Jose, Dana Newcomb, Grainne O'Loughlin, Katarina Ostojic, Emma Sydneham, Sarah Tayton, Sue Woolfenden, Sharon Goldfeld
In this paper, the authors explore what is meant by a child and family hub, and identify core components that underpin the delivery of these hubs that have emerged from Australian and international research.
Policy report

Building mentally healthy futures: Australian youth recovery plan

This policy paper focuses on actionable, evidence-based steps a newly elected federal government can take to address the current youth mental health crisis.
Discussion paper

Systems change theory and practice: a brief review and practical insights

This discussion paper offers a summary of recently published literature and key theories about systems change and evaluation. It includes several case studies of programs and organisations to illustrate how they have applied theory. For those seeking a deeper dive into systems thinking and change...
Report

New ways for our families

This report presents the results of a literature review and the findings from the initial cycles of action research conducted with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander chief investigators, community researchers and practitioners working in eight community-controlled child and family services across Queensland.
Interactive resource

Future-proofing safety

The Centre for Family Research and Evaluation has recently commenced 'Future-proofing Safety', a major research project examining how family violence in Victoria has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This first interactive report includes three organisational case studies, each exploring family violence service data before...
Report

Adoptions Australia 2020–21

This report covers the latest data on adoptions of Australian children and children from overseas, and highlights important trends in the number of adoptions dating back to 1996–97.
Report

Starting better: a guarantee for young children and families

This report proposes a Guarantee for Young Children and Families – a new pillar of Australia’s social deal. The guarantee is based on evidence of what has the greatest impact and what will work best for Australian children and families. It combines universal services to...
Report

Parenting programs that support children's mental health through family separation

Evidence-based programs for separating families can provide practitioners in diverse sectors with information about 'what works'. This paper identifies the common elements of evidence-based parenting programs that support children's (aged 0-12 years) mental health through parental separation to inform the decisions practitioners make in their...
Briefing paper

From consumer to partner: rethinking the parent/practitioner relationship

Early childhood provides a critical opportunity for early intervention and prevention, but barriers to accessing services prevent children and families – often those with the greatest need – from gaining their benefit. This policy brief focuses on the nature and importance of partnerships between parents...
Report

Understanding preparedness and recovery

Emergency recovery goes beyond survival. It is a complex process with potentially long-lasting impacts on people’s lives. Within research, policy and practice, there is a widespread assumption that preparing for a disaster has a positive impact on recovery. This report examines the emergency experiences of...
Presentation

CPD’s Early Childhood Development Initiative - Evidence Pack 1: building the case for reform

The Centre for Policy Development's Early Childhood Development (ECD) Initiative is working with sector leaders, senior officials and experts to catalyse progress towards a better ECD system. This evidence pack has been adapted from materials prepared by the CPD team for the first two meetings...
Research Summary

Telepractice in Family Work study

This qualitative research study explores the experiences of eight workers and three managers delivering family work using telepractice.
Report

The Internet and end of life

As the world continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an emerging need for bereavement support at a critical level. This report finds that online spaces are a crucial cornerstone of support to people grieving and people at the end of their life, providing...
Report

Child protection Australia 2019–20

This report presents statistics on state and territory child protection and family support services, and selected characteristics of children receiving these services. This includes statistics for 2019–20, and trends over the 5-year period from 2015–16 to 2019–20.
Report

Sexual and reproductive health and rights and the Sustainable Development Goals

This report identifies eight overarching sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) strategies for Australia and the Pacific to support achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Report

The use of telepractice in the family and relationship services sector

The use of telepractice as a service delivery method has increased in Australia since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reviews the evidence for telepractice as a service delivery method in the family and relationship services sector.
Report

Financial stress and social security settings in Australia

This research finds that inadequate social security payments play a significant role in shaping poverty and financial stress trends in Australia. It also finds that it is possible to address these challenges by increasing the overall social security budget.
Report

Adoptions Australia 2019–20

Adoptions Australia 2019–20, the 30th report in the series, covers the latest data on adoptions of Australia children and children from overseas, and highlights important trends in the number of adoptions dating back to 1995–96.
Report

Building a positive evaluation culture

This resource shares some tips and key considerations for managers who want to help build an organisational culture where evidence and evaluation are valued and can inform and improve practice.
Report

Family violence policies, legislation and services: improving access and suitability for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men

This report outlines research investigating the pathways of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men through the family violence legal and support service system, seeking better understanding of the opportunities for rehabilitation that are respectful and culturally responsive, and to see if these pathways enable positive...
Report

Characteristics and outcomes associated with carers in Central and Eastern Sydney aged 45 years and over

Care is fundamental to family life and our community wellbeing. This study looked at a group of more than 30,000 people in the Central and Eastern Sydney region who were recruited to the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study around 2008, and have been followed...
Report

The early years: investing in our future

This report looks to add to the understanding of the lives of young children in Australia, the environment within which they live and learn, and the services provided to families to enable their children to thrive.
Working paper

Delivering evidence based services for all vulnerable families

This working paper provides a summary on the role of family services in promoting child well-being, and then reviews the policy issues at all levels of the family service delivery systems.
Guide

A guide for evaluating behaviour change programs for men who use domestic and family violence

The purpose of this evaluation guide is to provide easy-to-understand information on scoping an evaluation for men’s behaviour change programs (MBCPs) focusing on men who use domestic and family violence (DFV).