The last fortnight has been a time of intense conversations with our membership and other key stakeholders as we work up our response to the Commonwealth Government’s consultation on A new approach to programs for families and children. Discussions with the Department of Social Services have made it clear that this consultation process – albeit with a very challenging timeframe – is designed as the final opportunity for people to influence the direction the Commonwealth Government will be taking in designing a program to support activities that contribute to two proposed outcomes:
- Parents and caregivers are empowered to raise healthy, resilient children.
- Children are supported to grow into healthy, resilient adults.
The consultation paper speaks to greater flexibility, less administration and a more streamlined approach to the delivery of programs with three activity streams:
- National programs and information services – making sure families across Australia have access to trusted advice and resources, wherever they live.
- Prevention and early intervention – supporting families early, before challenges escalate.
- Intensive family supports – for families who need more targeted, wraparound support.
The family and relationship services sector has been consistently, diligently and effectively delivering programs that support and assist children, young people and adults to stay out of the more costly tertiary end of service systems – whether that be child protection, justice or health/mental health systems and contribute to stronger and safer communities. The success of these programs was made clear in the CIE FRS cost benefit report we published in September 2023 which found that for every $1 government spent on funding the programs in the Families and Children’s Activity the cost benefit (value returned to government and society) was an aggregate $8.67. Not to blow our own trumpet – but in the Cost Benefit Analysis world – this is money well spent. And importantly, that money is representative of the improvements made to the lives of children, young people and adults accessing those services.
As the peak representing the FRS sector we feel well placed – with strong historical evidence of success and demonstrated outcomes – to provide constructive advice and input to Government in the final deliberations around the future of this important work.
In the last fortnight we also held the FRSA AGM and I encourage you to check out our Annual Report for 2024-2025. We also welcomed and congratulate newly elected FRSA Board Director, Danielle Newport, CEO of Relationships Australia WA and thanked outgoing board member Graeme O’Connor, CEO, Interrelate, who filled the position on a temporary (casual) basis.
I am delighted to report that the FRSA Conference is already gaining strong momentum and we can’t wait to bring a fantastic program to life in the city of Brisbane. Abstracts closed on Wednesday last week and we had a bumper 192 abstracts submitted. That is a record and we are so grateful that people see the FRSA Conference as such a great opportunity to showcase their work. We will be working to get results of the abstract review process out to authors and a concurrent session program out to the sector before 2025 is out! (Only 33 days away!)
