It’s Children’s Week and I’d like to give a huge shout out to FRSA members and friends for the incredible work you do delivering children and family services. Children’s Week is a national annual event promoting awareness of children’s rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Children’s rights underpin and motivate our sector’s work with children and young people. You are amazing!
Yesterday, the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Tanya Plibersek, announced significant reforms to key child, family and relationship services, with five flagship programs set to be replaced by a single national program from 2027.
The programs affected include:
- Child and Parenting Support (CaPS)
- Communities for Children – Facilitating Partners (CfC FP)
- Family Mental Health Support Services (FMHSS)
- Family and Relationship Services (FaRS)
- Specialised Family Violence Services (SFVS)
Reform has been on the Government’s agenda for some time, and the sector was aware that change was likely coming. It was very unfortunate that the consultation paper about the new single national program was not released at the same time of the announcement which provided little other detail other than the above-mentioned programs would no longer exist. Providers of these services are now scrambling to contain concerns about continuity of key services in the longer term, anxiety about job losses and impacts on the local communities and the children and families living in them.
Recent evaluations, including a 2024 Department of Social Services review of CaPS, CfC FP and FMHSS, highlighted strong client outcomes and value for investment. These findings align with a 2023 cost-benefit analysis commissioned by FRSA and conducted by the Centre for International Economics (CIE). The CIE report found overwhelmingly positive outcomes for children, young people and parents—improvements in family functioning, mental health, wellbeing, and age-appropriate development. Similarly, the analysis showed strong results for FaRS and SFVS clients.
The Department of Social Services will soon open the consultation on the proposed single national program and we trust that a little more detail about the model will be provided at that point. FRSA will work with our members to ensure the reform builds on the strengths of current programs and continues to deliver positive outcomes for children, families and communities across Australia.
Next week’s Strategic Leadership Forum, which will be held in Canberra, will provide an opportunity for CEOs and Senior Managers of the FRSA membership to debrief on yesterday’s announcement as well as consider other challenges and opportunities facing the sector. Do register if you haven’t already.
Also, a reminder to members that the FRSA AGM will be held online on 12 November, 12:00-1:00pm (AEDT). The Board election is underway via an electronic ballot. The election period closes at 4:00pm (AEDT) on Friday 7 November 2025. If you are an FRSA member and have not received your election email, please contact the FRSA office on 02 6162 1811 or via email, admin@frsa.org.au.
As always, please do reach out to the FRSA office on 02 6162 1811 if you have questions, concerns or information to share.
