Consultations are now open on proposed changes that seek to maximise outcomes for children, young people, and families and support providers to deliver flexible and responsive services.
We are proposing changes to the following 5 Families and Children Activity programs:
- Children and Parenting Support
- Family Mental Health Support Services
- Communities for Children Facilitating Partners
- Family and Relationship Services
- Specialised Family Violence Services
The changes would bring 5 programs under a new, single national program to support children and families. It aims to achieve more efficient and effective delivery of services by making funding arrangements easier, streamlining administration requirements, and focusing on meaningful outcomes‑based reporting, so providers can spend more time delivering services to families.
The proposed changes focus on two key outcomes for families:
- Parents and caregivers are empowered to raise healthy, resilient children
- Children are supported to grow into healthy, resilient adults.
Read the Discussion Paper(Opens external website), Evidence Summary(Opens external website) and Consultation Summary(Opens external website) for more information on how we built this reform using your feedback, available on our consultation platform, DSS Engage(Opens external website).
If you would like to have your say on the proposed changes, you can participate by making a submission, answering a quick survey or attending a townhall event. Consultation closes on 5 December 2025.
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