A new approach to programs for families and children
On 23 October 2025, the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, announced proposed reforms to supports and services for families, children, and young people. You can read Minister Plibersek’s speech for more information.
Listen to the Minister talk about the proposed reforms and her vision for families, children and young people in the following video.
Read the transcript PDF | DOCX
We want to hear your thoughts on how we can streamline delivery to reduce red tape and help organisations dedicate more time towards supporting their communities.
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 proposed changes respond to feedback the government has received that a siloed approach to programs can make real world delivery challenging.
The proposed reforms aim 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.
Feedback from the sector will inform the final shape of the program, and a subsequent grant opportunity.
You can read more about the proposed reforms in the Discussion Paper.
Have your say
We want your feedback on these proposed changes. Consultations are now open, until 5 December 2025.
There are a few ways you can have your say – participate in a townhall, respond to the Discussion Paper or answer a quick survey.
A range of resources have been developed to help you have your say:
- Discussion Paper
- A summary of the research and evidence which has informed the design of the proposal (Evidence Summary)
- A summary of how the changes respond to what the sector and families have told the government in previous consultation processes (Consultation Summary)
- Factsheet for families, parents and caregivers
- Easy Read Discussion Paper
- Easy Ready Factsheet for families, parents and caregivers
Learn more
More information on the 5 Families and Children Activity programs can be found at:
- Children and Parenting Support
- Family Mental Health Support Services
- Communities for Children Facilitating Partners
- Family and Relationship Services
- Specialised Family Violence Services
If you have any questions about the consultation, please email families@dss.gov.au.
Support services
- In an emergency call Triple Zero (000)
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
- Mensline 1300 78 99 78
- 1800 Respect 1800 737 732
