SUBMISSION

ANROWS submission on the Families and Children program reforms

A new approach to programs for families and children

ANROWS provided a submission in response to the Department of Social Services consultation on A new approach to programs for families and children.

The proposed reforms bring five existing Families and Children Activity programs under a single national program, with the aim of simplifying funding arrangements, streamlining administration, and supporting more flexible, responsive service delivery focused on meaningful outcomes for children, young people and families.

ANROWS supports the Department’s vision and direction for this reform. The program’s focus on flexible and longer-term funding is a strong step forward, addressing long-recognised structural barriers to child, family and community safety and wellbeing.

To build on the strong direction, we see an important opportunity to ensure the reform continues to advance efforts to reduce domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV). We welcome the opportunity to work alongside the Department by contributing and translating evidence to strengthen this shared effort.

Submission recommendations:

• Apply a DFSV lens across the program

Embed a domestic, family and sexual violence lens across the program’s vision, outcomes, funding decisions, service design and outcome measurement to ensure safety and prevention are central to reform.

• Strengthen the DFSV focus in program priorities

Explicitly incorporate the prevention of violence and the distinct needs of children and young people within program priorities, ensuring alignment with national frameworks and evidence on unmet needs.

• Enable structural reform to support First Nations self-determination

Reform funding and contracting models to support Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation–led service delivery, with flexible, long-term funding that enables culturally safe, self-determined responses.

• Build workforce DFSV literacy and capacity

Invest in workforce capability across the service system to identify and respond to DFSV risk, support victim-survivor safety and work appropriately with people who use violence.

• Draw on the Australian National Research Agenda to inform needs-based funding assessments

Use the Australian National Research Agenda to End Violence against Women and Children (ANRA 2023–2028) to guide community needs assessments, ensuring funding decisions are informed by robust evidence, lived experience and Indigenous methodologies.

• Align evaluation and reporting with the Australian National Research Agenda

Resource evaluation and reporting approaches that centre lived experience, support Indigenous data sovereignty, enable sector-wide learning and measure longer-term outcomes.

 

This submission will be of interest to policymakers, funders, service providers, researchers and advocates working across children, family wellbeing and domestic, family and sexual violence prevention and response.

 

 

Suggested citation

Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety. (2025). Re: A new approach to programs for families and children [Submission no. 2]. ANROWS.