Future Directions

Families Australia: looking ahead

In 2011-12, Families Australia will work to:

  • Improve national policies and programs relating to families. In particular, we will:
  • emphasise the wellbeing of families in all their diversity
  • promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and support for their carers
  • assist adult survivors of institutionalisation to gain greater recognition and support
  • highlight the needs of families facing mental health challenges
  • continue to advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family issues
  • give special emphasis to, and amplify, other important cross-cutting issues of disability, ageing and workforce participation.
  • Promote the importance and needs of families to the broader community and national-level decision-makers, particularly through National Families Week.
  • Act as a two-way conduit for information about national policies and programs to and from families, Families Australia members and Government.
  • Build its organisational capacity to influence national policies.

 

The key activities Families Australia will undertake to achieve these goals will include:

  • Continuing to play a coordinating role for the NGO sector in relation to the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children
  • Contributing to the full implementation of the first three-year plan under the National Framework
  • Playing a leading role in negotiating the second three-year National Framework
  • Assisting to establish, and participate in , the national the Children and Family Roundtable
  • Providing advice to government and past providers on the needs of Forgotten Australians
  • Promoting Alliance for Forgotten Australians’ advocacy and policy priorities
  • Advancing policy initiatives relating to the impacts of mental health issues on families
  • Providing Parliament and government with advice as opportunities arise on policy issues, for example, Parliamentary inquiries, FaHCSIA policy consultations
  • Conducting another successful National Families Week
  • Participating in regular Department of Human Services consultative forums

 

In all its work, Families Australia is, or intends to become widely known as, an organisation that:

  • is a national leader highly respected for the quality and independence of its thinking and advice about family policy and program implementation
  • works to foster a national public policy environment in which family-related issues and the family sector can prosper
  • focuses on informing and influencing national policy at the highest government levels
  • works in close consultation with our members in developing policy
  • strongly advocates for the cultural diversity and the value of families
  • reflects the diversity of Australia and Australian families
  • is proactive in support of justice and equity for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
  • takes a broad and inclusive approach in all its work
  • is practical in orientation, yet has an eye to longer term policy development
  • is constructive and collaborative across all stakeholder groups, including government
  • is highly strategic and targeted in what it does and is politically astute
  • is governed and managed to the highest possible standards of accountability and probity.