Family and Social Policy Links
The World Wide Web is being used increasingly by all levels of government and many non government agencies involved in policy matters to publish documents relevant to the development and achievement of family and social policy, such as discussion and research papers, draft action plans, proposed legislation, media releases, strategies and program details, etc. This page aims to provide links to Web sites and online documents which are concerned with current family and social policy in Australia. Comments and suggestions for new links are most welcome and can be emailed to the AIFS Web Manager
Gateway/General Sites
Children and Young People
Community and Family
Domestic Violence
Health
Housing
Older People
Women
Gateway/General Sites
- Australian Policy Online
Maintained by the Institute for Social Research at Swinburne University, APO offers access to Australian social, economic, cultural and political research available online from more than 50 research and policy centres. - Australian Government entry point
The gateway to information about the federal government, its ministers, parliament and legislature, government publications and the Web sites of federal departments and agencies. - Parliament of Australia Committees
Information on Senate, House of Representative, and Joint Committees, and current inquiries and recent reports - Federal Government media releases
From this page there are direct links to the media release pages of all federal government portfolios. In addition, a search engine provides keyword searching across all or selected portfolio media pages, and an email service is offered which allows you to sign up to receive notification of new media releases from portfolios of interest.
Children and Young People
Australian Government
- Childcare Program Internet
Site
The Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has responsibility for national childcare policy, research and data collection through the Childcare Program. This site provides information for families and service providers; publications, legislation, program information, who to contact and links to other government sites, community sector sites and educational and research sites. - Child Support Agency
The Web site provides information about the operation of the Child Support Scheme including publications and forms and information for parents, employers, community and support groups, and the legal profession. - Inquiry into Child Custody Arrangements in the Event of Family Separation
The report of the Inquiry Every picture tells a story was tabled in December 2003. - International Child Abduction:
Official Australian Website
The Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department is the Australian Central Authority for the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. This site lists countries covered by the Convention, provides contact and application information for parents whose children have been wrongfully removed to a Convention country and information for parents from other countries seeking their children in Australia, a Guide for parents and practitioners and regular Newsletters online. - National Childcare Accreditation Council
The Council's site provides information on the accreditation status of long day care centres throughout Australia and registered Family Day Care Schemes. Information for child care centres and parents about the Quality Improvement and Accreditation Scheme and a range of online publications are also available.
State/Territory Government
- ACT Office for Children, Youth and Family Support
The Office aims to provide both universal and targeted programs and services at the prevention, early intervention and tertiary levels in a range of settings that support children, young people and families to reach their potential and that contributes to building community capacity. The Office is also committed to the involvement of children and young people in a meaningful way in decision making about their lives. - NSW Commission for Children and Young
People
The Commission's priorities are focused on children and young people - increasing their participation in decisions that affect their lives, promoting safety and welfare, strengthening important relationships and improving their well-being. The Web site contains information about the Commissions projects and activities including changes to the law; the Child Death Review Team; a checklist for employing people working with children; an Inquiry into children who have no-one to turn to. - Northern Territory Office of Youth Affairs
The Office is a central co-ordination agency located in the Department of the Chief Minister. The office provides a whole-of-government approach to policy priorities for young people aged 12 to 25 years and develops effective communication links between young people, Government and the wider community. - Queensland Commission for Children
and Young People
The Commission's Policy Program monitors, reviews and seeks to inform the development of laws, policies and practices to ensure that the rights, interests and wellbeing of children and young people are promoted and protected. Online papers, speeches and reports are available in PDF. - Tasmania Commissioner for Children
The Commissioner is empowered under legislation to look at policies and practices of Departments, Government and Non-Government Agencies and Organisations as well as individuals that affect the health, welfare, care, protection and development of young people under the age of 18. A number of policy papers on the rights of children and young people are available on the Web site. - Victorian Government. Department of Human Services. Children, Youth and Families Division
The role of the Division is to lead action across Government and with the community to give every child every chance; to assure and improve the safety, health, development, learning and wellbeing of all Victoria's children - and particularly those children and young people who are faring poorly, those at risk of harm and those at risk of harming others. The Division brings together: Programs to assure the safety and wellbeing of children, including child protection, and to support vulnerable families, including those affected by violence and crime, including sexual assault; Youth services and youth justice and other programs to support vulnerable young people; State concessions programs targeted to lower-income families and individuals. - WA Department for Child Protection
The Department's major focus is on meeting the needs of vulnerable children and families. It is responsible for protecting and caring for children, and supporting people at risk of crisis. - WA Office for Youth
The Office is responsible for developing policy and programs that meet the needs of Western Australia's children and young people.
NGOs
- Australian Early Childhood Association
The AECA is the national, peak, non-government organisation, acting in the interests of young children aged 0-8 years of age and for older children in outside schools hours care. AECA policies, submissions, and a range of publications are available from the Web site. - Child and Family Welfare
Association of Australia Inc (CAFWAA)
The national peak body for child, adolescent and family welfare in Australia. The Association's aim is to promote the welfare of children and young people in out-of-home care and those at risk of placement, together with their families. - NSW Association of Children's Welfare Agencies (ACWA)
Press releases, submissions, research reports and reviews, and issues papers are some of the policy relevant information resources from the Association. - Peak Care Queensland
PeakCare promotes excellence in the development and delivery of non government services for the protection and care of children and young people and the support of their families. - Victoria's Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare Inc.
The Centre provides representation, professional development, research, policy and program advice, publications and resources for 90 community service organisations in the child, youth and family services sector of Victoria.
Community and Family
Australian Government
- Centrelink
Centrelink's publications page offers an extensive collection of documents on: Aged pensions and retirement; Financial information fact sheets, Disability and family services and payments; information for job seekers and students. -
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs - Publications
Research and policy publications on families and children. - NetAlert - Advice for Families for
Safety
A community advisory body on Internet content established by the Australian Government. Its role is an advisory one - to educate parents about the online world, advise young people on safe surfing, and provide a link to the industry. The site provides links to the Australian Broadcasting Authority's 'Australian families: guide to the Internet' and links to filtering software. NetAlert also provides a toll free Helpline seven days a week (1800 880 176). - Stronger Families and Communities
Strategy 2004-2009
Following on from 2002-2004, this second stage of the Strategy focuses on early childhood initiatives and resources that can be used to achieve better outcomes for children and their families. Strong families with healthy, well-adjusted children require strong, stable communities in which to grow. To this end, the Strategy also continues to support communities and initiatives building capacity, leadership and mentoring.
State/Territory Government
- NSW Department of Community Services
Publications section includes policy publications in PDF such as: Policy and procedures for child care services in NSW; NSW standards for substitute care services; Report to Develop an Accreditation System for SAAP and Substitute Care; Review of the Children (Care and Protection) Act 1987; SAAP Standards. - Queensland Department of Communities
Community rather than policy emphasis, some publications on family, child care, ageing, youth, disability. - Victorian
Department of Human Services
LInks to the office for Children, policies for protecting children and family related information. - WA Department for Communities
The Department is responsible for the support, social wellbeing and participation of key community groups - children and young people, seniors, women, carers, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Policies and strategic plans such as on adoption, child protection, reunifying children with their families, family and domestic violence etc are available on the website.
NGOs
- Australian Council of Social Service
The national peak council of the community welfare sector representing low income and disadvantaged people in social and economic policy matters, ACOSS provides access to policy and research papers and media releases on its Web site. Also links to State COSS members. - Brotherhood of St Laurence
The Brotherhood's collection of online publications informs policy-makers and the community on issues of poverty and disadvantage.
Domestic Violence
Australian Government
- Women's Safety Agenda - Elimination of Violence
The Women's Safety Agenda addresses four broad themes - prevention, health, justice and services. Together they aim to decrease the impacts of domestic violence and sexual assault upon the community by building on the achievements of the Partnerships Against Domestic Violence initiative and the National Initiative to Combat Sexual Assault , increasing attention on preventing violence and early intervention and support for those affected by violence. - Attorney-General's Department - Family law violence strategy
This strategy forms part of the federal government's family law reform agenda. It focuses on family violence and child abuse in the context of the family law system and on identifying ways to improve the functioning of the system for these cases.
State/Territory Governments
- ACT Domestic Violence Policy
- NSW Domestic Violence Policy Discussion Paper
- Victoria Office of Women's Policy - Reforming the family violence system in Victoria
The Victorian Government established a Statewide Steering Committee to Reduce Family Violence in 2002 as a community and government partnership. Its specific task was to provide advice on the development of a multi-agency and integrated response to family violence. The resultant report outlined broad directions for system reform in Victoria. - Western Australia Family and Domestic Violence Taskforce Action Plan Its not just a domestic': an Action Plan on Family and Domestic Violence established the Freedom From Fear: Campaign Against Domestic Violence - a long term community education program which aims to ensure the safety of women, children and other victims who are affected by domestic violence. The Web site provides information for people affected by domestic violence, access to a men's self help booklet and other publications, to helplines and referral agencies, and links to other useful Web sites.
Health
Australian Government
- Department of Health and Ageing - the Department's Publications page provides access to many policy documents online.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
The Mental Health and Special Programs Branch implements the National Mental Health Strategy (NMHS), the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) and Special Access Programs on for example, palliative care, torture and trauma, and homeless youth. The Mental Health site provides information for consumers, carers, and families, advice on contacting crisis and support services, and a collection of full text publications and resources.
State/Territory Governments
- New South Wales Publications and Reports
- Tasmanian Mental Health Act - includes an overview, guidebook, and policies, regulations and legislation.
Housing
Australian Government
-
Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement 2003-2008
The 2003 CSHA, effective from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2008, provides for housing assistance such as public and community housing, indigenous housing, crisis accommodation, home purchase assistance and private rental assistance.
NGOs
- Council to Homeless Persons
Peak organisation representing agencies which provide services directly to homeless people in Victoria.
Older People
Australian Government
- Department of Health and Ageing. Ageing and Aged Care Division
Includes a range of information resources on community care and residential care for consumers and service providers. - Home and residence choices for older people (Department of Family and Community Services)
State/Territory Governments
-
NSW Council on the Ageing - Seniors Information Service
An information service for older people in New South Wales with the answers to frequently asked questions on: Retirement villages; Help for frail older people; Aged care reform and residential aged care facilities; eligibility for concessions; and, information to assist with legal, health, housing, safety and security matters. - Tasmanian
Seniors Bureau
The Seniors Bureau's work is guided by the vision, principles and objectives of the Tasmanian Plan for Positive Ageing 2000-2005. The Plan for Positive Ageing outlines five key areas for positive ageing and contains over 80 strategies to which the Tasmanian government has committed resources to ensure that the needs and interests of the older members of our community are respected.
NGOs
- COTA National Seniors (
Councils on the Ageing (COTA)
and National Seniors Association
working in partnership)
Media releases and press articles, policy submissions and fact sheets are among the documents available on the COTA Web site to assist policy development on care and services for the aged.
Women
Australian Government
- Office
for Women
The Office provides high level (policy and other) advice to the Prime Minister and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues; Administers programs, including most significantly programs to combat domestic violence and sexual assault; Advises on legislative issues relating to women; Provides the principal focus on consultation between the women's sector and government; and, Represents government at national and international forums on women's issues, such as the United Nations.
State/Territory Governments
-
New South Wales Office for Women
The Office works on strategy, policy development, programs and projects to benefit the women of New South Wales. -
Victoria Office of Women's Policy
Located in the Department for Victorian Communities, the Office of Women's Policy (OWP) provides strategic policy advice to the Victorian Government, with the aim of creating better outcomes for all women. Policy documents on topics such as women's safety, equity, work and economic independence, health, wellbeing, and work and family balance can be accessed on the website.