Support for child and parent wellbeing

About the Children and Parenting Support program

This program is designed to meet the needs of all families. The program’s services provide support to children aged from birth to 12 years and their families. It may include children up to 18 if needed.

The program focuses on:

• early intervention and prevention services to improve children’s development and wellbeing
• adjunct care (where the parent or carer remains at the location) and early learning
• support for those in a parenting or carer role.

The program helps all children be prepared for learning and life. This program supports Australians and people from Norfolk Island.

Service delivery

The program’s services are delivered in identified areas of need across Australia both face-to-face and online.

Services might include:

• community playgroups, supported playgroups and crèches
• school readiness programs
• parenting courses and home visits
• counselling and support
• outside of school hours care, mobile services and peer support groups
• prevention and early intervention support for families and children affected by the misuse of alcohol and other drugs.

Funding

The Families and Children Activity funds this program through a grants process.

Guidelines, plans and reporting

Service providers follow a set of guidelines. They must also submit plans and progress reports.

The Families and Children Activity Outcomes Framework outlines the key outcomes funded programs and services need to achieve.

Operational guidelines

The operational guidelines help service providers work in a consistent, coordinated and cooperative way.

The guidelines explain how to deliver services and provides answers to common questions. The guidelines also provide information about how to report critical incidents.

Read the Children and Parenting Support Operational Guidelines.

Activity work plans

Service providers must submit Activity Work Plans. The requirements are set out in the grant agreement.

The Activity Work Plan guidance document and template helps providers complete their plan.

• Read the Families and Children AWP Guidance document.
• Download the AWP template.

Program logic

A program logic shows the relationship between the way a service operates and its intended outcomes. The service provider’s grant agreement provides details, including reporting milestone dates.

Service providers who don’t already have a program logic will use the department’s template and guidance material to develop one. After the service provider submits the program logic, the department will assess against a checklist.

• Program logic template for service provider reporting
• Blank program logic template
• Program logic example 1: single service
• Program logic example 2: multiple services
• Assessment Checklist.

Review point

We review the performance of program providers. This helps check that grant activities are on track. It also identifies areas for improvement. The review allows us to work together for better outcomes for families and children.

• View the Review Point assessment criteria in the CaPS Operational Guidelines
• Read the Review Point 2024 fact sheet.

Critical incident reporting

FaC Activity service providers must notify the department of critical incidents within 48 hours of the incident or within 48 hours of becoming aware of incidents.

To notify the department, service providers should fill out the critical incident reporting template and email it to their Funding Arrangement Manager. Funding Arrangement Manager details are in the grant agreement.

Download the Critical incident reporting guideline and form.

Program resources

These resources help service providers.