Policy, research and submissions

Ensuring the voices of children, young people and their families are represented at all levels of government.

Last updated: 19 Sep 2025

Our commitment to representation and evidence-based solutions

We are dedicated to ensuring the voices of children, young people and their families are represented at all levels of government.

We are proactive in preparing submissions to governmental bodies and other relevant stakeholders. These submissions serve as powerful advocacy tools, highlighting the needs and concerns of children, families and the workforce that supports them.

Our research initiatives generate valuable insights into the challenges faced by children and families and potential solutions to address these challenges. With a firm commitment to evidence-based practices, our research not only informs our own work but also contributes to broader discussions and policymaking processes.

Our latest submissions
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Submission
Supports Not Funded by the NDIS A guide to understanding the services, items. and equipment that don't qualify for NDIS funding.
Submission
NDIS Early Intervention Requirements A guide to understanding the requirements needed to access NDIS early intervention services
Submission
Victoria State Budget Submission 2025-26 The Centre submitted recommendations for the Victorian State Budget 2025-26, advocating targeted investments in children, families and frontline services. We called for expanded affordable housing, bolstered early years support, and sustainable funding for family violence prevention and crisis systems. The submission emphasised closing service gaps in outer suburbs and regional areas, strengthening workforce capacity, and improving integrated support across health, education and social services. We urged greater attention to child and family wellbeing in Victoria’s fiscal settings. The aim is to ensure that the budget supports safe, stable futures for children and families experiencing vulnerability.
Submission
Child Safety Review The Centre responded to the Federal Government’s National Child Safety Review, supporting stronger protections for children in early childhood education and care. We endorsed reforms to restrict use of personal digital devices, introduce mandatory child safety training, and expand regulatory powers to address misconduct. Our submission backed a nationally consistent Working with Children Check system, improved information sharing between regulators, and safer service design standards. We also highlighted the need to protect vulnerable children from enrolment cancellations. These reforms, if implemented, will strengthen accountability, build workforce capability, and create safer learning environments for all children.

Treating Families Fairly

Treating Families Fairly is an alliance of child and family service organisations, peak bodies, and academic experts advocating for fair and respectful social policy.

Formed in 2017, the alliance emerged in response to concerns about the impact of conditional welfare policies on families and the services that support them. Our work highlights the critical link between poverty, social security systems, and child and family wellbeing. We call for policy reform upholding dignity, reducing harm, and building a more equitable future for all families.

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Latest policy and research news from the Centre
August Research Review

August Research Review

28 Aug 2025

August's Research Review explores research on children’s participation in child protection processes, the economic case for Aboriginal-led child and family services, as well as factors preventing disclosures of child sexual abuse.
July Research Review

July Research Review

28 Jul 2025

July's Research Review features research on basic income for care leavers, experiences of students with disability in Australian universities and effective supports for first-time fathers.
June Research Review

June Research Review

28 Jun 2025

June's Research Review brings together new research and insights shaping the wellbeing of children, young people, families and communities.
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The latest Research Review
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Feeling Supported Not Stuck: Rethinking intervention orders for children and young people This report examines the experiences of children and young people aged between 10 and 17 years who are respondents to family violence intervention orders (FVIOs) and personal safety intervention orders (PSIOs).
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Teenage gambling in Australia A discussion paper by The Australia Institute highlights the alarming rates of teenage gambling in Australia, drawing on national survey data. It finds that nearly one in three (30 per cent) 12–17-year-olds gamble, contributing to an estimated $231 million annual expenditure among teenagers, with habits often persisting into adulthood. The report reveals that Australians lost a record $31.5 billion to gambling in 2022–23 – more than the total lost in Las Vegas – and criticises the lack of government action following the 2023 Inquiry into Online Gambling.
External Link
Who benefits? Shining a light on the business of child sexual exploitation and abuse The report by Childlight (Global Safety Institute) exposes the financial networks driving child sexual exploitation and abuse. It highlights how organised crime groups and mainstream tech companies profit, with advertising revenue increasing from traffic linked to offenders. The report calls for urgent action, emphasising prevention-focused approaches, stronger regulations and accountability for tech companies to detect and remove abuse material. It advocates for law enforcement to track and dismantle child sexual exploitation and abuse networks using digital tools.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on what works in social and emotional wellbeing programs This report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies explores Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and experiences with effective social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) programs. Through a review of existing literature and programs, the study identifies essential elements for effectiveness, including cultural safety, strengths-based approach and holistic support.

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The Centre’s membership benefits build collaboration, advocacy, and capacity within the child and family services sector, ensuring a more resilient and supportive environment that provides better outcomes for children and families.
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