Policy, research and submissions

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

Last updated: 08 Jan 2026

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 government submissions
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Submission
Consultation on the Second Action Plan (National Plan to End Violence Against Women) This submission to the Second Action Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2027–2032 focuses on the experiences and rights of children and young people affected by family violence. It calls for stronger investment in prevention, early intervention and therapeutic recovery, recognition of children as victim-survivors in their own right, and greater support for the family services workforce that responds to violence every day.
Submission
State Disability Plan and Victorian Autism Plan 2027–2031 This submission to the State Disability Plan and Victorian Autism Plan 2027–2031 calls for a stronger focus on children and young people with disability and autism. It recommends reforms to improve early intervention, access to support, inclusion, safety and coordination between disability and child and family service systems.
Submission
Victoria’s Draft Adaptation Action Plans 2027-31 This submission to Victoria’s draft Adaptation Action Plans 2027–31 highlights the disproportionate impacts of climate change on children, young people and families. It recommends embedding child rights, community resilience and youth participation across climate adaptation planning and delivery.
Submission
Inquiry into the Factors Driving Educational Attainment This submission explores the factors shaping educational attainment, including socio-economic disadvantage, early childhood development, school belonging and student wellbeing. It recommends child-centred reforms that strengthen inclusion, participation and educational outcomes across the life course.

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
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The Centre at ISPCAN 2026

13 Aug 2026

The Centre is proud to exhibit and present our research at this year's International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect (ISPCAN) Congress.
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Recognise children as victim-survivors in their own rights in Australia’s Second Action Plan

11 Aug 2026

The Centre's submission to inform Australia’s Second Action Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children (2027-2032) highlights how the safety and recovery of children is central to closing the gaps left by a decade of family violence reform.
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Report on Government Services summaries – June 2026

18 Jun 2026

The Centre has developed sector summaries for Victoria and Tasmania from the mid-year data update from the Report on Government Services, covering early childhood education and care, vocational education and training, housing and homelessness, justice and school education.
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The latest Research Review
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File
Research Review: April, May & June 2026 In this edition of the Research Review, we highlight implementation and system performance with studies identifying gaps between policy intent and practice in out-of-home care, early intervention and data use. Pieces on relational and culturally grounded approaches emphasise family-led, trauma-informed and Aboriginal knowledge systems. Other articles examine workforce pressures as well as inequality spanning education, housing and food security. Read on for insights shaping policy, practice and reform.
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Generation Trapped. Housing, handouts, and the collapse of young Australians’ life satisfaction This CIS paper examines the lives, aspirations, values, and perceived barriers of Australians aged 18–34.
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No child left behind: Report into the Thriving Kids initiative This inquiry report examines how Australia can better support children aged eight and under with developmental delay or disability, in the context of NDIS growth and long‑standing system challenges. Drawing on submissions, hearings and evidence reviews, the report outlines pressures in scheme design, clinical pathways, data quality and education, noting that children with mild to moderate needs often face long waits and fragmented support. It assesses early‑identification models, equity impacts for First Nations and culturally diverse families, and workforce gaps. The report makes sixteen recommendations to strengthen early, evidence‑based, accessible supports.
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‘A moment of reckoning’: Recent developments in Victoria’s child safety framework This paper from Parliament of Victoria outlines major reforms to Victoria’s child safety framework following the July 2025 charges involving over two hundred offences in early childhood education and care centres in Melbourne’s west. Drawing on recent inquiries and long‑standing sector reviews, the authors describe vulnerabilities in worker screening, fragmented information‑sharing and complex regulatory settings dating back to the Royal Commission. Between August and December 2025, four Acts introduced changes, including an independent early childhood regulator and a workforce register. The paper highlights how this crisis accelerated long‑needed reforms, with national alignment also underway.

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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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