EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Exploring the role of Communities for Children (CfC) Facilitating Partners Impact on Service Delivery and Collaborative Partnerships 2019

The Communities for Children Facilitating Partners (CfC-FPs) have a distinct role in the Community Support Programme for the Australian Government Communities for Children (CfC) program. The CFC-FP role entails creating, supporting and funding linkages to provide community-focused and evidence-informed intensive supports of children and their families at the earliest juncture. The CFC-FP program provides engagement with traditionally ‘difficult to reach’ families and circumstances, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, refugees and migrants, and families with at-risk children. The successful execution of this mandate requires exploration and research. This independent, robust, mixed methods research project provides the foundational tools, methods and strategies to complete the first state-wide, comprehensive evaluation of the CFC-FP and Community Partners (CP) collaboration with an analysis of consumer and Community Partner (CP) needs.
Communities for Children Facilitating Partner (CfC-FP) model provides a place-based service which develops and facilitates a ‘whole of community’ approach to early childhood development and wellbeing for children from 0-12 years (but can include children up to 18 years).
CfC-FP builds on local strengths to meet community needs and create capability within local service systems, using strong evidence of what works in early intervention and prevention. The service collaborates with other organisations, and funds other organisations (known as Community Partners) to provide services including parenting support, group peer support, case management, home visiting services and other supports to enhance child wellbeing. In South Australia there are 5 CFC-FP organisations contracted by the Australian Federal Government servicing the 6 Communities for Children sites.
The initiative commenced with a consultation process in the 2000’s, under the Howard Government, to address the increasing needs of children who were underserviced, disadvantaged and vulnerable [55]. The initial funding for the CfC initiative was provided in the 2000’s to 7 trial sites and over the next iteration an additional 42 sites were contracted nationally [55]. These sites were identified as service areas and often included AECD identified areas of disadvantage for children aged 0 to 5 years. In 2009 additional sites for the CfC initiative were increased to 52 and the targeted age group was expanded for children aged 0 to 12 years.
Strategic plans were developed by sites to deliver early interventions in a method that improved school readiness and decreased developmental delays. The initial intent of the then Government was to build capacity within the community to improve the outcomes for children in high-risk areas and groups, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and refugees. However subsequent government have supported and expanded the CfC work. There was a recognition from the then Australian Government that this form of community development should be community specific and would take time to develop in order to achieve the desired community engagement and capacity building. The Abbott Government initiated policy changes to the CfC programs in response to the Stronger Families in Australia Study (Phase 2), which included an initial 30% and then later 50% evidence-based practice requirement in the activities delivered [1].