Department of Social Services
ANSWER TO QUESTION ON NOTICE
House of Representatives Health, Disability and Ageing Committee
Inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiatives
Public Hearing – 10 October 2025
Topic: Inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative
Question reference number: IQ25-000030
Question asked by: Mike Freelander
Type of Question: Spoken. Hansard Page/s: 8
Date set by the Committee for the return of answer: 27 October 2025
Question:
CHAIR: You might like to take this on notice. I’m not suggesting you do it now. It would be helpful for us to have a list of the services you provide.
Ms Hrast: Excellent. Yes, we’re very happy to do that.
CHAIR: Could you take that on notice and perhaps deliver it to the committee.
Ms Hrast: Absolutely. If I might just clarify, would it be helpful if we described the programs and their focus, and then gave you an example of the sorts of services? Otherwise, I’m going to give you a list of 400.
CHAIR: That would be fantastic. We all come from different electorates, so it would be nice to see some examples in different places.
Ms Hrast: We can certainly do that.
CHAIR: Thank you very much.
Answer:
Children and Parenting Support (CaPS)
Program description
The CaPS program focuses on early intervention and prevention services. This includes resources aimed at improving children’s development and wellbeing and supporting the capacity of those in a parenting role.
Services actively seek to identify issues that do, or could, negatively affect children or families and provide interventions or appropriate referrals before these issues escalate.
CaPS is delivered nationally through grants with 192 organisations.
Funding allocation for 2025-26
$87,125,807 (GST exclusive)
Service examples
The Raising Children Network (RCN) provides up-to-date, evidence-based, scientifically validated information and advice about pregnancy, raising children and how parents and carers can support themselves. The RCN website is accessed by approximately 15.8 million visitors per year.
The RCN will receive $5 million (GST exclusive) in 2025-26. This includes a $2 million (GST exclusive) boost to help increase their reach and connect to allied health professionals as well as parents and carers in priority cohorts including Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, First Nations, and rural and remote communities.
The Parenting Research Centre will receive $5.5 million (GST Exclusive) to deliver MyTime in 2025–26. MyTime is a facilitated peer support space for parents of children with disabilities or other additional needs.
It is designed to support parents and give them a chance to connect, share experiences, learn, and support one another. These groups operate in all states and territories and across metropolitan, regional and remote Australia. There are also online groups run to support parents. In 2024–25 more than 3,300 parents accessed these facilitated peer support groups.
Communities for Children Facilitating Partners (CfC FP)
Program description
The CfC FP program is a place-based model of investment supporting children and families in 52 disadvantaged communities across Australia. In each of the 52 communities, a Facilitating Partner organisation works with other organisations in the community called Community Partners to provide services targeted to their community, including parenting support, group peer support, case management, home visiting services and other supports to promote child wellbeing.
CfC FP facilitates a whole-of-community approach to support early childhood development and wellbeing with a focus on children from birth to 12 years and can include children up to 18 years and their families.
CfC FP is delivered nationally through grants with 52 organisations.
Funding allocation for 2025-26
$74,039,382 (GST exclusive)
Service examples
Anglican Community Care Limited (ac.care) subcontracts Community Partners to deliver services in South Australia. Programs delivered include PEEP Learning Together Playgroup, Parent Child Mother Goose, DRUMBEAT, and Family and Parenting Programs.
The Benevolent Society subcontracts Community Partners to deliver services in Kempsey NSW. Programs delivered include PCYC Tiny Tots Playgroups, FRIENDS for Life which teaches social skills and resilience, and Seasons for Growth which is an education program for children who have recently experienced loss due to death, family separation or migration.
Children and Family Intensive Support (CaFIS)
Program description
CaFIS supports families living in selected communities in the Northern Territory and Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia so that children are growing up strong in families and communities that are safe and nurturing.
CaFIS provides services to families and communities to care for children in their culture. It supports parents and family members to develop their confidence and capability to bring children up strong. CaFIS works with families to access services they need and to address areas of concern that impact on children’s safety and wellbeing.
CaFIS is delivered through grants with 12 organisations.
Funding allocation for 2025-26
$12,653,148 (GST exclusive)
Service examples
Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Aboriginal Corporation (Congress) provides a service which aims to build on the strengths of families and communities to care for children within their culture while supporting families to navigate through the formal (western) world. Services are delivered through a bi-cultural pair model for case management where families are case managed by a case worker and an Aboriginal Family Support Worker to ensure the family is receiving a best practice service inclusive of formal and informal worlds. A bi-cultural tool is used to strengthen engagement and build trust with participating families. This includes the Yarning Mat and the Parents Under Pressure (PuP) Framework. These tools are used at each family’s pace.
Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council Aboriginal Corporation (NPYWC) supports families who have children at risk of entering the child protection system. The aim of the program is to promote connection through working with existing strengths and supports to ensure the children’s needs are being met by family on country and the risk of child protection involvement is minimised. A service offered by NPYWC is the Superhero Project which aims to give children and young people an opportunity to take charge of the narrative. The strengths-based narrative approach allows Anangu children and young people to discover and showcase their ‘powers’ of wisdom, strength, safety, courage, love, and culture.
Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY)
Program description
HIPPY is a home-based parenting and early childhood program that helps parents and carers to be their child’s first teacher. The program builds the confidence and skills of parents and carers to create a positive home learning environment to prepare their child for school.
HIPPY is available to children aged three to four years and is targeted and delivered in communities that experience disadvantage and barriers in accessing early learning. It also offers some parents and carers a supported pathway to employment and fosters local community engagement and leadership.
HIPPY is delivered nationally through a grant with one organisation.
Funding allocation in 2025-26
$35,605,000 (GST Exclusive)
Service examples
HIPPY follows the same delivery model at numerous sites across Australia.
Family Mental Health Support Services (FMHSS)
Program description
FMHSS aim to improve mental health outcomes for children, young people, their families and carers. FMHSS providers offer early intervention, non-clinical support to children and young people up to 18 years who are showing signs of, or are at risk of, developing mental illness, with the support of their families and carers.
The FMHSS delivery model is based on three levels of support:
- Intensive, early intervention support to children and young people, with the support of their families and carers
- Short-term, immediate assistance for children and young people, with the support of their families and carers
- Community outreach, mental health education and community development activities.
FMHSS is delivered nationally through grants with 56 organisations.
Funding allocation in 2025-26
$64,347,000 (GST Exclusive)
Service examples
Accoras Limited provides early intervention mental health support through community-based outreach activities for children, young people and their parents/carers. Services include individual case management support, resilience programs, friendship/social skills, and transition to high school programs.
Drummond Street Services Inc. provides support to children, young people and their families during transition stages or adverse life events. Services include intensive family support for families with multiple complexities such as parental AOD, mental health and family violence to ensure safety and wellbeing, access to information and therapeutic groups. Services and programs available include Circle of Security, Transition to Parenting, Transition to primary school, Transition to Secondary School, Mental Health and Wellbeing for Year 5/6, Supporting active fatherhood and Parenting Children Who Worry.