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Sector unites to call on parties to commit to Victoria’s children and families
22 Oct 2026
With just over five weeks until Victorians head to the polls, the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare brought together members, sector leaders and political representatives on Wednesday 21 October for our 2026 Election Call to Parties: A vision for Victoria’s children, young people and families. -
Housing is the anti-poverty policy Victoria’s children need
16 Oct 2026
Anti-poverty week is a chance to talk about what housing poverty looks like and what the gaps in our systems mean for the safety and stability of children and young people and their families. Whoever forms government after the state election on 28 November needs to rapidly expand social and affordable housing. And they must measure success by whether children are living in safe, stable homes. -
VACYPA Election Priorities: protecting progress
14 Oct 2026
VACYPA's election priorities focus on protecting the progress Aboriginal communities have fought hard to achieve, strengthening Aboriginal community control and advancing Aboriginal self-determination by ensuring governments continue investing in what works for Aboriginal children, young people and families. -
Bright Lives: New roadmap to strengthen out-of-home care in Tasmania
13 Oct 2026
The Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) has released Bright Lives: The Roadmap to Uplifting Care, outlining a long-term approach to improving safety, wellbeing and outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care. -
Victoria’s child protection system is carried on the backs of elderly women
09 Oct 2026
In the lead-up to the Victorian State Election in November 2026, the Centre is working with its members and partner organisations to highlight the stories, evidence and community-led solutions behind our six election priorities. In this article, Heidi Tucker, CEO of Anchor Family Services shows the need for better support and funding for elderly kinship carers across the state. -
Kinship Care: Recognised in policy, invisible in practice
08 Oct 2026
ISPCAN has released an international policy brief exploring the evidence and cross-sector action needed to close the gap between recognition and support for kinship care. -
New Commissioner for Children and Young People in Tasmania
08 Oct 2026
The Centre welcomes the appointment of Sonya Pringle-Jones as Tasmania’s new Commissioner for Children and Young People, coinciding with the formal commencement of the new Commission for Children and Young People on 8 October 2026. -
National review confirms carer allowances don’t cover the cost of care
08 Oct 2026
A major national review has provided independent data that confirms what carers and advocates have raised for years: allowances paid to foster, kinship and permanent carers do not reflect the true cost of raising a child. The findings reinforce calls to review allowances and support for carers. -
Changes to the Working with Children Check
08 Oct 2026
From 19 October 2026, Victoria is making changes to the Working with Children (WWC) Check, strengthening safeguards for children. -
Children Australia publishes Special Issue from OPEN Symposium 2025
07 Oct 2026
Children Australia has published a Special Issue featuring conference reports from the OPEN Symposium 2025, hosted by the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare. -
Sector pressures are putting essential services at risk
06 Oct 2026
New data released by TasCOSS reveals Tasmania’s community services organisations are struggling to meet rising demand and increasing costs, with funding failing to keep pace. -
“Our children need us and we need them” – Dawn’s kinship care story
06 Oct 2026
Dawn Winn’s life changed overnight when she began kinship-care for her grandson with complex needs. One became two, and her life was quickly thrust into a whirlwind of hospital visits as she learned how to support her grandson through his traumatic brain injury, all while juggling her personal life as a retiree and nanna. 2 and a half years on, Dawn says it’s changed her life for the better.