Promising Futures

Envisioning a relational and responsive child and family service equipped to respond to the complexity of family well-being

Child and Family Services are evolving quickly. The sector is grappling with the substantial shift from what has historically been a “child protection” focus, responding to situations of abuse and neglect, to navigating the complexities of preventative service models and government’s role in supporting families before children come to harm.

The work of family well-being is nuanced and complex. There is increased recognition that policy and process driven ways of working don’t suffice in the face of the nuanced dynamics of families. Our children, our families and the people who support them, require and deserve a system that works better. The time has come to chart a new way forward.

The Promising Futures series will explore a system-level response to child and family well-being, what constitutes an enabled child service workforce and what needs to be done to drive bold change.