Publications

National evaluation in brief

Updates about the evaluation of the former Stronger Families and Communities Strategy.

Evaluation reports

Overall evaluation report

SFIA evaluation report

Themed studies

Flaxman, S., Muir, K., & Oprea, I. (2009). Indigenous families and children: coordination and provision of service. Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Australia. This paper examines service provision, service coordination, Indigenous families and children in Communities for Children sites, identifies factors that facilitate or hinder service provision and outcomes, and considers sustainability issues.

Cortis, N., Katz, I., & Patulny, R. (2009). Engaging hard-to-reach families and children. Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Australia. The report explores how Communities for Children, Invest to Grow and Local Answers projects and activities have engaged clients who may be considered hard-to-reach.

Berlyn, C., Wise, S., & Soriano, G. (2008). Engaging fathers in child and family services: Participation, perceptions and good practice. Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Australia. This report was produced as part of the National Evaluation of the SF&CS, by staff from the Institute.

Promising Practice Profiles - Final Report (PDF 2.1 MB)

Project evaluations

Families of Offenders Resource Kit (FORK) (PDF 48 KB)
In late 2006, the Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (VACRO) received funding from FaHCSIA (then FACSIA) to undertake a 3 year project, the Families of Offenders Resource Kit (FORK). The project established working groups consisting of local services and families in eight different local areas, and developed a locally relevant resource kit outlining issues and strategies for supporting families of offenders. This summary outlines the project and identifies key learnings and outcomes.

The Goonellabah Transition Program (GTP) (PDF 509 KB)
The Goonellabah Transition Program developed from the concerns among some primary school principals in the Lismore/Goonellabah area that some children were starting school at a significant disadvantage to most other children. The GTP is a flexible, holistic early learning program for children and families needing intensive support with transitioning from home and preschool settings into Kindergarten. The Report includes the evaluation strategy and results, and recommendations for future development of the program.

Turning the evaluation framework upside down: Highlighting the outcomes for children, families and the community (PDF 143 KB).
Like other Communities for Children project sites across the country, CfC workers in Broadmeadows developed an evaluation framework to guide the evaluation of their multifaceted, community-based intervention. In their final reporting however, they wanted to communicate more than just the effectiveness of their activities. This paper outlines how the project managers turned the framework upside down to create a richer picture of the outcomes of the project.


National Evaluation Framework

Past publications

Stronger Families Learning Exchange Bulletin

CAFCA brochure (PDF 736 KB)