Families are the primary context in which children develop and adults find meaning and support — yet families also face significant pressures that can fracture relationships and harm wellbeing. Parenting stress, family violence, financial pressure, mental health challenges, and social isolation all affect family functioning. Grant funding supports a wide range of family support services: from early parenting programmes to intensive family preservation, from family counselling to domestic violence services. Understanding this landscape helps family service organisations navigate a complex funding environment.
What family support encompasses
Family support is a broad category:
- Universal support: services available to all families (Maternal and Child Health, playgroups)
- Targeted support: services for families with specific needs (financial stress, parenting challenges)
- Intensive support: for families facing significant challenges (Family Preservation, Intensive Family Support)
- Crisis response: when families are in acute crisis (domestic violence services, child protection)
Who needs family support
Department of Social Services (DSS)
DSS funds family support through multiple programmes:
- Families and Children Activity Grants (FaCA) — major programme
- Parenting programmes (Triple P, Circle of Security, etc.)
- Family violence prevention
- Child and family services
- Multicultural family services
State child and family services
States fund intensive family support:
- Intensive Family Support Services (IFSS)
- Family Group Conferencing
- Child protection support services
- Foster and kinship care (see separate guide)
- Youth homelessness family support
Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)
Some family counselling through Better Access mental health initiative.
The Benevolent Society
Australia's oldest charity — family and child support, parenting, and family relationships.
The Salvation Army
Family welfare, financial counselling, and family support.
Berry Street
Victoria-based family and children services.
Mission Australia
Family support and parenting programmes.
The Paul Ramsay Foundation
Ending cycles of disadvantage — family support as prevention.
Corporate community funders
Parenting programmes
Parenting education and skills:
- Triple P (Positive Parenting Programme)
- Circle of Security (attachment-based parenting)
- Tuning in to Kids (emotion coaching)
- Strengthening Families (group programme)
- In-home parenting support
Family counselling
Intensive Family Support
For families at risk of child removal:
- IFSS (Intensive Family Support Services)
- Family preservation
- In-home parenting support
- Wrap-around case management
- Crisis intervention
Early childhood and family services
Financial wellbeing
Financial stress is a primary family stressor:
- Financial counselling
- Emergency relief
- Financial literacy
- Income management support
- Debt management
Family violence prevention
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family support
CALD family support
Australian family policy emphasises:
- Early intervention (supporting families before problems become crises)
- Family preservation (keeping families together where safe)
- Child safety first (child wellbeing as primary outcome)
- Cultural safety (particularly for Indigenous and CALD families)
Prevention value
Early family support is far cheaper than crisis intervention — show the prevention value. Supporting a family through parenting challenges costs thousands; removing a child to care costs hundreds of thousands.
Evidence-based programmes
Many parenting programmes have strong evidence bases (Triple P, Circle of Security, Nurse-Family Partnership). Show the evidence for your specific programme approach and fidelity to the model.
Cultural safety
Family support programmes must be culturally appropriate — Western parenting norms are not universal. Show how your programme adapts to cultural contexts and community leadership.
Non-judgmental approach
Families seeking support are often anxious about judgment or loss of children. Show strength-based, non-judgmental practice — working with families, not on them.
Child outcomes
Family support ultimately exists to improve outcomes for children. Show child wellbeing, school readiness, and developmental outcomes alongside family functioning measures.
Tahua's grants management platform supports family support funders and family service organisations — with programme participant tracking, family functioning outcome measurement, child wellbeing data, and the reporting tools that help family support funders demonstrate their investment in stronger families and better outcomes for Australia's children.