Families ACT

25/05/2026

Findings from the most recent Parenting Research Centre survey have found high levels of parental distress across Australia. In fact, 60 per cent of Australian parents are experiencing some form of distress, with flow on effects for their children.

The PRC survey featured in this news report on ABC's AM program:

Almost 60 percent of Australian parents are experiencing psychological distress with flow on effects to their children according to the largest ever national survey of ten thousand parents.

01/05/2026

Canberra has some of the highest rates of child developmental vulnerability in the country. The latest data shows things are getting worse, not better.

Families ACT has released Child Vulnerability in the ACT: Insights and Analysis of the 2024 Australian Early Development Census, ahead of the 2026 Child First Forum on 12 and 13 May.

The findings are significant. The ACT remains the second worst performing jurisdiction in Australia for child developmental outcomes. More than 1 in 4 children starting school in 2024 were developmentally vulnerable in one or more domains. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from language backgrounds other than English, and children in disadvantaged communities continue to bear the greatest burden - but vulnerability is also rising in some of Canberra's most advantaged suburbs.

The report explores what is driving these outcomes, the national cost of late intervention (currently estimated at $22.3 billion), and the evidence behind what works. It also draws on international examples, including the UK's Sure Start program, and puts forward clear recommendations for the ACT Government and stakeholders.
The situation is serious. But with major reforms underway - including Thriving Kids, national early childhood education reforms and Phase 2 of the ACTs First 1000 Days Strategy - there is a real opportunity to change course.

Read the full report via the link below and share it with your networks. The more people who understand what the data is telling us, the stronger our collective response can be.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63bcb546b5d0ef43c745e35b/t/69f1983ad3f300035e29ce6b/1777440879181/Child+developmental+vulnerability+in+the+ACT+Report.pdf

20/04/2026

Every child deserves the best start - the 2024 AEDC results show us where we need to focus.

The latest Australian Early Development Census data for the ACT is out, and it gives us an important picture of how our children are tracking as they start school. While many children are thriving, too many are still experiencing developmental vulnerability. In the ACT, 28.1% of children are starting school with vulnerabilities, higher than the national rate of 23.5%, particularly in areas like communication skills, emotional maturity, and language development.

These results remind us that early support matters. Where children and families can access the right help at the right time, we see better outcomes. But the data also highlights real inequities, and the need for us to work together to make sure no child is left behind. Find the full report here -https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/3051335/AEDC-2024-Results-for-the-ACT.pdf

At Families ACT, this is at the heart of our approach: strengthening what works, and acting where change is needed.

In May 2026, sector leaders and change-makers will come together at the Child First Forum to respond to these findings and drive practical solutions for children and families across the ACT.

👉 Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter to stay across the conversation and the change. https://www.familiesact.org.au/



ACT Playgroups Association A Village for Every Child Roundabout Canberra ACT Human Rights Commission ACT Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disability ACT Government

09/04/2026

Families ACT stands in solidarity with Yerrabi Yurwang and the families impacted by the pause of its Health Hub services.

This is about real children, families, and access to culturally safe care that we know works.

We can’t stay silent.

📣 Join the peaceful rally today at 3pm at the ACT Legislative Assembly
✉️ Speak up—contact your local representatives

31/03/2026

Tomorrow, on 2 April 2026, Yerrabi Yurwang's Health Hub in North Canberra will have to pause operations.

Yerrabi Yurwang is a crucial Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service serving the north of Canberra. Today they are serving 400 Aboriginal clients, including pregnant women and young children. The closure of the Hub means that these children and families have lost access to a culturally safe primary care, early intervention, and prevention service.

The evidence is clear. The ACT records some of the worst outcomes in the country for Aboriginal antenatal care, child development, and access to health checks. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people nationally face a life expectancy of 19.3 years less than non-Aboriginal people. These are not abstract numbers - they are the lived reality of children and families in our community right now.

Aboriginal community-controlled services work. They are culturally safe, community-led, and grounded in self-determination. Losing these services has intergenerational consequences.

We must act.

Here's what you can do:
📣 Attend a peaceful rally at the ACT Legislative Assembly Thursday 9 April at 3pm
✉️ Contact your local Commonwealth and ACT member to raise your concerns

03/03/2026

Read the latest 2026 update from the Families ACT team!

Families ACT’s Autumn 2026 update

27/02/2026

At Families ACT, we’re focused on reducing childhood vulnerability and poverty across our community. Our work with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the incredible team at the Life Course Data Initiative, is helping us to uncover patterns of disadvantage that aren’t always visible - even in places that appear well-resourced. This is foundational work. It’s strengthening how we understand vulnerability, target responses, and partner across the sector.

More to come! Grateful to be building this alongside our members and community, research and government partners.

03/11/2025

Outgoing National Children’s Commissioner, Anne Hollonds, reflects on her time in the role, revealing how difficult it has been to gain political attention for the unmet needs of children who are too often “left behind.”

From fragmented policy systems to reactive crisis management, Australia continues to fall short on child safety and wellbeing. Hollonds calls for urgent national leadership, including a Cabinet Minister for Children and stronger accountability measures, to ensure every child is protected, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive.

It’s time to move beyond words and make children’s safety and wellbeing a true national priority.

Read her article below:

There is an urgent need to make child safety, rights and wellbeing a national priority and to fix the accountability gaps putting them at risk

13/10/2025

How can we reduce inequality across Australia? One approach is to establish national inequality targets to help track and reduce growing disparities. Key insights supporting this include:

- Australia’s poverty rate (12.6%) is higher than the OECD average (11.9%).
- Wealth inequality is widening: the bottom 20% of Australians hold just 1% of the nation's wealth, while the top 20% own 64%. The top 1% alone controls nearly 24%.
- Home ownership is declining, dropping from 70% in 2006 to 66% in 2021. This is worsened by the average home now costing over $1 million.
- In 2022, Australia ranked 20th out of 29 OECD countries for wealth inequality.

Anti-Poverty Week, 12 to 18 October 2025.

Former prime minister Bob Hawke regretted saying: ‘By 1990, no Australian child will be living in poverty’. But his broken promise still had a surprising impact.

13/10/2025

Families ACT's next Joint Case Review is on 11 November. This session is being facilitated by ACT Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disability.

Details and registration below.

Families ACT invites frontline staff to the November JCR to strengthen casework supporting vulnerable children, young people & families.