Scaling Child and Family Hubs

Our Early Years team have contributed to a journal article exploring Australia’s hub landscape, the evidence for integrated service delivery and policy opportunities for scaling.

Child and Family Hubs offer families access to early learning, health and social services, but also offer a place for building trust and connection. They improve access to services, health and developmental outcomes, and family wellbeing.¹

In the article, ‘Scaling Child and Family Hubs: From special projects to system-wide integrated care for children and families experiencing disadvantage’ published in Children Australia, we provide an overview of the current hubs landscape in Australia, the evidence for integrated service delivery and current policy opportunities for expansion and systematisation.

“This article outlines an ambitious five-year agenda for scaling hubs beyond special projects into government systems,” says Emma Sydenham, Director, Early Childhood, and one of the authors.

“This will require reform, resources and political will, but ultimately will deliver better outcomes for children and for taxpayers through avoiding long-term costs and through more efficient use of existing investments in the service system.”

The article includes case studies such as the Our Place model in Victoria and identifies policy opportunities for expansion. Key recommendations include establishing a national taskforce, aligning funding and governance across jurisdictions, supporting ACCO-led models, and introducing long-term funding and shared data frameworks to sustain integrated, place-based care.

Developed by SVA’s Early Years team in collaboration with partners at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, Our Place, Goodstart Early Learning, The Bryan Foundation, and Children’s Health Queensland.