At this stage, it is not possible within the context of this report to provide a
comprehensive picture of the full range of children's services. Although there are useful
national data on child care services, and on some aspects of child welfare services, there
is, at present, no ready source for national information on the range of other services
which support families with children. With the withdrawal in 1988 of the
Commonwealth's special purpose funding of the Family Support Program, State and
Territory governments provide a component of funding for services which support
families with children such as family resource centres, supplementary services, youth
activity services, family centres, grants to relevant associations, toy libraries, services to
children in remote areas or children with other specialneeds, neighbourhood houses,
mobile services, advisory services and program administration. Even though some of
these services are also funded by the Commonwealth, they form a significant part of the
State and Territory governments' contribution to the support of children and their
families.
The diversity of program structures militates against an easy collation of information
on additional services which support families with children from the State and
Territory administrations. In addition, there are a range of related services funded by
the Commonwealth Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and
Community Services (e.g. family resource centres) and provided by other
Commonwealth agencies such as family social work services, rural counsellors,
marriage guidance services and child support payments.
This chapter concentrates on presenting an overview of child care services and
indicative information on child welfare services.