Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare

Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare The peak body for child and family services in Tasmania and Victoria. We lead so others can succeed. Our purpose
We lead so others can succeed.

As the leader and peak body in child and family services in Tasmania and Victoria, The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare (the Centre) proudly represents over 150 organisations, spanning community service organisations from proactive prevention and early intervention to the critical provision of out-of-home care. Our vision
For over 100 years, we have advocated for the rights of vu

lnerable children, young people and families, ensuring their voices are heard, their safety is prioritised, their education is accessible, and connections to family, community, and culture are preserved. As the voice of organisations and individuals dedicated to advancing child and family wellbeing, we set the standards for practice and professional development in child and family services. Policy and ideas: Develop, influence and advocate for public policies that advance the rights and wellbeing of children, young people and families and address the social, economic and cultural barriers to improving their lives. Research and practice: Lead and share research to support innovation and evidence-informed practice. Capacity building: Strengthen the capacity of organisations to provide services that best suit the needs of children and families experiencing vulnerability.

Wednesday and Thursday rounded out a busy and rewarding week for the Centre at , with our team sharing their expertise ...
31/08/2026

Wednesday and Thursday rounded out a busy and rewarding week for the Centre at , with our team sharing their expertise across education, policy and emerging practice issues.

On Wednesday, the Centre's Senior Manager of Education, Pearl Goodwin-Burns, and Senior Project Officer – Peer Mentoring, Lani Evalu, presented their 2-part workshop on educational access, participation and success for care-experienced young people, reflecting on the Raising Expectations program as a case-study.

Across the hall, Practice Leader, Summah Hemming co-presented a session on policy, evidence and partnership, discussing approaches to reforming family preservation and reunification in the Victorian context.

On Thursday, Senior Manager, Growth and Development, Dr Carmel Goulding, led a master class session as part of the Rise Up Policy Forum. The multi-sectoral panel explored the potential impact of AI on child and family services, risks, prevention and responsible use.

The Centre is honoured to have been a part of this year's ISPCAN. It was a privilege to share our research and advocacy, explore practical steps to strengthen outcomes for children and families, and join sector leaders in discussing how we can ensure children are safe, connected and thriving.

31/08/2026

We are proud to share that the Centre's Executive Manager of Workforce Learning and Development, Viv Interrigi, will be presenting at the 9th National Child Protection Forum this September. 👇Hear from Viv as she highlights the important themes that drive our work as well as what will be discussed on the day.

🎫 CFECFW members can use code CFECFW26 to save $500 off standard pricing. Tickets available at https://loom.ly/bMcBllc

Victoria’s Working with Children (WWC) Check has been strengthened to better protect children by improving how child saf...
31/08/2026

Victoria’s Working with Children (WWC) Check has been strengthened to better protect children by improving how child safety risks are identified and assessed. The Social Services Regulator now has stronger powers to act earlier to stop people from working with children where there are concerns about risks to child safety.

The changes also enable more effective information sharing between the WWC Check, other schemes, other regulators and agencies.

🔗Find out more about the changes: https://loom.ly/4tR2pDA

For years, carers have been raising the alarm about the yawning gap between the care allowance and the actual costs of l...
30/08/2026

For years, carers have been raising the alarm about the yawning gap between the care allowance and the actual costs of looking after children.

That gap has now been quantified, with a report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) finding that carer allowances around the country fall “significantly short of a meaningful contribution” to children’s care and urging they be increased as soon as possible.

“We are not talking about a small funding gap. We are talking about foster carers personally subsidising the system,” says Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV) CEO Sam Hague.

Read more: https://loom.ly/pnQKoMc

AIFS Report: https://loom.ly/3PVfI9s

The Centre has joined FCAV and other member orgs calling for parties and candidates in the upcoming Victorian Election to increase foster care and kinship care allowances to fully cover the true costs of caring for a child and invest in the supports carers need to provide safe, stable and nurturing homes for the children they care for. Visit www.cfecfw.org.au/election2026

This Wear it Purple Day 💜, the Centre was proud to celebrate by joining Family Access Network 's (FAN), Wear it Purple D...
27/08/2026

This Wear it Purple Day 💜, the Centre was proud to celebrate by joining Family Access Network 's (FAN), Wear it Purple Day Morning Tea. Emma D'Agostino, Executive Advisor at the Centre, joined organisations and advocates for a morning of shared learning and important conversations. This year's event highlighted the power of belonging and why creating safe, inclusive, and affirming environments is so important for children and young people.

Thank you to the team at FAN for hosting this meaningful and insightful event.
Learn more about FAN: https://loom.ly/UCIz8Qg

Happy Wear It Purple Day! 💜 Today, is a day to recognise, celebrate and show support to LGBTQI+ youth. At the Centre, we...
27/08/2026

Happy Wear It Purple Day! 💜 Today, is a day to recognise, celebrate and show support to LGBTQI+ youth. At the Centre, we wear it purple every day. We are committed to advocating for LGBTQIA+ young people's right to inclusion, and expression - and to building a world where they feel respected, safe, and empowered to thrive.

🏳️‍🌈Learn more at https://loom.ly/M2eFROs

Six priorities for Victoria's children, young people and families. when Victoria votes in November. Swipe through →💜 Fos...
27/08/2026

Six priorities for Victoria's children, young people and families. when Victoria votes in November.

Swipe through →

💜 Foster and kinship carers who can afford to care
💜 A disability system that works for children
💜 Young people in youth justice getting real support
💜 Therapeutic services for children who have experienced harm
💜 Safe, secure housing
💜 Stable funding for the services families rely on

We've kept the list short on purpose. These are the six things that would change lives.

All six explained in full, with the evidence behind them - see link in the comments.

What can be achieved when four peak bodies come together to share knowledge, evidence and expertise?Join us for a specia...
27/08/2026

What can be achieved when four peak bodies come together to share knowledge, evidence and expertise?

Join us for a special event celebrating the Family Violence Sexual Violence Knowledge Project, a collaboration between Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, No to Violence, Sexual Assault Services Victoria (SASVic) and Safe and Equal. Together, the partners have worked to strengthen knowledge sharing across sectors through the Family Violence Sexual Violence Knowledge Hub, events, webinars and resources.

We'll reflect on the project's achievements, explore findings from its impact survey, hear from keynote speaker Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon, and learn about new research from Safe and Equal and SASVic.

Ideal for practitioners, leaders, researchers and policymakers working across family violence, sexual violence and child and family services.

📅 8 September | 2:00pm-4:30pm | FREE | Online
Register now: https://loom.ly/KuQJkZE

The Family Violence Sexual Violence Knowledge Project was funded by Family Safety Victoria.

The Centre is excited to launch our new podcast series, Sector Buzz: The Podcast. Tune in for the latest sector insights...
25/08/2026

The Centre is excited to launch our new podcast series, Sector Buzz: The Podcast. Tune in for the latest sector insights, and to hear from expert panelists and presenters.

In our first episode, we hear a snippet from this year's Family Services Symposium: Together with families. Emcee Jo Stanley interviews panelists Ridmi, Rianne and Mahsa, three Shout-out speakers from the Centre for Multicultural Youth, and young advocates with lived-experience of family services.

They share valuable insights on the family services system through an intersectional lens and explore the importance of culturally responsive practice when supporting children, young people and families.

🔗Listen on Youtube Podcasts: https://loom.ly/T-c12Kw

We welcomed delegates back to the Centre office's today for a lunch and introduction to our programs and work. Lovely...
25/08/2026

We welcomed delegates back to the Centre office's today for a lunch and introduction to our programs and work. Lovely to share our work across Carer Kafe - Kinship, Permanent & Foster Care Education , Fostering Connections , the Residential Care Learning and Development Strategy (RCLDS), OPEN - Outcomes Practice Evidence Network, and our professional development and customised training services.

Back at the ISPCAN conference, the team is proudly sharing our preventing and responding to child exploitation work in the poster hall - make sure to drop in and say hello.

See the Centre's upcoming presentations and posters this week at https://loom.ly/KbrHe5M

Address

50 Market Street
Melbourne, VIC
3000

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61396141577

Website

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