Putting Children at the Centre
- Published
- Wednesday, April 1, 2026 - 12:00 PM
‘Are we designing systems for children or expecting children and families to navigate systems?’
– Aunty Caroline Hughes
Last week, Social Ventures Australia co-hosted an important event at Parliament House in collaboration with SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, Our Place and the National Child and Family Hubs Network (the Network).
The event brought together sector leaders, policymakers and community voices to launch a landmark policy brief 'Putting Children at the Centre.'
A powerful Welcome to Country from Aunty Caroline Hughes set the tone for the discussion, prompting reflection on whether current systems are designed around children’s needs. Attendees also heard a deeply personal story from a family member, alongside insights from sector leaders and policymakers, including Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth, Jess Walsh.
Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth, Dr. Jess Walsh, presents at the 'Putting Children at the Centre' event at Parliament House on 24 March 2026.
Panel members at the 'Putting Children at the Centre' event cohosted by SVA, Our Place, SNAICC - National Voice for our Children and the Network.
An opportunity for strengthening systems
With major reforms underway across health, education and social services, there is a rare opportunity to build a stronger, more connected system—one that wraps around families and responds to need early.
Child and Family Hubs are a key part of this solution. As an evidence-based model, Hubs are already designed around the needs of families and communities. By leveraging existing Hub infrastructure, governments can support more effective implementation of reforms and meet critical timelines.
Embedding Hubs
Putting Children at the Centre, the Policy Brief, developed by Social Ventures Australia on behalf of the Network’s Early Childhood Hubs Working Group, outlines three recommendations to unlock the value of Hubs to deliver on reform:
- Leverage capital investment to build integrated Hubs
- Fund integration, not just individual services
- Reform funding for equity
Proudly in partnership with
The National Child and Family Hubs Network is a national, collaborative group working together to strengthen Child and Family Hubs Australia-wide through research, policy, advocacy, and learning. The Network is generously supported by The Ian Potter Foundation, Minderoo Foundation, and Paul Ramsay Foundation.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging.