Parents Families Carers

Australia's parents, families and carers lack a strong voice in Australian public life. Crucial decisions by governments on policies shaping how we care for our families - children, the elderly, those with a disability - are usually made without the input or backing of parents and carers. These decisions usually come from a world view  which reduces family values to a drive for increased workforce participation and increased formal care. But this is often not what most of us want. There is no serious discussion of realistic policies to ease the collision between work and family life, and to tailor services to fit what families really need.

On schools, or disability, or parental leave, the public discussion about families and carers is usually restricted to politicians, academics, and service providers. Often the only voice claiming to speak for families is the conservative Christian lobby through organisations like the Australian Family Association, but such groups do not ‘represent’ the diversity of contemporary Australian families. Because there is no inclusive and representative voice, too many of us are excluded from public debate on policies which profoundly affect our well being.

We aim to develop a strong public voice for parents, families and carers. Participation is welcome from individual parents, families and carers and their support, advocacy and self-help groups.       

Click here to participate.

Click here to read our Statement of Purpose.

Click here for our Empowered Parents Families Carers model for integrating services.

Click here to read about our Family-Friendly Communities project.

Council

A Council directs the work of this project. The members of the Council are:

	Judy Atkinson, Emeritus Professor, Southern Cross University, Retired, Goolmangar NSW Interests: Indigenous families, trauma care and recovery, family violence
	Francine Bartlett, Mental health social worker, Mittagong NSW Interests: Parent-infant attachments, child development, family support
	Mary Beijerinck-Gooley, Convenor, Babybumps Support Group, NSW Interests: Early intervention, child care, schools, family support
	Stacy Blythe, Foster Carer, Nurse and Lecturer, University of Western Sydney, Quakers Hill NSW Interests: Foster care, child and family health, substance abuse
	Bill Brown, Educator and school reformer, Carindale QLD Interests: Parents as educators, lifelong learning, schools, empowerment
	Moira Byrne, Researcher and policy worker, parent advocate, Canberra ACT Interests: economics and family impacts, disability, self-employment for disadvantaged people
	Jacinta Cashen, Primary school teacher, Melbourne VIC Interests: Family breakdown, divorce, disability, schools
	Cara Cook, Country Women's Association Branch President, Crestwood NSW Interests: Defence families, schools, childcare, community connections
	Karina Coombes, Community Worker, Munupi Corporation, Melville Island NT Interests: Family empowerment, sole parents, family violence, addictions
	Liane Corocher, Farmer and rural resilience officer, Monkerai NSW Interests: Family farming, rural communities, education, disability
	Carmel Daveson AM, Community worker, Retired, Mackay QLD Interests: Empowerment, voluntary work, mentoring
	Moira Eastman, Author and sociologist, Portland VIC Interests: Mothering, attachment theory, family education, family relationships
	Sherridan Emery, Program Coordinator, Tasmanian Institute of Learning & Teaching, Launceston TAS Interests: Child and family-friendly communities, early childhood learning, schools
	Evelyn Field OAM, Advocate and campaigner on bullying, Armadale VIC Interests: Family relationships, family crises, bullying
	Carol Grigg OAM, Founder, Asperger Syndrome Partner Information Australia, Bradbury NSW Interests: Family relationships, self-help, autism
	Deborah Hartman, educator and researcher, Family Action Centre, University of Newcastle, NSW Interests: family services, education of boys, intentional communities of families
	Susan Hill, Associate Professor, Early Childhood Education, University of South Australia SA Interests: childhood learning, autism, disability
	June Hintz, Founder, Make a Difference, QLD Interests: mental health, aged care, youth support, health care
	Ken Houliston, General Manager, The Spot Community Services, Brown Plains QLD Interests: family support networks, disadvantaged families, self-help
	Vern Hughes, Director, Civil Society Australia, Yarraville VIC Interests: Family relationships, family support, autism
	Shakira Hussein, Researcher, University of Melbourne, Brunswick VIC Interests: Islam, sole parents, multiple sclerosis, family support
	Ian Joseph, Director Autism Spectrum Australia (ASPECT) and Private Consultant, Carringbah NSW Interests: indigenous issues, disability (autism), banking & finance, training & education and farming & agribusiness
	Karen Lane, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Deakin University VIC Interests: Maternity care, mothering, family relationships, professionalised care
	Alison Layton, Coordinator, Caring for Carers Australia, Morningside QLD Interests: Carers, family support, disability, family violence
	Gaynor Macdonald, Carer of spouse with dementia, Petersham NSW Interests: carers, indigenous families, intergenerational care
	Elizabeth Martin, Founder, Regional Autism Intervention Network, Bunbury WA Interests: family support, early childhood education, schools, autism
	Jenni Mazlin-Law, Peer support worker, QLD Mental Health, QLD Interests: Mental health, children of parents with a mental illness, health care
	Wayne McGough, Coordinator, Cardijn Community of Australia, Ferntree Gully VIC Interests: family relationships, self-help, intentional communities of families
	Stacey McDonald, Small business proprietor, Wauchope NSW Interests: Carers, family support, dementia, sole parents
	Elspeth McInnes AM, Single mother and sociologist, University of South Australia SA Interests: Single parents, family violence, child protection, family relationships
	Faye McMillan, Pharmacist and Lecturer, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga NSW Interests: Sole parents, carers, indigenous health, allied health
	Sue Miers AM, Founder, National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, SA Interests: Health care, disability, addictions, behavioural issues
	Rosemary Norman-Hill, CEO, Kirrawe Indigenous Corporation, Gold Coast QLD Interests: Indigenous child and family welfare, addictions, trauma
	Kelly Parrish, Service Manager, ARAFMI Illawarra, NSW Interests: Mental health, schools, service redesign
	Kathy Pritchard, At home parent and carer, Narraweena NSW Interests: Mental health, carers, circles of support, family-friendly communities
	Jessica Revill, Psychologist, Hurstville NSW Interests: Adolescents, disability, mental health, relationships
	Alison Soutter, Child and Family Psychologist, Retired, Davidson NSW Interests: Foster care, child protection, mental health
	Pat Sutton, Carer Consultant, Central North Adelaide Health Service, SA Interests: Carers, disability, mental health, schools, support groups
	Katie Thompson, Founder and President, Soul Parents, Ballina NSW Interests: sole parents, welfare dependency, family violence
	Allison Trevenna, At-home parent, Rhyll VIC Interests: Family support, disability, health
	Ann Van Leerdam, Office administrator and community worker, Murrumbeena VIC Interests: Family formation, parenting, community development, faith communities
	Margaret Ward, Former Chair, Mamre Family Support Association, Researcher, Griffith University, Brisbane QLD Interests: Family-centred supports, self-directed services, disability
	Tracey Wolsley, Anglican Priest, St John's Parish, Heathcote VIC Interests: Community connectedness, family support, faith communities
	Vern Hughes, Director, Civil Society Australia, Yarraville VIC Interests: Family relationships, family support, autism

If you would like to join the Council of Parents Families and Carers please indicate your interest in this form.

Statement of Purpose

Name

Parents Families Carers

Mission

To be a national voice for parents, families and carers in Australian public life.

Functions

1. To represent and advocate for the interests of parents, families and cares as interests which are distinct from those of governments, service providers and charities;

2. To influence the development of public policy which recognises families as the primary relational unit of society, and enhances the rights, capacities, choices, and dignity of parents, families and carers;

3. To develop and promote innovative support and service delivery which empowers parents, families and carers, and builds our capacities and resources;

4. To aggregate the leverage and purchasing power of parents, families and carers in bargaining with suppliers of information, goods and services.

Scope

We will bring together parents, families and carers from many different sector areas which are usually treated as segmented fields. The following areas are our key ones because relational and familial issues are critically important to well-being in these areas, yet the voices of parents, families and carers in these fields are usually muted:

Relationship stress and family breakdown
Sole and separated parents
Blended and step families
Grandparents
Foster care
Early intervention and early years development
Child care
Education and schools
Disability
Mental illness
Learning difficulties
Behavioural issues
Youth support
Alcohol and drug issues
Indigenous communities
Chronic and acute illness
Aged frailty

Group Affiliation

Existing self-help, support and advocacy groups of parents, families and carers from various sectors are invited to affiliate with Parents Families Carers so as to create a large and inclusive national voice. To be eligible, groups must be governed by parents, families and carers in their capacity as parents, families and carers.

Public Policy Principles

1. Person, relationship and family-centred arrangements should become the norm in all forms of social support, service delivery and social investment – systems and institutions should be tailored to recognise the personalised needs and relational interests of individuals and their families.

2. Empowerment of parents, families and carers to exercise enhanced choice and self-determination should be established as a guiding ethic in public policy.

3. Individualised funding options should be made available in all sectors of social support and service delivery so that families may choose to receive support or a service in the form of an individualised allocation to be administered as they choose.

4. Integrated whole-of-life arrangements should be an option for families in place of fragmented, silo-based systems – individualised consolidations of funding from different programs, funding streams and jurisdictions should be made available to enable these arrangements.

Independence from Government

We wish to avoid the compromised position that many funded advocacy organisations find themselves in, where fear of losing government funding affects their willingness to act independently of government policy.

We will not accept government funding for the core functions of this national voice.

Participation

We want to develop innovative forms of participation by parents, families and carers in making our voice heard and exercising the maximum influence possible over our own lives. Streamlined structures, consolidated support resources, good use of online technology, and clarity of purpose are needed to make participation effective.

Further Information

Vern Hughes
vern@civilsociety.org.au
0425 722 890

Click here to participate.

Click here for our Empowered Parents Families Carers model for integrating services.

Click here to read about our Family-Friendly Communities project.