Overview
This document provides an overview of Mission Australia's responses to the Department of Social Service's questions on how to operationalise a new program for families and children. We envision programs for families and children that sit within environments that enable connection and wellbeing for all community members. This requires system-level transformation that embeds cultural safety, community leadership, and structural equity. To achieve this kind of meaningful reform, we need an approach that invests in prevention, implements effective service integration strategies, proactively and rapidly responds to community needs and embeds flexibility, capability-building, and culturally grounded governance to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. Mechanisms such as improved outcomes measurement and the implementation of a relational contracting approach will enhance service delivery and are essential for achieving sustainable, person-centred outcomes in complex social contexts.