The Supporting Stable and Strong Families Act started on Wednesday 30 September 2026. It is a landmark opportunity to deliver meaningful change. The Act introduces a new model of shared responsibilities across all Victorian Government departments to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.
A key purpose of the Act is to help children and young people involved with child protection and care services, and recent care leavers have equal access to service provisions as their peers. Supporting Stable and Strong scheme partners are all Victorian Ministers, Heads of Victorian Government departments and the Victorian Chief Commissioner of Police.
All Victorian Ministers will be required to table a Supporting Stable and Strong Families plan in Parliament. The plans outline actions for how they will support the needs of at risk children, young people and their families. With this work we can level the playing field to give all children and young people access to supports, opportunities, big dreams and bright futures.
About Supporting Stable and Strong Families
The Children, Youth and Families Amendment (Supporting Stable and Strong Families) Act 2026 introduces a new model of shared responsibilities across the Victorian Government to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.
The Supporting Stable and Strong Families scheme is a landmark opportunity to deliver meaningful change.
The Act started on Wednesday 30 September 2026. It will:
- help at risk children, young people and families receive more comprehensive supports when and where they need it
- support reunification to happen sooner through improved access and timeliness of support services, where
this is in the child or young person’s best interests - drive action across the Victorian Government to support prevention and early intervention.
All Victorian Government portfolios will have a plan
Child protection and family services should not operate in isolation from other systems. All of government has a responsibility and role to play in supporting at risk children and young people. Supporting Stable and Strong Families will further prioritise cooperation across government.
Working together for at risk children and young people is a whole of Victorian Government responsibility. Everyone has a role to play.
Supporting Stable and Strong scheme partners are all Victorian Ministers, Heads of Victorian Government departments and the Victorian Chief Commissioner of Police.
All Victorian Ministers will be required to table a Supporting Stable and Strong Families plan in Parliament. The plans will need to outline actions for how their portfolio/s will contribute to supporting the needs of at risk children, young people and their families. These plans should be produced and implemented collaboratively.
The first Supporting Stable and Strong Families plans will be delivered within the first 12 months from the start date.
The Victorian Chief Commissioner of Police and Department Heads must consider their responsibilities in delivering their Minister’s plans.
Scheme partners are expected to make plans to support improved outcomes for children, young people and families covered by the scheme across the domains of:
- Aboriginal self-determination
- health
- education
- justice
- housing
- employment.
The first tranche of regulations for the scheme has been published. Across the Victorian Government, scheme partners will report on benchmarks that have been agreed as important to the wellbeing of:
- parents and household members of children and young people on family reunification orders and family preservation orders
- children and young people in care services
- recent care leavers up to the age of 25.
Examples of these benchmarks include:
- children in care being enrolled in and attending school
- helping care leavers transition to stable and independent living
- children in care receiving all of their key ages and stages visits.
The Children’s Services Coordination Board (CSCB) will provide governance and oversight of the scheme for a whole of Victorian Government partnership.
The CSCB brings together key decision-makers across relevant departments to lead coordination of activities impacting on children and young people. It is established under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005. To read more about the CSCB, visit the Statutory authorities: Department of Education web page.
The CSCB will work together so scheme plans across portfolios are complementary. The CSCB will look to identify where systems need to work together and how that work can be brought together in a collaborative way.
It is expected there will be consultation with a range of stakeholders in the development and future implementation of plans. This includes the voice of people with lived experience and consultation with lived experience groups.
Similarly, the scheme requires partners have a responsibility to recognise Aboriginal self-determination and support Aboriginal cultural identity.
We all have a responsibility to continue improving equity, access and outcomes for Victorian children, young people and families. Every day, every job, this is our chance to make a difference.
The importance of Supporting Stable and Strong Families
Children and young people in care, care leavers and families on family reunification orders and family preservation orders, face additional barriers and complexities in accessing services and supports.
At risk children and young people experience worse health, education, employment and other outcomes than their peers, and this has lifelong impacts. They need the same helping hand any parent gives their own child.
With this work we can level the playing field to give all children and young people access to supports, opportunities, big dreams and bright futures.
Better and more timely support will increase the likelihood of safe reunification and allow children to return home. This is something everyone deserves.
The focus of Supporting Stable and Strong Families – now and in the future
A key purpose of the Supporting Stable and Strong Families Act is to help children and young people involved with child protection and care services, and recent care leavers have equal access to service provisions as their peers.
Supporting Stable and Strong Families is about every system doing all they can to do better for at risk children, young people and their families.
This means that across the Victorian Government, all Ministers, departments and the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police are working together to support better outcomes for children, young people and at risk families.
The focus of the scheme will broaden over time to a wider priority cohort to support early intervention. This will include children, young people and their families who are at risk of engagement with child protection or, receive or require family services support.
All of the Victorian Government has a responsibility
All of the Victorian Government has a responsibility to continue improving equity, access and outcomes for Victorian children, young people and families.
Working together across the Victorian Government provides a whole of government approach to better support at risk children and young people.
The Supporting Stable and Strong Families Act is informed by the successful Corporate Parent model in Scotland. It will complement the Children, Youth and Families Amendment (Stability) Act 2026 (Stability Act).
These two Acts were passed alongside each other. Together these Acts aim to deliver more time (through the Stability Act) and more access to services (through the Supporting Stable and Strong Families Act) to support families to achieve reunification or preservation.
Further information
Updated