The Department for Child Protection currently provides family support services directly to children and families where there are pronounced child protection risks, and contracts the community services sector to deliver services.

Initiated by a recommendation from the review into the former Department for Community Development in 2007 (the Ford Review), the goal of the Secondary Family Support - State Plan 2010-2013 is to better integrate and coordinate the wide range of family support services. This will ensure earlier and easier access which will ultimately result in better outcomes for children and families.

It is anticipated that while many of the families coming to the attention of the Department for Child Protection will require assistance, their situations may not always need ongoing tertiary child protection intervention. The development of family support networks will assist these families to address any identified needs, but keep them out of the child protection system when their involvement is not necessary. When a child protection response is required, a referral to the local family support network may be desirable to maximise the safety and wellbeing of children in the longer term.