What We Do / Our Initiatives
Investment Reform for Thriving Kids
Purpose
To influence investment so it flows in integrated ways that respond to communities, commissions what works, and reduces waste.
Partners
This initiative is facilitated by Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership with our Leadership Table, in collaboration with James Cook University, the Queensland Kids Funders Alliance and other collaborators.
Putting children first in our funding decisions
Every decision we make has the power to improve conditions for families and children.
This includes big decisions about how we spend government and philanthropic money. Who makes the decisions, how the resources flow, how the work is done, and how we hold ourselves accountable are important for the outcomes for kids.
When we invest in children and families we can create safer, healthier communities, now and into the future.
What we're already achieving
Under Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership, the right decision makers, funders and community members are joining together (many for the first time) to make sure we:
- invest in what matters and what works in ways that value evidence and delivers value
- maximise positive outcomes for children across systems (e.g. through co-investment and commissioning)
- support collaboration, community voice and self-determination
- reduce waste and duplication.
Together with our partners, we’ve:
- supported ARACY to provide the backbone for the Investment Dialogue for Australia’s Children (a partnership between Government and philanthropic partners to improve the wellbeing of children, young people, and their families, by working with communities to reduce intergenerational disadvantage in Australia)
- published the Towards a Roadmap for Investment Reform for Thriving Kids – Discussion Paper
- developed relationships with national and Queensland Government agencies.
Key priorities for the Roadmap include:
- using ‘place’ as a starting point and anchor
- centring the voices of children and families
- community engagement in local and regional commissioning
- reforming funding processes
- focusing on outcomes.
What might smarter investment look like:
Broadly, we can do better for kids by:
- Increasing the size of the pie of public, private and philanthropic investment that goes towards child wellbeing
- Better aligning national, state and local investment
- Investing more in supporting children and families from the very beginning
- Making sure all funding decisions consider the impact on children and families (including decisions that might not be specifically about kids e.g. transport, planning, industrial relations).
When we’re funding human services (commissioning) there are four recommended principles (Source: All together: A new future for commissioning human services in NSW, Sydney Policy Lab, University of Sydney 2020):
- need to build relationships and trust
- elevate the role of communities in planning and delivery
- allow for experimentation, reflection and evolution
- rethink funding models to invest in people and communities.
How you can get involved
If you would like to be actively involved in development of the Roadmap for Investment Reform, please contact sophie.morson@aracy.org.au.
Keen to jump in and learn more?
- Download and provide feedback on the Discussion Paper below.
Related links & documents
DOWNLOAD
Towards a Roadmap for Smarter Investment - Discussion Paper
The purpose of this Discussion Paper was to stimulate discussion about how to improve investment for children in Queensland. It includes an overview of the challenge, current situation, precedents, and a proposition to optimise investment by focusing on commissioning. A Roadmap outlining the steps to achieving this aspiration is currently under development.
PDF 7.9MB
OUR INITIATIVES
WHAT WE DO
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