Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs

Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Inquiry into health and well being

All Committees in the House of Representatives and joint committees of the Senate and House of Representatives for the 40th Parliament ceased to exist upon dissolution of the House of Representatives at 4:59pm, Tuesday 31 August 2004. Therefore, this inquiry has now lapsed.

Terms of reference

On 17 October 2002 the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the Hon Larry Anthony MP, referred the following inquiry to the committee.

The committee is to explore avenues for improving children's health and well being, with a particular focus on avenues for enhancing parenting capacity and child and family friendly communities in order to overcome current social problems.

The inquiry should cover these areas:

1. How can children's developmental needs best be accommodated in this rapidly changing social and technological environment?
2. What is needed most to strengthen family relationships, parenting skills and confidence?
3. What would a family and child friendly community look like? What practical steps could be taken to strengthen community engagement with families and children?
4. What are the gaps in existing services for children and parents? How could tiers of government and the non-government sector work more effectively to enhance service coverage and delivery?
5. What additional effort is required to meet the needs of Indigenous children, children from diverse cultural backgrounds, children with disabilities, children in jobless families, children known to be 'at risk' and children in foster care?
6. What national goals and targets for improving the health and well being of children and families could be developed to measure progress?

Submissions and other written contributions to the inquiry

Public Hearings and other avenues for discussing the issues

Transcripts of public hearings and other activities

Media releases