Implementation of the facilitating partner model in the Communities for Children program: early learnings
Christiane Purcal, Catherine Spooner and Cathy Thomson
Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW
Contact Email:   c.purcalunsw.edu.au

Governments in Australia have been increasingly outsourcing human service provision to the non-government sector. An innovative outsourcing model - the Facilitating Partner model - is used in 45 sites around Australia by the Commonwealth Government as part of its Communities for Children program 2004-2008. Under this model, the government commissions a non-government organisation in each site to work with local stakeholders to develop a plan for children’s services in the area, to commission new services and to increase service coordination. Evaluations of this type of model are not yet available. Therefore the viability of the model for government, the non-government sector and the community warrant examination. This paper presents findings from 95 in-depth interviews conducted in 10 sites as part of the National Evaluation of Communities for Children. It explores the implementation of the model in the different sites and its impact, so far, on service delivery and coordination. The strengths and limitations of the model, as evident at this stage in the implementation of the program, are discussed, as well as the factors that facilitate or inhibit service improvements.

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