- Published:
- Tuesday 4 March 2025 at 8:20 am
Key points
- Independent Family Advocacy and Support (IFAS) is being expanded across Victoria, with all areas to be serviced later this year.
- The expansion builds on the continued success of our non-legal advocacy for families involved with child protection, helping prevent problems from escalating and diverting matters away from court.
- The initial stage of the IFAS expansion is complete, with referrals now welcome for the first time in eastern and western Melbourne, Barwon, Wimmera and south-west Victoria.
‘With families that (are) going through so much, I think, to have that extra help, just extra guidance, you feel like, you know, at least there’s someone there for you.’ – parent
The state-wide rollout of Independent Family Advocacy and Support (IFAS) is now underway, ensuring better access for families who need help dealing with child protection, no matter where they live.
IFAS offers non-legal advocacy and support for parents and carers early on in their involvement with child protection, helping them navigate the child protection system, understand their rights and responsibilities, identify goals for their children’s care, and divert away from court proceedings where possible.
We know some marginalised groups face particular challenges in dealing with child protection.
This is why IFAS prioritises assistance for First Nations families, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, parents with intellectual disability or with their own childhood history of child protection involvement, and pregnant women.
Since launching in 2018, IFAS has supported hundreds of families living in northern Melbourne, southern Melbourne, Loddon and the Central Highlands regions.
Expanding to new areas from March 2025
With two years’ funding received to expand the service statewide we are now able to build on IFAS’ success and help more families.
We are expanding the service in three stages, with the first stage now complete.
In addition to the existing service areas, IFAS is now available for the first time in the following regions:
- Brimbank Melton and Western Melbourne
- Eastern Melbourne
- Geelong and the Barwon region
- Horsham, Warrnambool and the Wimmera South-West region.
The second stage of the rollout, expected by June 2025, will extend IFAS access to the regions of Mallee, Ovens Murray and Goulburn.
The final stage, due in the second half of the year, will include the regions of Bayside Peninsula, Inner Gippsland and Outer Gippsland.
‘We are delighted to be expanding IFAS across Victoria after operating successfully in limited locations,’ said IFAS Manager Robyn Buchanan.
‘Parents tell us that having an advocate by their side makes a crucial difference in their experiences with the child protection system, which can be stressful and difficult to navigate.’
An independent evaluation of the three-year pilot phase found that IFAS diverted 20 per cent of client families from court proceedings, and both parents and child protection workers saw the benefit of the service and said IFAS helped improve communication between the two parties.
Embedding client perspectives
IFAS demonstrates our commitment to client-first approaches in our work by involving people with lived experience in planning, design and review of services.
‘Lived experience perspectives have been at the centre of the IFAS model since the beginning,’ said Associate Director Jackie Anders from our Child Protection team.
‘Our lived experience consultant and advisory group Shared Experience and Support help to ensure that our approach to advocacy, information and referral reflect what clients want and need.’
Non-legal advocacy is core work
Like our Independent Mental Health Advocacy service, IFAS has shown the critical importance of non-legal advocacy in upholding people’s rights and preventing problems from escalating.
‘After six years, IFAS is very much part of our core service delivery in child protection, alongside our legal services,’ said Jackie.
‘We’re thrilled to expand IFAS over the next couple of years, and look forward to securing ongoing funding to ensure this essential service can continue across the state over the long term.’
More information
Learn more about IFAS and how to make a referral
For more information about IFAS or the expansion, email IFAScontact@vla.vic.gov.au
Learn more about the role of our IFAS advocates
Read about our advocacy to reform Victoria’s child protection system
Updated