First Steps Count attends the 2025 National Child and Family Hubs Network Conference
On 11 November 2025, First Steps Count Centre Director Clare Brennan travelled to Melbourne to represent the hub at the 2025 National Child and Family Hubs Network Conference. The inaugural one‑day free event gathered hub leaders, people with lived experience, funders, policymakers and researchers to share ideas and experiences for improving outcomes for children across Australia through child and family hubs. The theme of the conference was Building Change Together, which was reinforced throughout the program.
Core themes of the conference
Urgent response to the Early Development Census – The latest Australian Early Development Census showed an increase in the proportion of children starting school developmentally vulnerable. International and First Nations perspectives framed hubs as a proven, evidence‑based lever to reverse this trend.
Community voices: Transforming Hub Care - panel highlighted the value of embedding community voices in the design and operations of hubs to ensure they are responsive to the needs of children and families.
Leading Change for Lasting Impact - hub leaders from around the country reinforced the necessity of the ‘glue’ that holds hubs together - helping to facilitate the change that families want. Leaders spoke of what matters - authentic listening, love and kindness and collaboration.
The Power to Shift: Policy, Partnerships and the Future of Hubs - the session explored the opportunities within the context of current policy, the importance of focussing on quality and sustainability of existing hubs and thinking about how we gather and use data and evidence, particularly thinking about the power of story-telling.
Innovation through arts and storytelling – The Melbourne Playback Theatre cleverly and respectfully translated reflections and stories from the audience into improvised theatre - a powerful way to reinforce learning and create stronger connections.
Why it’s important we attended
Attending the event ensures the centre stayed abreast of emerging policy directions and connects with peers tackling similar challenges. Clare returned energised with a suite of actionable insights—particularly around ensuring high quality integrated service delivery and community engagement—that will inform the future and ongoing evolution of First Steps Count.
The Melbourne conference reaffirmed that child and family hubs are central to Australia’s response to rising developmental vulnerability, and it equipped First Steps Count with fresh strategies to amplify its impact in Taree.
Media Enquiries:
Clare Brennan, Centre Director
clare.brennan@firststepscount.org
