Raising Children Network welcomes funding boost to support more parents

The Raising Children Network has welcomed a funding boost from the Australian Government in the 2024 Budget of an additional $4 million over two years to extend and expand its reach to more parents, carers and professionals across Australia, and to further extend its work in supporting families around children’s developmental concerns and disability.

The Raising Children Network (www.raisingchildren.net.au) is an online parenting support initiative, providing free, reliable, up-to-date information to help families grow and thrive together. Funded by the Australian Government, all Raising Children Network content is reviewed by experts, tailored to all the different ages and stages of raising a child.

Raising Children Network director Derek McCormack said the additional funding for 2024-25 and 2025-26 will allow the initiative to resource activities that increase the reach and impact among parents, carers and professionals who work with families, to ultimately improve child outcomes in line with the new Early Years Strategy.

“We are thrilled to welcome this additional support. This will mean that our free, reliable resources can reach more mothers, fathers and other carers across Australia. The Raising Children Network initiative was first launched in 2006, but has since grown with government support and we feel it is as important today as ever,” said Mr McCormack.

“Whether it’s our messages on healthy attitudes to gender, talking with children and teenagers about racism, or our information about pregnancy, newborns and babies, Raising Children Network helps those raising kids to access evidence-based information. We know that parents and carers want to keep their children healthy and developing well, and supporting these parents and carers is critical to help them with the important job of parenting. This extra funding will help ensure no one misses out,” he said.

The member organisations behind the Raising Children Network, the Parenting Research Centre and the Centre for Community Child Health at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and The Royal Children's Hospital have also welcomed the additional funding.