FaCS – a snapshot

About us...

The Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) is responsible for shaping social policies and ensuring they are delivered efficiently through partnerships with other government and non-government organisations.

FaCS focuses on families and people with different needs such as young people and students, people living in rural and remote areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

FaCS is responsible for about one-third of total government outlays. While FaCS' national office is in Canberra, the department also has offices located in each state and territory throughout Australia, including in rural and regional areas.

FaCS is part of the Australian Government's family and community services portfolio. The portfolio is responsible for a broad range of social policies and support affecting Australian society and the living standards of Australian families.

The portfolio consists of:

FaCS, which incorporates the Child Support Agency (CSA). CSA administers the Child Support Scheme and helps separated parents take responsibility for the financial support of their children
Centrelink, which delivers income support payments and services to the Australian community on behalf of FaCS
the Social Security Appeals Tribunal, which provides a mechanism of review that is fair, just, economical, informal and quick
the Australian Institute of Family Studies, which promotes the identification and understanding of factors affecting marital and family stability in Australia.

In 2003–04...

We spent:

$67.7 billion—around 8 per cent of Australia's gross domestic product.

We delivered:

through the department—80 programs using more than 15 000 service providers at a cost of nearly $1 billion
through service providers—income support payments and services worth $65.2 billion to over 6 million Australians
through the Child Support Agency—help to over one million children by supporting over 1.3 million parents to transfer $2.186 billion in child support.

We supported and helped:

families and children
young people and students
working-age people
people with disabilities
carers
the aged
people living in rural and remote areas
people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds
communities across the country.

We worked in partnership with:

other Australian Government departments and agencies
foreign governments
state and territory governments
local government
businesses
the not-for-profit community sector
peak representative organisations
service providers
research bodies
families and communities.

Highlights for the year...

$19.2 billion extra assistance for Australian families over five years
$461 million to help carers of people with disabilities and the frail aged
$365.8 million over four years for a 'new-look' Stronger Families and Communities Strategy that focuses on early childhood
$226 million for the Child Care Support Program
$99 million extra assistance over four years to support a viable disability employment sector
44 000 more child care places
Australians Working Together initiatives fully implemente

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