On this page
Our department works to create a more inclusive society, one in which people feel safe and can take part equally.
We do this every day by supporting people and communities to:
- have equitable access to opportunities
- overcome struggles and hardships
- recover from adversity.
We do this by taking steps to end issues like homelessness and family violence.
We work with people and communities to overcome challenges, create opportunities and build a fairer and safer Victoria, where everyone is valued.
We approach our work with the knowledge that collaboration and connection are essential to our success. This means with both the communities we serve and the people within our workforce.
We bring together our services and initiatives to support people at critical points in their lives and support all Victorians to get involved equally. This is how we make a difference.
This connection of service delivery, supports and other initiatives benefits every Victorian. It is why we have brought these portfolios together into one department.
We develop, drive and deliver whole-of-government policy that has the wellbeing of all Victorians at its heart.
We drive key reform agendas across equality, prevention of family violence, housing, children and inclusion.
We partner with sectors and listen to the voices of those with lived experience in these areas.
We respond to emergencies, including large-scale social and economic changes. We offer immediate and ongoing relief. We partner with communities to coordinate and tailor services for support and recovery.
We serve and support children and families, people experiencing family violence, housing and disability clients across the state, improving outcomes and creating a fairer and stronger Victoria. We work every day to keep individuals, children and families safe.
We are a complex department, with a wide reach across urban and regional areas. Our complexity is one of our strengths. It allows us to meet the different needs of our communities and gives us the ability to build our supports to meet people where they are.
Our department funds agencies, delivers services directly and works with commissions, peak bodies and other community organisations to provide a range of advice and supports. We work across Victorian Government and with governments in other jurisdictions to give high-quality and informed advice. We also give clear and unbiased advice to our ministers to assist in effective decision making.
We strive to keep improving the quality and safety of our services and listen to the voices and experiences of those who use them. We also monitor, assure quality and regulate these initiatives to support safe, effective, person-centred, connected delivery.
We aim to use all parts of our organisation to improve outcomes and better the lives of the people, families, communities and clients we serve.
We take care to support our key asset – our people – and the workers delivering community services to Victorians.
Together we strive to build a fairer and safer Victoria for all.
Our structure
The department’s organisation chart is updated regularly and can be found on the Our structure webpage.
Our footprint
We have staff in offices right across metropolitan and regional Victoria.
Our services
- In 2021–22 we provided more than $2.13 billion in service agreement funding to 855 agencies.1
- To establish more social housing across Victoria, $1.38 billion was allocated for the Social Housing Growth Fund creating over 2,300 homes and more than 9,000 jobs.2
- In 2021-22 we provided over $100 million in community grants to support priority cohorts, including women and multicultural communities.3
- We will invest about $2.9 billion in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2022-23.4
- We give grant funding to more than 2,500 multicultural community organisations.5
- In 2021-2022, the daily average number of children and young people in care placements (excluding permanent care orders) was approximately 9,500.6
- In 2020-21 we helped more than 105,300 clients to address and prevent homelessness, with almost half of these seeking support due to family violence.7
- Since 2018, The Orange Door network has helped more than 230,000 Victorians, including more than 90,000 children.8
- In 2020-21 the elder abuse statewide helpline received over 3,600 calls for support, information referral or advice.9
- We helped nearly 40,100 family services cases in 2020-21.10
Our funded initiatives
Victorian State Budget 2022-23 output initiatives – Department of Families, Fairness and Housing ($ million)11
| 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Protection and Family Services | ||||
| Aboriginal family services and child protection | 3.3 | 3.9 | - | - |
| Civil claims costs for historical institutional child abuse | 25.3 | - | - | - |
| Establishing the Social Services Regulator | 0.3 | - | - | - |
| Funding for statutory bodies and reforms | 4.9 | 4.9 | - | - |
| Improving the capacity and mix of care services | 77.9 | 6.7 | - | - |
| Improving the safety of children and young people in out of home care | 4.8 | 4.3 | - | - |
| Justice system costs associated with the extension of court programs | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Responding to demand for child protection and family services | 16.4 | 24.3 | 16.9 | - |
| Strengthening the community services workforce | 3.5 | 3.5 | - | - |
| Supporting community sector jobs | 18.6 | 16.9 | 15.1 | 13.2 |
| Community Participation | ||||
| Emerging with stronger communities | 10.1 | 6.2 | - | - |
| Victorian Social Recovery Support program | 0.7 | - | - | - |
| Concessions to Pensioners and Beneficiaries | ||||
| State Trustees – Community Service Agreement | 5.8 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.3 |
| Disability Services | ||||
| Strengthening Victoria’s interface with the National Disability Insurance Scheme |
16.5 | 19.4 | - | - |
| Victorian State Disability Plan | 14.6 | 0.5 | - | - |
| Family Violence Service Delivery | ||||
| Implementing a sustainable Central Information Point | 13.4 | 15.0 | - | - |
| Perpetrator responses | 17.0 | 12.2 | 0.9 | - |
| Refuge and crisis accommodation | 17.6 | 16.2 | 3.6 | 4.8 |
| Supporting victims of sexual violence and harm | 10.1 | 13.0 | 10.2 | - |
| Sustaining family violence reforms | 19.5 | 19.5 | 4.4 | - |
| Housing Assistance | ||||
| High rise fire upgrade program | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| High risk response and recovery model for vulnerable Victorians | 11.5 | - | - | - |
| Investing in a thriving North Richmond | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
| Investing to make homelessness rare, brief and non recurring | 8.3 | 19.1 | 23.9 | - |
| Sustained support and improved housing outcomes | 4.6 | 4.8 | - | - |
| LGBTIQ+ Equality Policy and Programs | ||||
| LGBTIQ+ Strategy implementation | 4.3 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 1.7 |
| Multicultural Affairs Policy and Programs | ||||
| Continuing COVID 19 support and recovery for multicultural communities | 3.7 | - | - | - |
| Multicultural community infrastructure | 6.4 | - | - | - |
| Multicultural Festivals and Events Program | 1.1 | - | - | - |
| Support for priority newly arrived migrant communities | 3.3 | 3.4 | - | - |
| Victorian African Communities Action Plan | 4.4 | - | - | - |
| Primary Prevention of Family Violence | ||||
| Investing in Respect Victoria to prevent family and gendered violence | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.5 | - |
| Seniors Programs and Participation | ||||
| Addressing family violence for older Victorians | 2.9 | - | - | - |
| Ageing Well in Victoria – Social recovery for older Victorians and carers | 3.0 | - | - | - |
| Support to Veterans in Victoria | ||||
| Support for veteran infrastructure | 1.4 | 1.4 | - | - |
| Support for veteran transition and wellbeing | 0.3 | 0.3 | - | - |
| Women’s Policy | ||||
| Investing in Victoria’s new gender equality strategy | 4.6 | 1.2 | 1.0 | - |
| Youth | ||||
| Empowering young people facing disadvantage | 1.1 | 0.6 | - | - |
| Total output initiatives | 350.3 | 216.9 | 95.9 | 30.0 |
Source: 2022-23 Budget Paper 4, pp.3, 38-9
Note: Table may not add due to rounding.
Victorian State Budget 2022-23 Capital Program – Department of Families, Fairness and Housing ($ million)12
New projects – Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
| Total estimated investment ($ thousand) | Estimated expenditure 2022 23 ($ thousand) | |
|---|---|---|
| Investing to make homelessness rare, brief and non recurring (statewide) | 24,000 | 24,000 |
| Highrise fire upgrade program (statewide) | 22,091 | 5,416 |
| Implementing a sustainable Central Information Point (statewide) | 1,600 | 1,600 |
| Investing in a thriving North Richmond (Richmond) | 5,500 | 2,800 |
| Investing in Victoria’s new Gender Equality Strategy (statewide) | 1,550 | 800 |
| Refuge and crisis accommodation (statewide) | 26,798 | 8,769 |
| All remaining Projects with a TEI less than $250 000 | 180 | 180 |
| Total new projects | 81,719 | 43,565 |
Source: 2022-23 Budget Paper 4, p.62
Note: Table may not add due to rounding.
Existing projects – Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
| Total estimated investment ($ thousand) | Estimated expenditure 2022 23 ($ thousand) | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting Ready for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (statewide) | 26,686 | 1,300 |
| Maintaining the foundations of the children and families system (statewide) | 4,614 | 2,721 |
| Maintenance, minor capital improvements and building of new Care Services properties (Melbourne) | 9,000 | 3,400 |
| National Disability Insurance Scheme Stage 2 (statewide) | 10,253 | 6,753 |
| Out of home care residential capacity (statewide) | 8,000 | 4,933 |
| Reforming Care Services (statewide) | 40,887 | 28,887 |
| SDA Maintenance and minor upgrade program (statewide) | 30,000 | 9,990 |
| Total existing projects | 129,440 | 57,984 |
| Total Families, Fairness and Housing projects | 211,159 | 101,549 |
| Other capital expenditure | N/A | 8,387 |
| Total 2022 23 Families, Fairness and Housing capital expenditure | 109,936 |
Source: 2022-23 Budget Paper 4, p.63
Note: Table may not add due to rounding.
New projects – Director of Housing
| Total estimated investment ($ thousand) | Estimated expenditure 2022 23 ($ thousand) | |
|---|---|---|
| Acquisition general construction 2022 23 (statewide) | 76,700 | 76,700 |
| Acquisition general spot purchase 2022 23 (statewide) | 34,320 | 34,320 |
| High rise upgrades 2022 23 (metropolitan various) | 22,000 | 22,000 |
| Homes Victoria Ground Lease Model Project 2 (metropolitan) | 259,802 | 14,505 |
| Low rise upgrade 2022 23 (statewide) | 27,947 | 27,947 |
| Minor capital works 2022 2023 (statewide) | 28,964 | 28,964 |
| Total new projects | 449,733 | 204,436 |
Source: 2022-23 Budget Paper 4, p.130
Note: Table may not add due to rounding.
Existing projects – Director of Housing
| Total estimated investment ($ thousand) | Estimated expenditure 2022 23 ($ thousand) | |
|---|---|---|
| Aboriginal family violence refuge for Wimmera South West area (Horsham) | 4,747 | 4,381 |
| Big Housing Build (statewide) | 3,066,798 | 1,011,731 |
| Big Housing Build physical improvements (statewide) | 184,000 | 82,300 |
| Building works stimulus (statewide) | 155,000 | 1,758 |
| Carlton redevelopment – 246 units/sites (North West metropolitan) | 145,793 | 900 |
| Family Violence – Aboriginal refuges (statewide) | 8,575 | 3,296 |
| Family Violence – refuge redevelopment (statewide) | 47,902 | 21,607 |
| Flemington estate redevelopment (Flemington) | 30,000 | 8,289 |
| High rise fire sprinkler upgrade stage 2 (metropolitan various) | 21,682 | 3,608 |
| Homes Victoria Ground Lease Model Project 1 (metropolitan) | 263,667 | 129,363 |
| Oakover and Stokes/Penola stage 2 (Preston) | 22,247 | 17,573 |
| Public housing renewal program (statewide) | 185,000 | 131,516 |
| Rooming houses upgrade (statewide) | 10,000 | 2,204 |
| Social Housing Pipeline projects (statewide) | 15,955 | 1,929 |
| Westmeadows redevelopment – 144 units/sites (Westmeadows) | 75,185 | 2,500 |
| Total existing projects | 4,236,551 | 1,422,955 |
| Total Director of Housing (PNFC) projects | 4,686,284 | 1,627,391 |
Source: 2022-23 Budget Paper 4, pp.130-1
Note: Table may not add due to rounding.