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Abstract
Families First was introduced in New South Wales in 1998. It is a State Government strategy that aims to increase the effectiveness of early intervention services to support families and communities to care for their children. The broad aim of Families First is to develop a coordinated network of services to identify children and families who require further assistance and link them to appropriate support early, before problems become entrenched. The strategy combines universal service elements and screening to targeted services, with operational emphases on: service integration and networking; community outreach, especially via services such as home visiting by early childhood nurses and volunteers; and community development (TCO, 2002). The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Evaluation Consortium was commissioned by The Cabinet Office (TCO) in NSW to conduct the Area Reviews of Families First. The Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW manages the Consortium. This report is part of a series and presents the findings of the Area Review in Orana Far West.