National Families Week is held annually from 15 May to 21 May (coinciding with the United Nations International Day of Families on 15 May).
Image: Young girl lying on the carpet with a fire in the background. The National Families Week logo and Life Without Barriers logo are in the top left hand corner.
The aim of the Week is to celebrate the vital role that families play in Australian society. National Families Week is a time to celebrate with your family, make contact with your extended family and friends, and share in the enjoyment of family activities within the wider community. It is a time to celebrate the meaning of family and to make the most of family life.
Let’s take the time to reflect on the critical role that families play in teaching, supporting and nurturing children especially as they grow.
The theme 'Stronger Families, Stronger Communities' highlights the importance community wellbeing and family wellbeing.
Each National Families Week a number of prominent Australians are designated as National Families Week Champions. We are delighted that Claire Robbs, Chief Executive of Life Without Barriers has been nominated as a National Families Week Champion for 2021.
Ms Robbs said that as an organisation, Life Without Barriers has supported a diversity of families for over 30 years, and sees her Champion for Families Week as celebrating the strengths of families in our communities.
“Family is very close to the heart of our organisation and we are humbled to be trusted by families all across our country to provide care and support.
“We recently launched our five-year strategy where we make clear that a significant focus for us is supporting and strengthening families who are engaging with the child protection system.
“We want to help families to appreciate what makes them unique and harness the positive attributes they have to help them be the best families they can be.
“By wrapping support around children, young people and families, we can help increase the number of children who can remain safely at home and reduce the need for child protection services.”
Dr Brian Babington, CEO of Families Australia, said, ‘The challenges of the past year have underlined the fundamental importance of families to society, communities and to us as individuals. Whatever form they take and in all their marvellous diversity, families need nurturing, respect and support. National Families Week is a great time to reflect on and take action to further strengthen our families.’
National Families Week is supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services as a valuable opportunity to demonstrate that families, across the lifespan, are integral to our society
National Families Week is run by Families Australia, a national, member-based, not-for-profit organisation, that supports family and child wellbeing. (www.nfw.org.au | www.familiesaustralia.org.au)
