Cairns families are facing increasing pressure from rising living costs, housing stress and limited access to support services, with Centacare Far North Queensland joining a statewide call to lift outcomes for children and families.
The call follows the release of the landmark Raising Queensland report on Monday, which found close to a quarter of Queensland children are not meeting key developmental milestones by the time they start school.
Centacare FNQ is one of 26 frontline community organisations backing the campaign, which is calling for a coordinated, whole-of-government families strategy to better support children and families across the state.
Locally, the challenges are significant. In the Cairns region alone, about 750 households with children are on the social housing register, most of them single-parent families, highlighting the scale of need in Far North Queensland.
Centacare FNQ executive director Anita Veivers said the findings reflected what services are seeing every day.
“When families have the basics and feel supported, children thrive. This campaign is about lifting the standard so that no matter where a child grows up in Queensland, they have the same opportunity to start strong,” Ms Veivers said.
“Families need support that is local, culturally informed and built with them, not for them. When we invest in place-based responses, like School Savvy or Child and Family Hubs, we see children and parents get the practical support they need, reducing pressure on families and giving kids a fair start.”
Ms Veivers said the complexity of issues facing families today required coordinated, long-term responses.
“Practical supports aren’t just about school; they are about families and the range of challenges they face, which impact the ability of parents and communities to help children learn and grow. By raising our kids together today, we are raising our future community.”
The Raising Queensland report, authored by University of Queensland professor Karen Healy, highlights gaps in access to housing, health, mental health and education supports, particularly for families on low incomes.
The campaign brings together community organisations from across Queensland to advocate for systemic change, focusing on improving access to essential services and strengthening support for families in regional communities.
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Cairns families in focus as Centacare FNQ backs ‘Raising Queensland’ campaign (Centacare FNQ)
