Learning Together About What Supports Children and Families
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Positive change happens when community shares ideas, learns together and works towards a brighter future for children and families.
Across the Gladstone Region, community members, parents, carers, organisations, service providers and partners continue to work together, sharing knowledge, experience and insights to strengthen the supports that help children and families thrive.
As planning begins for the next Gladstone Region Wellbeing Evaluation, the 2025 Evaluation Report provides an opportunity to reflect on what we’ve learned, where progress is emerging, and where challenges remain.
The evaluation brought together local data, community insights and storytelling to explore how collective community efforts are influencing wellbeing outcomes through the implementation of projects delivered through the community-designed Gladstone Region Wellbeing Action Plan.
The findings reinforce that improving outcomes for children and families is complex, long-term work that requires communities, services and decision-makers to learn, adapt and act together. One of the key learnings from the evaluation was that while population-level wellbeing outcomes have not yet shifted, there are encouraging signs that the systems supporting children and families are becoming stronger and more connected.
The evaluation found evidence of:
stronger collaboration and trust across organisations, sectors and levels of government
more effective shared decision-making and local leadership
improved use of data, shared measurement and collective learning to inform decisions
greater workforce confidence, cultural capability and shared ways of working to support children and families.
These changes are helping create a more connected support system through clearer referral pathways, better coordination and earlier intervention for children and families.
Members of the Data and Evaluation Working Group reflected that while many changes are not yet visible in population-level data, important shifts are occurring through relationships, practice and collaboration. One member observed that "on the ground working with families there is change occurring ... there is a mindset change."
These achievements reflect the commitment, knowledge and collective efforts of many people across the Gladstone Region who continue to work together to create lasting positive change.
To explore the findings in more detail, view the 2025 Gladstone Region Wellbeing Evaluation Report- Click Here
Looking ahead, the report provides an important foundation for the next stage of learning and evaluation. It also reinforces an important lesson: meaningful community change takes time.
As planning begins for the 2026 annual evaluation, the findings help us better understand what is changing for children and families across the region, where challenges remain and where new opportunities may be emerging. Community voices remain central to this process.
Whether you are a parent, carer, young person, community member or someone working locally, your experiences and insights help build a deeper understanding of what supports wellbeing in the Gladstone Region and help shape future action.
If this work interests you and you would like to learn more, contribute your insights or explore opportunities to be involved in future conversations and activities, we'd love to hear from you.
Contact GRT to find out more about getting involved.
P: 07 4970 7382
