Urbis, in partnership with Cox Inall Ridgeway (CIR), has been engaged by the Department of Health and Aged Care to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the Australian Nurse Family Partnership Program (ANFPP). The ANFPP supports women pregnant with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander child through pre-natal care until the child is two years old through sustained nurse-led home visiting. The ANFPP is delivered in 13 sites across Australia, including four states and the Northern Territory, and recently expanded in Western Australia with two new sites.
Objectives
The purpose of the evaluation of ANFPP is to:
- capture the outcomes of ANFPP and, in particular, to identify whether ANFPP has made a difference in the lives of clients and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander babies
- determine the social return on the Australian Government’s investment in the program – this will include commentary on ANFPP’s impact on the social and emotional wellbeing of families participating (past or present) in the program
- identify areas for improvement in the delivery and operation of ANFPP across the 13 sites and in national administration.
The evaluation is intended to inform future funding and implementation decisions, and to contribute to ongoing program improvements.
Methodology
The evaluation has adopted a mixed-methods approach, analysing available quantitative program and survey data, as well as qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. The methodology incorporates two rounds of primary data collection and analysis in 2022 and 2023. This interim report is informed by a review of relevant documentation and program data; in-person interviews with ANFPP clients across all sites, interviews with ANFPP staff and national stakeholders; and a social return on investment analysis.
Outcomes
Urbis and CIR are currently finalising the final stage of fieldwork and will deliver a final report in December 2023 including recommendations to further strengthen the program delivery and outcomes for women and their children.