Websites
Learn how to identify credible information and see a list of useful websites.
Community groups & organisations
- Aged & Community Care Providers AssociationACCPA is the leading peak body supporting over 700 church, charitable and community-based not-for-profit organisations that provide accommodation and care services to older Australians.
- Dementia AustraliaDementia Australia provide advocacy for people living with all types of dementia, their families and carers. This site provides information on support services and education.
- Carers AustraliaCarers Australia is the national peak body representing Australia’s carers, advocating on behalf of Australia’s carers to influence policies and services at a national level.
- Department of Health & Ageing - Australian Government Health and Ageing Portfolio Budget StatementsThe Health Portfolio Budget Statements inform Senators and Members of Parliament of the proposed allocation of resources to Government outcomes by entities within the Health portfolio.
- Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)The Department of Veterans' Affairs serves veterans, war widows and widowers, serving and former Defence Force members, eligible AFP members with overseas service, and dependants and carers. DVA provides compensation and income support entitlements, delivers health care and rehabilitation services, and fulfils Australia's commitment to remember and honour those who serve our nation.
- Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies (ACYS)This site has lots of useful resources and information. The Federal Government ceased funding for the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies (ACYS) from 30 June 2015, not updated since.
- The State of the World's Children reportsUNICEF’s flagship publication, The State of the World's Children, closely examines a key issue affecting children. The report includes supporting data and statistics and is available in French and Spanish language versions. In 2016, the report was also released in Arabic and Chinese.
- Commission for Children and Young People - VictoriaReplaces the Office of the Child Safety Commissioner (OCSC).
- Handicap InternationalIndependent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster.
- National Disability Services AustraliaNational Disability Services (NDS) is Australia's peak body for non-government disability service organisations, representing more than 1100 non-government service providers.
- Ramp UpAustralian Broadcasting Commission: News, discussion, debate and humour for everyone in Australia's disability communities. This website is no longer being updated but remains online as an archive of three and a half years of discussions and conversations regarding disability in Australia.
- Scope AustraliaNot-for-profit organisation supporting people to develop the skills and capabilities they need to participate in society and contribute to the economy.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice - Human Rights CommissionThe Australian Human Rights Commission advocates for the rights of Indigenous Australians and works to promote respect and understanding of these rights among the broader community.
- Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)Research, collections and publishing organisation, promoting knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, traditions, languages and stories, past and present.
- Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNetA 'one-stop info-shop' that contains published, unpublished and specially-developed material about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. This resource aims to inform practice and policy in Indigenous health by making the evidence base readily accessible via the Internet.
- indigenous.gov.au - Australian GovernmentThis website is designed to connect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people with Australian Government policies and programmes.
- The Lowitja InstituteAustralia’s National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research.
- Asylym seekers and refugees - Human Rights CommissionHuman Rights Commission are an independent statutory organisation and report to the federal Parliament through the Attorney-General.
- Refugees Study Centre (RSC)The RSC provides multidisciplinary, independent and critical scholarship on factors determining and resulting from the forced displacement of populations.
- Victorian Multicultural CommissionEstablished in 1983, the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) has provided independent advice to the Victorian Government to inform the development of legislative and policy frameworks, as well as the delivery of services to our culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse society.
- Asylum Seeker Resource CentreIndependent of Federal Government funding, the ASRC is the largest provider of aid, legal and health services to people seeking asylum in Australia.
Mental health, poverty and homelessness
- BeyondblueProvides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.
- National Institute of Mental HealthThe National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Victoria's Mental Health ServicesVictorian Government Health Information.
- WHO: Mental HealthWorld Health Organisation.
- Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS )Peak body of the community services and welfare sector and the national voice for the needs of people affected by poverty and inequality.
- Brotherhood of St LaurenceA community organisation that works across Australia to prevent and alleviate poverty.
- Introduction to Social PolicyOffers a brief outline of key topics and issues in Social Policy
- Poverty & Equity BriefsSponsored by the World Bank.
- Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS)Peak body of the social and community services sector in Victoria, pursuing just and fair social outcomes through policy development and public and private advocacy.
- Chronic Poverty Research CentreCPRC is an international partnership of universities, research institutes and NGOs established in 2000 with initial funding from the UK's Department for International Development.
- Homelessness AustraliaNational peak body working to prevent and respond to homelessness in Australia.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - HomelessnessSpecial subject page on homelessness from Australia's national agency for health and welfare statistics and information.
- Housing, homelessness and human rightsAustralian Human Right Commission.
- Australian Housing and Urban Research InstituteNational not for profit organisation that funds, conducts and disseminates quality research on housing, homelessness and cities.
- Australian Alliance to End HomelessnessAAEH supports Australian communities to individually and collectively end homelessness.
- Ending Homelessness in Australia - Mission AustraliaMission Australia section on homelessness with links to some of their services in the various states.
Research, policy and government websites
- Australian Institute of Family StudiesAustralian Government key research body, conducting original research to increase understanding of families and issues that affect them.
- ANROWSAustralia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety is an not-for-profit organisation established to reduce violence against women and their children.
- Gendered Violence Research NetworkThe Gendered Violence Research Network (GVRN) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Australia) has succeeded the Centre of Gender Related Violence Studies (CGRVS) which previously housed the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse (ADFVC).
- Safe and EqualSafe and Equal is a statewide service in Melbourne, Victoria. They provide training, publications, research and other resources to those experiencing (or who have experienced) family violence, and practitioners and service organisations who work with family violence survivors.
- Alcohol and Drug FoundationNGO committed to reducing alcohol and drug harm through evidence-based approaches. Website includes information about drug facts, reducing risk and addiction support services.
- Information for practiceNews, new scholarship & more from around the world (New York University: Silver School of Social Work).
- National Rural Health AllianceThe NRHA is the peak non-government organisation for rural and remote health in Australia.
- Social Care OnlineIs a portal to the UK's largest collection of information on social work and social care. Includes research briefings, to reports, government documents, journal articles, events and websites.
- United Nations - Global IssuesAs the world’s only truly universal global organization, the United Nations has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone.
Federal
- Australian Government DirectorySearch for information and services on Australian Government websites as well as selected state and territory resources. Also searches over four million web pages from Australian, state and territory governments.
State
- Department of Fairness, Families and Housing (VIC)DFFH maintains a number of websites, use the 'browse our websites' drop-down menu on the top right of the page to switch between them.
- AUSTLII (Australasian Legal Information Institute)A joint facility of UTS and UNSW Faculties of Law.
- Australian Human Rights CommissionIndependent statutory organisation, with the mission to lead the promotion and protection of human rights in Australia.
- Federal Register of LegislationThe Federal Register of Legislation has the most complete and up-to-date collection of Commonwealth legislation.
- Australian Institute of CriminologyDraws together information on the the Australian criminal justice system.
- Government & Law - Pandora ArchiveAustralian web archive.
- Analysis and Policy Observatory (APO) - (formerly Australian Policy Online)APO is a research database and alert service providing free access to full text research reports and papers, statistics and other resources essential for public policy development and implementation in Australia, New Zealand and beyond.
- Melbourne Institute (University of Melbourne)Research in the field of economics, relevant to contemporary economic and social policy.
- NATSEM (National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling)University of Canberra.
- Social Policy Research Centre (UNSW)The Social Policy Research Centre are dedicated to making a positive impact through independent and leading research that tackles critical social issues.
Professional associations
- Allied Health Professionals Australia (AHPA)The recognised national peak body representing and advocating for the role of allied health professions in Australia.
- Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)Professional body for social workers in Australia.
- Australian Counselling Association (ACA)National progressive professional peak association of counsellors and psychotherapists.
- British Association of Social Workers (BASW)The largest professional association for social work in the UK, with offices in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
- International Federation of Social WorkersGlobal organisation striving for social justice, human rights and social development through the promotion of social work, best practice models and the facilitation of international cooperation.
- National Association of Social Workers (NASW)The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world.
- Social Care Institute for Excellence (UK)A leading improvement support agency and independent charity, working with the care and support sector in the UK.