Turning Point brought together policymakers, service providers, practitioners, advocates, philanthropy and people with lived experience to explore how Australia can better support young parents and infants – particularly during pregnancy and the early parenting years.
Young parents continue to be overrepresented in pre-birth and infant child protection reports, yet Australia has a lack of consistent national data to understand the true scale – and address it.
We know that early and specialised intervention, with a strong focus on child safety, works. It reduces the likelihood of child removal and strengthens outcomes for families. Yet systemic drivers continue to leave many parents unseen, unsupported, and carrying intergenerational impacts.
The event created space to align evidence, practice and lived experience, and to focus on earlier, non‑statutory responses that strengthen families and improve outcomes for infants.
Central to this symposium was a commitment to ensuring those with lived or living experience of young parenthood or child protection are seen or heard in the conversations that directly impact their lives. By incorporating the lived experience, we recognisws that authentic, meaningful change begins with listening to and learning from those who have navigated these systems firsthand.
As a national not for profit working with young parents, Brave Foundation engages with young people whose needs and strengths often go unseen and unheard. Brave is a leader in elevating the lived experiences and expertise of young parents and it is our aim to amplify their voices, the challenges they face, highlight their strengths and provide opportunities for their community to support them to build happy, healthy and connected families.
Discussions highlighted the need for earlier intervention during pregnancy, better system coordination, investment aligned with evidence, and the meaningful embedding of lived experience in policy and practice. There was strong agreement that fragmented systems are limiting impact – and that collective action is required.
There was shared recognition that:
Building on the momentum from Turning Point 2026, Brave will focus on connecting people, ideas and efforts across the country to move from conversation to action.
Inspired by the services, programs and individuals involved in the event, Brave will establish a National Young Parents Network. The Network will bring together partners to share learning, align efforts and support system change so young parents and their children can thrive.
The sessions delivered at Turning Point were not recorded. Presentation materials are shared with permission for information purposes only. You can see all the presentations on the Presentations & Speakers page.
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