Service delivery of relationship support programs in Australia: Implications for the "Community Sector"

Abstract

Governments confront many challenges as they rely increasingly on community sector agencies to deliver services. This has implications for the governance of service delivery, policy implementation, and partnerships. This article examines two interconnected concerns for the delivery of relationship support programs in Australia. First, it investigates the key characteristics that influence how government delivers services and whether it develops partnerships with the community sector. Second, it explores the challenges experienced by Australian agencies that deliver relationship support programs: early intervention and prevention strategies to provide couples with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and maintain robust relationships. It does this by providing a qualitative study that includes findings from 27 semistructured interviews with service providers. The central argument is that community organizations with diverse needs, values, and clients encounter many constraints when delivering relationship services. Consequently, it will be difficult to establish effective partnerships between government and agencies.