What about children's mental health?: Evaluation findings from the family life shine children's mental health pilot project

It is well recognised that mental illness is a significant and enduring issue in Australia today. In order to address the growing concern, in July 2006 the Council of Australian Governments endorsed a National Action Plan on Mental Health which aimed: to reduce the incidence of mental illness in Australia with a particular focus on early intervention; to enhance the active citizenship of Australians with mental health issues; and to improve services for people with a mental illness, their families, and carers (Council of Australian Governments, 2006). As part of the plan, a series of Mental Health Community Based Services initiatives were funded by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). This article will discuss one of those initiatives - the Family Life SHINE children's mental health pilot project - which offered an early intervention and public health service strategy within a family support agency in the southern region of Melbourne. The findings of the two-year bi-phase evaluation will be presented, along with a selection of recommendations and key evaluation challenges that arose during the pilot period.