We endorse the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

We have also developed, and endorse, nine principles of family services work:

1. In family services projects, staff and families work together in relationships based on trust and respect.
2. Family services projects enhance families' capacity to support the growth and development of all family members – adults, young people and children.
3. Family services projects affirm and strengthen families' social, cultural, racial and linguistic identities and enhance their ability to function in a pluralist society.
4. Family services projects are embedded in their communities and contribute to the community-building process
5. Family services projects are flexible and continually responsive to emerging family and community issues.
6. The principles of family service are modelled in all aspects of a project, including planning, service delivery, management and administration.
7. All members of a family should be safe from violence.
8. Children should be provided with safe, quality alternatives if it is deemed they can never live with their birth family.
9. There is a recognition that families have multiple forms, not necessarily biologically based.

Our members support and work for these principles.