In Australia, many human service activities previously provided by the public sector are now provided by the private sector.

This study undertook a review of published literature and documents concerning the costs and benefits of alternative models of investment in human service delivery, and explores mechanisms of resource allocation for human service related activities.

This study specifically examines the program of activities managed by the Queensland Department of Communities and other Queensland Government human service agencies. The human services that were considered included child care and family support, homelessness and public intoxication, community and individual support, crime and violence prevention, services for seniors, youth support and juvenile justice, community engagement and development, Indigenous community capacity building, programs for people with a disability, accommodation support, public information services, training and development, community health services, subsidy schemes, and justice support programs.

Summary Of Key Findings:

• There is a significant push to improve the efficiency of human services in an environment of reducing availability of public resources;
• A significant proportion of public funds are expended in the human services under study;
• There is little information on the cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness of human services in Australia;
• There is a near absence of information on the relative effectiveness of alternative approaches to procuring human services;
• There is unlikely to be a one size fits all approach to selecting from among alternative service delivery strategies; and
• Establishing, implementing and reviewing a methodology for assessing alternative approaches to procurement of human services by government offers an opportunity for continuous improvement in achieving outcomes.

The Project Team

The project team included:

• Khorshed Alam, University of Southern Queensland
• Walter Robb, Chief Statistician, Eidos

Funding Partner:

Participating Members: