About the Week

Each year, over a hundred thousand people and hundreds of organisations around the country come together for Australia’s annual celebration of families National Families Week (15-21 May).

National Families Week is a time to celebrate with your family, connect with your extended family and friends, and share in the enjoyment of family activities within the wider community.   No matter where you live – in our major cities or a remote community in the country – all Australians, including community organisations, schools, councils, companies and individuals are invited to participate in National Families Week each year.

The aim of National Families Week is to not only celebrate the vital role that families play in Australian society, but to also reflect on the critical role that families play in teaching, supporting and nurturing children as they grow.

National Families Week coincides with the United Nations International Day of Families on 15 May.  This day is observed by the United Nations to mark the importance that the international community places on families as the most fundamental units of society, as well as to show concern about their situation in many parts of the world.

Join us in 2023 to celebrate all that is real in our family life, while daring to dream of a BIG bright and positive future.

Living real promotes some of the practical, supportive strategies and resources available, to foster resilience in individuals, in families and within communities. Head to our resources page for more information on resilience.

Dreaming big is a celebration of our successes, and firmly places resilience as a central building block of individual and community wellbeing.  Hear positive and uplifting stores of family renewal and reinvention in our Celebrating Families Speaker Series 2023 [more information to follow].

Come join us in Australia’s Annual Celebration of Families!

• Register your event here
• Find an event near you here

National Families Week is supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

• International Day of Families
• Previous National Families Weeks
• Living Real, Dreaming Big | supporting resilient families