The Alfred Felton Research Program has grown out of the establishment of the Alfred Felton Chair in Child and Family Welfare. This Chair was established through a collaborative process between the Alfred Felton Trust, the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare (which represents 90 community organisations) and the University of Melbourne, including the School of Social Work and the Royal Children's Hospital.
The Alfred Felton Trust is sponsoring the Chair for a five year period until 2011, after which time it will become a permanent post within the University of Melbourne. The Department of Human Services (DHS) has supported the post with a secondment of a research worker. A Knowledge Broker has been appointed through funding from the Telstra Foundation and employed by the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare to support the Research into Action Project. A reference group of key stakeholders in the "Children, Youth and Families" and "Domestic Violence/Family Violence" sectors provide ongoing advice and support.