Chapter 3: Capability

Strategic priority 3: Build workforce and staff capability

MARAM’s long-term success depends on building workforce capability.

This means training practitioners in their MARAM and information sharing responsibilities.

In 2023–24, we prioritised training and other capability-building activities across government.

Figure 6 provides a summary of completed training.

Highlights from 2023-24

• FSV developed a new, non-accredited Adults Using Family Violence training program and practice guides. FSV piloted these with practitioners in the health, justice, police, child protection and mental health workforces. Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) helped to ensure the program’s cultural safety. Delivery of the training program commenced in November 2023.
• The Education portfolio delivered Respectful Relationships professional learning to 519 early childhood educators. In total, 5,043 educators have attended the professional learning since it began in 2018. More than 1,950 government, Catholic and independent schools in Victoria use the Respectful Relationships whole-school approach.
• In Housing, Homes Victoria worked with the Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) to deliver information sessions and training. These sessions aimed to build the workforce’s understanding of MARAM. CHP convened a group of MARAM leaders across the homelessness sector. The group met 6 times to provide feedback about the MARAM tools.
• The Housing portfolio also developed tailored Adults Using Family Violence identification and intermediate training for Forensic Disability Services Staff. This workforce supports people with cognitive disability who are involved in the criminal justice system. Public housing staff also received targeted MARAM Adults Using Family Violence identification training.
• The Health portfolio promoted eLearn’s for elder abuse and financial abuse for organisations in the health sector.

• The Youth justice sector provided MARAM intermediate victim survivor training for all custody staff (53) and 170 community-based staff. Of these, 87% rated the quality of the training as very high or high. Participants (94%) agreed or strongly agreed that they were more confident in their ability to engage effectively with those accessing services.

  Project spotlight: Victoria Police training Immersive simulation training gives recruits the confidence to put their theoretical knowledge of family violence response into practice. The training uses actors in 3 scenarios. This includes a scenario where recruits respond to and manage risk factors relevant to the accurate identification of the predominant aggressor. This supports recruits to identify family violence risk factors. It gives them the chance to assess and manage risk. It also allows them to practise trauma-aware approaches to support victim survivors. In 2023–24, 994 recruits completed the immersive, simulated learning program.

  Case study: MARAM training in the health sector A specialist family violence practitioner was working with a client who is an adult using family violence. The client appeared to present a very serious risk. They had several intervention orders against them and no access to their children. The practitioner knew this information. However, they had developed a rapport with the client. Over time, they started to believe the client’s version of events that they had not been violent. After attending the full-day MARAM training on resisting collusion and motivating change, the practitioner realised they had been colluding with this client. The term ‘collusion’ refers to ways that an individual, agency or system might reinforce, excuse, minimise or deny a perpetrator’s violence or the extent of that violence. Using tools from the training, the practitioner changed the way they engaged with the client. They used a balanced approach to support the client’s self-reflection about the impacts of their behaviour. The practitioner now notices the invitations for collusion. They feel more confident in how to respond. They have started collaborating and sharing information with other services. This helps to keep the client using violence in view and accountable. It also supports the victim survivor’s safety.

The MARAM Adults Using Family Violence training package

The Adults Using Family Violence training package commenced in November 2023.

It complements the Adults Using Family Violence practice guides released in February 2022.

The above case study demonstrates the importance of training to support practitioners working with adults using family violence.

Figure 5 shows how some portfolios are rolling out the tools.

Capability examples from the annual survey

The survey showed that 78% of respondents who were professional, and frontline staff had undertaken training on various MARAM topics in 2023–24.

Of these, 76% rated the training highly useful or somewhat useful.

For organisational leaders or executives, 95% indicated that they or staff in their organisation completed training in 2023–24.

Of these, 83% rated the training highly useful or somewhat useful. Appendix 7 provides more detail.

Plans for 2024-25

Child protection will make MARAM training mandatory in all staff professional development plans in 2024–25.

In the Education portfolio, the department will deliver training on the workforce’s MARAM responsibilities. It will also update the e-Learns on information sharing and family violence reform. This includes developing a refresher course.

The courts will tailor MARAM Adults Using Family Violence training to ensure it is appropriate for court operations. This will also assist practitioners to undertake brief interventions with respondents in family violence intervention order matters.

The Prevention of Family Violence portfolio will:

• roll out the MARAM Child and Young Person practice guides to all The Orange Door sites. Induction training will include these new guides
• update minimum standards for men’s behaviour change programs. This includes men’s referral services.