Building knowledge focuses on research and enhancing data collection to fill gaps in current knowledge across the breadth of the system from prevention to response.
Understanding the drivers of violence, and unique experiences of people who access the service system – from early intervention to response – will be vital in measuring effectiveness and impact to inform ongoing innovation. It will enable us to direct family violence funding in a more effective way to the responses that make a difference in achieving access and inclusion for all.
For too long the voices and lived experience of family violence for people from diverse communities have not been central to systemic change. We know that there is a significant gap in research and data collection around inclusion, access and the service system, and that this needs to be addressed in order to enhance the service system response.
Addressing these gaps will take time. During this first Blueprint, the focus of actions is to better understand the current state of affairs, invest in improved data collection, and invest in developing research and evidence. This ensures we have a greater understanding of who is and isn’t accessing the service system. This information will be used in future Blueprints and across the family violence sector reform to ensure evidence-informed systems change and interventions.
Actions to implement mechanisms to share data and research across Government and broader service sectors
| Indicator: mechanisms implemented to share data and research across Government and broader service sectors | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Actions |
Lead and partners | Duration1 and progress |
| 1.1 Showcase inclusive practice examples, informed by an intersectionality framework, and share learnings from the development of the Intersectionality Capacity Building Project. | FSV and DJCS |
2020-21 (in progress) |
| 1.2 Identify and map current interventions, practice resources and tools for adolescent family violence including enhancing understanding of identifying and responding to adolescent family violence in diverse communities. | FSV |
2019-21 (in progress) |
| 1.3 Utilise program data and research to explore the systemic barriers to accessing services for and experiences of people from multicultural communities, older people, people from LGBTIQ communities and people with disabilities. | OPFVC, MA, Respect Victoria, DFFH & FSV (partners) |
2019-21 (in progress) |
Actions to improve data on diverse communities to better inform service design and delivery
|
Indicator: improved data on diverse communities to better inform service design and delivery |
||
| Actions | Lead and partners | Duration and progress |
| 1.4 Undertake the 2019 Census of Workforces that Intersect with Family Violence (Census) as part of action 3.2 in the Strengthening the Foundations: First Rolling Action Plan 2019-2021 and future Census to establish a baseline for the workforce demographics across the sector. | FSV |
2019-22 (in progress) |
| 1.5 Implement the Family Violence Data Collection Framework (FVDCF) created by DPC. The FVDCF is a non-mandatory tool to help service providers and agencies standardise the collection of administrative information, improve data collection practices and subsequently advance the existing evidence base concerning family violence in Victoria. It is not intended to resolve all data quality and limitations across the reform; instead, implementation of the FVDCF will improve data collection activities to support the collection of more robust demographic data. It is the responsibility of government departments, agencies and service providers to determine how each data collection standard can fit into their data collection guidelines and infrastructure |
FSV, DFFH, DJCS, Vic Pol |
2019-21 (in progress) |
| 1.6 Adopt an intersectional approach to data collection and outcomes measurement to better understand overlap, discrimination, marginalisation and over-representation as it relates to service use. This includes embedding systemic outcomes measurement through the family violence outcomes framework and a dedicated outcomes framework in children and families service reform. The frameworks will include indicators and measures relating to lived experience and the needs and circumstances of diverse communities |
DFFH (Children, Families, Communities & Disability Division), FSV |
2020-22 (in progress) |
Actions to increase collaboration with people with lived experience in the design and delivery of family violence services
|
Indicator: increased collaboration with people with lived experience in the design and delivery of family violence services |
||
| Actions | Lead and partners | Duration and progress |
|
1.7 Develop a whole of Victorian Government family violence research program, including a research agenda, that is underpinned by lived experience, and intersectional approach and Aboriginal self-determination |
FSV, RV (leads) DJCS, DFFH, OPFVC |
2020-21 (in progress) |
| 1.8 Undertake the second evaluation of The Orange Door network including reporting on client experience and access. |
FSV, DFFH |
2020-22 (not commenced) |
| 1.9 Support the establishment and continuity of Victim Survivors’ Advisory Groups and people from diverse communities (as identified in figure 1.) with lived experience of family violence across government, and share learnings to inform service improvement and development. |
FSV, MA |
2019-21 (in progress) |
Actions to increase trials and evaluations of new approaches to interventions to build the policy evidence base
| Indicator: increased trials and evaluations of new approaches to interventions to build the policy evidence base | ||
| Actions | Lead and partners | Duration and progress |
| 1.10 Undertake new evaluation and research initiatives that identify the impact of primary prevention programs and the attitudes and beliefs which underpin the drivers of family violence and all forms of violence against women. |
OPFVC, DFFH |
2019–21 (in progress) |
| 1.11 Develop a purpose-built data platform to support Victorian Government primary prevention planning. |
RV (lead), CSA,(partner) |
2019–20 (in progress) |
| 1.12 Fund and evaluate Elder Abuse Prevention Initiatives. |
DFFH (lead), OPFVC (partner) |
2020–21 (in progress) |
| 1.13 Trial and evaluate the integrated model of care for responding to suspected elder abuse initiative that builds capacity to improve prevent and respond to elder abuse. |
DFFH |
2021-22 (in progress) |
| 1.14 Commission research to analyse perpetrators of family violence and their service pathways. The research will explore the interplay between perpetrator characteristics, offence trajectories, offending patterns and interactions with health and social services and criminal justice agencies. |
DFFH (lead), DJCS, Vic Pol |
2020-21 (in progress) |
| 1.15 Rollout the Department of Justice and Community Safety’s (DJCS) Family Violence Perpetrator Intervention Grants initiative by funding five projects to pilot and evaluate innovative and emerging models of best practice in perpetrator interventions. The grants will deliver funding to programs that target women and gender diverse perpetrators, male perpetrators with complex needs, perpetrators who are fathers and Aboriginal men who use violence. |
DJCS |
2019-21 (in progress) |
| 1.16 Implement seven cohort trials for people who use violence and statewide case management including dedicated services for people from Aboriginal and LGBTIQ communities. |
FSV |
2020-22 (in progress) |
| 1.17 Build upon existing research and pilot projects on the drivers of violence against women with disabilities, people from LGBTIQ communities, Aboriginal communities and older Victorians. |
OPFVC, MA, RV, DFFH (partner) |
2019-21 (in progress) |
| 1.18 Monitor and evaluate the Multicultural Affairs Family Violence Work Package against the Family Violence Outcomes Framework, as well as to test its broader effectiveness and impact for multicultural communities. |
OPFVC |
2021-22 (in progress) |
| 1.19 Complete the Courts’ Family Violence Reform evaluation which will examine access and equity of the services provided, particularly within the Specialist Family Violence Courts (SFVC) model. |
CSV/MCV |
2019-23 (in progress) |
1 The timelines listed in the Blueprint cover financial years, and specify when the activity is expected to be completed.
Acronyms
- FSV - Family Safety Victoria
- DJCS - Department of Justice and Community Safety
- OPFVC - Office for Prevention of Family Violence and Coordination
- MA - Multicultural Affairs
- DFFH - Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
- Vic Pol - Victoria Police
- RV - Respect Victoria
- CSA - Crime Statistics Agency Victoria
- CSV - Court Services Victoria
- MCV - Magistrates' Court of Victoria
Updated