The onus is on government and the service system to change processes and practices to improve access and equity for all. This will shift the service system culture from one that can perceive individual identity as the barrier, to one where there are no systemic barriers for anyone, anywhere to access an appropriate service response.
Building capacity at an organisational level and building workforce capability across the broader family violence system – including in government, specialist family violence and universal services – is vital to achieving the vision of an inclusive, safe, responsive and accountable system for all Victorians. It is a complex process that requires awareness raising, increased knowledge and skills, and improved understanding. During the initial three-year period investment will focus on this foundational awareness and knowledge across the specialist workforce; the essential precursor to organisational and system capability building.
Strengthening the Foundations: First Rolling Action Plan 2019-21 (Strengthening the Foundations) is the first of three Rolling Action Plans that will work towards achieving the long-term vision for workforces that intersect with family violence, as outlined in Building from Strength: 10-Year Industry Plan for Family Violence Prevention and Response (Building from Strength). The implementation of Strengthening the Foundations will be critical in supporting the sector to achieve this strategic priority.
In three years…
Specialist family violence services have increased awareness of intersectionality. Specialist and broader family violence workers have increased knowledge about intersectionality and its relevance to their work.
The family violence workforce better reflects the diversity of Victorian communities
Actions to increase workforce capacity to embed culturally safe, inclusive and intersectional practices
|
Indicator: increased workforce capacity to embed culturally safe, inclusive and intersectional practices |
||
|
Actions (*see end of page for acronyms used in this table) |
Lead and partners | Duration and progress |
| 2.1 Enhance organisations understanding of intersectionality, recognition of family violence and structural inequality and barriers to service access across diverse communities through the Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Framework (MARAM) and Practice Guides. Implementing the MARAM Practice Guides and tools to build specialist services’ capacity to embed an intersectionality framework across all levels of organisations and promote recognition of the broad range of experiences and spectrum of risk across the community. | FSV | 2019-22 (in progress) |
|
2.2 Develop and implement the first Inclusion Action Plan for The Orange Door network to ensure The Orange Door areas are accessible and accommodating for the entire community including the diverse communities identified through the Royal Commission. |
FSV | 2020-21 (in progress) |
|
2.3 Implement the new disability family violence practice leader initiative to improve family safety outcomes for children, young people and adults with a disability. |
FSV | 2019-22 (in progress) |
|
2.4 Develop and implement the Intersectionality Capacity Building Project to support all levels of organisations from leadership to practitioner to enhance their understanding of intersectionality and embed this into practice. |
FSV |
2019-22 (in progress) |
|
2.5 Support all State Government-funded family violence service providers to undertake the HOW2 LGBTIQ Program. Support 26 service providers, including six Aboriginal services to undertake Rainbow Tick accreditation. |
FSV | 2019-22 (in progress) |
|
2.6 Fund the Family Violence Justice Project Worker to raise awareness of the circumstances and complex needs of women who have been in prison and have experienced family violence. The role will assist family violence services to be more accessible. |
FSV | 2019-22 (in progress) |
|
2.7 Deliver a coordinated suite of LGBTIQ family violence capacity building initiatives in mainstream family violence and sexual assault service sectors, including The Orange Door network, to improve service access, inclusiveness and responsiveness for people from LGBTIQ communities experiencing or using violence. |
FSV, DFFH |
2020-22 (in progress) |
|
2.8 Support local LGBTIQ community groups to be entry points into the formal service system by helping the organisations to recognise and respond to people from LGBTIQ communities experiencing or using family violence, particularly in rural and regional Victoria, in line with the MARAM framework. |
FSV, DFFH |
2019-21 (in progress) |
|
2.9 Develop training packages on family violence and sexual assault for faith leaders and communities, in collaboration with the Multifaith Advisory Group. |
MA | 2019-21 (in progress) |
|
2.10 Strengthen the primary prevention workforce capability and capacity to prevent family violence against Aboriginal people, older people and people from LGBTIQ communities through initiatives such as the Prevention in Action Across Our Communities project. |
OPFVC, RV, DFFH |
2019-21 (in progress) |
|
2.11 Support learning and development activities that strengthen primary prevention practitioners understanding of and practice in intersectionality. |
OPFVC |
2019-21 (in progress) |
|
2.12 Design and develop accredited family violence training in TAFEs and increase the family violence specialist trainer pool. |
DET |
2020-22 (in progress) |
|
2.13 Continue implementation of the whole school approach to Respectful Relationships in Victorian schools and the delivery of Respectful Relationships professional learning to early childhood educators to promote and model respect, positive attitudes and behaviours and strengthen referral and response to family violence. |
DET | 2016-21 (in progress) |
|
2.14 Working with Our Watch, develop a whole-of-institute approach to prevention in TAFEs using an intersectional lens on gender equality. |
DET | 2019-21 (in progress) |
Actions to increase inclusive practice and ongoing professional development for staff
|
Indicator: increased inclusive practice and ongoing professional development for staff |
||
|
Actions |
Lead and partners | Duration and progress |
|
2.15 Build the capacity of interpreters through specialised family violence training. |
FSV, MA |
2019-22 (in progress) |
|
2.16 Roll out e-learning modules on intersectionality to enable non-centralised professional development opportunities to a wider audience. |
MCV |
2019-20 (complete) |
| 2.17 Establish five Specialist Family Violence Courts across Victoria, including providing Magistrates and court staff with training on intersectionality. |
CSV/MCV |
2019-23 (in progress) |
Actions to strengthen capabilities across service sectors to support people from diverse communities
|
Indicator: strengthened capabilities across service sectors to support people from diverse communities |
||
| Actions | Lead and partners | Duration and progress |
|
2.18 Support a demonstration project to improve access to refuge accommodation for people from LGBTIQ communities. |
FSV |
2019-21 (in progress) |
|
2.19 Develop and implement new processes that enable seamless service provision for people experiencing homelessness and family violence through improved communication, collaboration and utilisation of resources available to FSV and Specialist Homelessness Services. |
FSV, DFFH |
2019-22 (in progress) |
|
2.20 Build stronger partnerships between multicultural and ethno-specific organisations and specialist family violence service providers to enable stronger referral pathways to better support multicultural people, through the Multicultural Family Violence COVID-19 package. |
FSV, OPFVC |
2020-21 (in progress) |
|
2.21 Rollout the Family Violence Practitioner Pilot which seeks to strengthen and embed local relationships and engagement with multicultural communities in Shepparton. |
CSV/MCV |
2019-21 (in progress) |
|
2.22 Review and develop a recommended framework for strengthening the support and coordination system for primary prevention of violence against women and family violence in Victoria, incorporating arrangements to embed effective design and delivery for diverse communities. |
RV |
2020-21 (in progress) |
Actions to increase workforce diversity
|
Indicator: increased workforce diversity |
||
| Actions | Lead and partner | Duration and progress |
|
2.23 Develop and implement the Workforce Strategy and Action Plan for The Orange Door network - strategy focus 1.4: Using attraction and recruitment strategies, including developing career pathways into The Orange Door network, that promote employment opportunities for people from diverse communities. |
FSV |
2019-21 (in progress) |
|
2.24 Implement the actions in the Strengthening the Foundations: First Rolling Action Plan 2019-2022, focus area 3 – recruiting and retaining specialist workforces, including:
|
FSV |
2019-21 (in progress) |
|
2.25 Implement place-based approaches to recruiting multi-disciplinary teams that reflect the demographics of the community. |
FSV |
2019-20 (complete) |
Acronyms
- FSV - Family Safety Victoria
- DFFH - Department of Family, Fairness and Housing
- MA - Multicultural Affairs
- OPFVC - Office for Prevention of Family Violence and Coordination
- RV - Respect Victoria
- DET - Department of Education and Training
- MCV - Magistrates' Court of Victoria
- CSV - Courts Services Victoria
Updated