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Background

This first independent evaluation of The Orange Door is a critical part of FSV’s broader commitment to continuous improvement. The evaluation is one of a number of interrelated reviews and assessments which are contributing to the ongoing design, development and evolution of The Orange Door.

This includes:

  1. a preliminary review of operations in the first four areas[1] (August-September 2018), conducted by FSV
  2. 3 in-depth independent evaluations (2018 – 2021), the first of which is this evaluation that has been conducted by PwC
  3. annual reports, undertaken by the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor (2017 - 2020), with The Orange Door[2] forming a priority area in the 2018 report
  4. the Victorian Auditor-General Office (VAGO) audit of The Orange Door (2019 - 2020)

FSV conducted an Initial Operations Review of the first four areas which focused on early operational progress. The preliminary findings were instrumental in refining action plans and future project plans for The Orange Door. This review is scheduled to take place in each new area of The Orange Door as they become operational.

Two further in-depth evaluations of The Orange Door are scheduled for 2020 – 2021. They will include, where possible, evaluation of client and system outcomes. The scope of these evaluations will be refined in consultation with a broad range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience.

The Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor is legislated to report to Parliament annually on the implementation and effectiveness of the family violence reforms currently underway in Victoria. The first annual report (as at 1 November 2017) focused on the initial implementation of the reforms including planning and coordination, while the second report (as at 1 November 2018) looked specifically at The Orange Door and incorporating the voice of victim survivors across the reforms.

The Victorian Auditor-General is an independent officer of the Victorian Parliament and provides assurances on how effectively public sector agencies are providing services and using public money. The objective of the upcoming VAGO performance audit (2019 - 2020) of The Orange Door is to determine whether Support and Safety Hubs are providing effective and efficient service coordination for women and families.

[1] This has also now been completed in The Orange Door in the Inner Gippsland area.

[2] Referred to as the Support and Safety Hubs in the 2018 Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor annual report.

This evaluation

The scope of 2018 evaluation of The Orange Door centred on establishment, operations and initial service offering.

FSV recognises that the evaluation was undertaken during early implementation of The Orange Door when many related key reforms were being rolled out concurrently. This shaped the parameters of the evaluation approach, the key findings, and our related responses. The iterative design of The Orange Door means many of the findings and opportunities for improvement identified by the evaluators have already been addressed and/or work that has been planned and prioritised by FSV.

In interpreting the findings and recommendations, FSV acknowledges that the evaluation:

  • focused on implementation; establishment activity; and initial service operations only
  • undertook a developmental evaluation approach with a focus on systems, practices and processes in the context of a significant and complex reform
  • included fieldwork findings gathered between October - December 2018 and data from July – December 2018
  • cannot make conclusions about longer term objectives for The Orange Door but can provide early indications about progress towards the reform’s key objectives
  • was not conclusive about the extent to which The Orange Door initial service offering is contributing to improving client experience and outcomes due to the small sample size of clients and limited qualitative data available

Updated

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