Implemented
Who is leading the change
Family Safety Victoria
The Victorian Government require all funded family violence services to achieve Rainbow Tick accreditation. This should be achieved by means of a staged approach, using workforce training and LGBTI equity auditing followed by full accreditation. An evaluation should be conducted to determine whether all family violence services are suitably responsive to and inclusive of LGBTI people.
Government has delivered a pragmatic, staged approach to the implementation of this recommendation, including:
- prioritise supporting at least one service provider from each of the 17 Department of Families, Fairness and Housing areas to undertake Rainbow Tick accreditation
- encourage all other funded family violence service providers to undertake HOW2 ‘Rainbow Tick Ready’ Program training (HOW2 Program training)
- implementing other LGBTIQ+ inclusive practice capacity building initiatives that are supporting LGBTIQ+ inclusion across the family violence sector.
Through the 2016-17 State Budget, the government funded 20 specialist family violence services to undertake Rainbow Tick accreditation. Services were selected to ensure coverage across the state and specialist service areas. In addition, 6 Aboriginal family violence services have been supported to undertake the accreditation. The government also funded the rollout of HOW2 inclusive practice training to the family violence sector, including services supported to undertake accreditation.
In addition, to support family service providers undertaking Rainbow Tick accreditation, Family Safety Victoria funded a state-wide LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Advisor position and a state-wide Aboriginal Rainbow Tick Project Worker position. Work is also underway to deliver a LGBTI+ Capacity Building Initiative that will further build LGBTIQ+ inclusion across the sector, with this project having commenced in the second half of 2020.
All family violence services will continue to be encouraged to undertake full accreditation over time and to engage in other LGBTIQ+ capacity building activities.
The provision of support for at least one family violence service provider from each of the 17 Department of Families, Fairness and Housing areas to undertake Rainbow Tick accreditation is complete. The roll-out of HOW2 LGBTIQ+ inclusive practice training to funded family violence services is also now complete.
Twenty-six family violence service providers have been funded to undertake Rainbow Tick accreditation, including six Aboriginal services.
As at 30 June 2021, nine of the first tranche of 20 service providers have attained Rainbow Tick accreditation. The remaining 11 specialist service providers are expected to complete the accreditation process in 2022. Several service providers have been delayed in achieving accreditation due to limited capacity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2018-19, six Aboriginal family violence services were supported to undertake Rainbow Tick accreditation bringing the total number of family violence services supported by government to 26. The Aboriginal organisations commenced the HOW2 LGBTIQ+ inclusive training program in the second half of 2019. Family Safety Victoria (FSV) has also funded the development of an Aboriginal stream of the HOW2 training program, as well as a Statewide LGBTIQ+ Aboriginal Rainbow Tick Project Worker position that commenced in early 2020 to support the six Aboriginal organisations undertaking Rainbow Tick accreditation.
FSV has also established and funded a LGBTIQ+ Statewide Inclusion Advisor which was located at Domestic Violence Victoria and supported the 20 first tranche family violence services and working to build LGBTIQ+ inclusion across the sector. This work is continuing through the LGBTIQ+ Family Violence Capacity Building initiative which is being delivered by Rainbow Health Victoria.
Implemented.
Updated