Mandatory minimum qualifications for specialist family violence practitioners

Evaluation and Insights, formerly known as the Centre of Evaluation and Research Evidence, is an independent evaluation unit in the Department of Families Fairness and Housing. In 2024, it undertook an evaluation of the MMQ Policy and its implementation. Inside Policy, an external Aboriginal evaluator, was also contracted to evaluate the policy’s impact on Aboriginal family violence workforces and Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs). 

The evaluation’s objectives were to: 

• review the first two and a half years of the MMQ Policy implementation (July 2021 to May 2024), and 
• assess the elements of the Policy that create barriers and opportunities for achieving its long-term outcomes and fulfilling the intent of the Royal Commission’s recommendation.  

The MMQ Policy remains a high priority for the family violence sector. Stakeholders have been highly active and engaged throughout the evaluation process. There were extensive consultations for the evaluation with peak bodies, family violence organisations, ACCOs, family violence practitioners, Vocational Education and Training providers and universities.

The evaluation was completed in February 2025. You can request a copy of the evaluation report by emailing recommendation209@familysafety.vic.gov.au.

Below is a summary of the key evaluation findings.

• The MMQ Policy is achieving its goals of greater visibility and professional recognition of the specialist family violence sector.
• There is overall support for a minimum qualification standard for the specialist family violence workforce, including from the Aboriginal family violence sector, but there are different views on what this requirement should be. There is agreement that the minimum qualification requirement should remain the same for ACCOs and non-ACCOs.
• The sector has made significant progress towards implementing the policy (including changing recruitment and workforce development activities).
• The policy was implemented during a period of significant change and reform in the family violence sector, including rapid growth in services and demand, major system reforms, workforce pressures impacting all parts of social services and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This made for a particularly challenging environment to implement the policy. 
• Several components of the MMQ Policy are confusing or difficult to implement.
  • The principles that were specified for determining whether a qualification was considered “equivalent” to a Bachelor of Social Work (‘Equivalency Principles’) were confusing to interpret and apply in practice.
  • Framing the requirements as “a Bachelor of Social Work or equivalent” has led to an excessive and unintended focus on that specific qualification.
  • People being able to commence work without the minimum qualification and work towards them while employed was valued. However, the options for doing so under the MMQ Policy were difficult in practice.
  • There is some uncertainty about which roles the MMQ Policy applies to.
• The ACCO sector is concerned that the focus on a Bachelor of Social Work and the lack of alternative culturally appropriate and accessible training and qualification pathways is making it more difficult organisations to hire Aboriginal practitioners.
• There is a need to work with the family violence sector, especially ACCOs, to create and promote more accessible and appropriate training pathways and qualifications that meet minimum qualification needs.

The evaluation has recommended changes to the policy that are significant but consistent with its original intent.

• Simplify the minimum qualification to be a relevant degree or above level qualification (including graduate certificates) and remove the ‘Equivalency Principles’.
• Clarify which workers roles the policy does or does not apply to.
• Make the options for people to commence work without these qualifications and work towards the minimum requirements over time simpler, easier to access and permanent.
• Address concerns about possible consequences for not complying with the policy.