Introduction

A flagship recommendation from the Royal Commission into Family Violence was to establish a network of Support and Safety Hubs across Victoria.[1] This is now known as The Orange Door network.

The Orange Door network is an integral part of Victoria’s family violence and family service system. It is a free, accessible assessment and brief intervention service for children, young people and adults who are experiencing or using family violence, and for families who need supports for the care and wellbeing of children and young people.

The Orange Door aims to ensure there is no wrong door to accessing high quality, consistent and effective support. People do not need a professional referral to access these services. No matter where you live in the state you can access support through The Orange Door. Family Safety Victoria (FSV) has worked in close partnership with partner agencies and other stakeholders to establish the governance, workforce and operational arrangements to ensure the state-wide service model is tailored to each local area.[2]

The significant work undertaken across government and the community sector to build and connect safe services and networks has been central to the successful implementation of The Orange Door. Since it commenced in May 2018, The Orange Door has supported more than 368,000 people, including more than 149,000 children.

You can find locations and local contact information on the dedicated website. There are 18 primary areas supported by a growing number of access points, including dedicated Aboriginal access points.[3] Primary locations of The Orange Door network are illustrated below in Figure 2.

There continues to be an enormous commitment and effort by The Orange Door network workforce and partner agencies to deliver Victoria’s family violence and family services response. Operations are continually evolving, informed by the evidence about what works.