Family violence outcomes framework
The Victorian Government’s 10-year plan Ending Family Violence: Victoria’s Plan for Change outlined the outcomes that Victoria is seeking to achieve through its reform program. The Family Violence Outcomes Framework outlines Victoria’s priorities in preventing and responding to family violence, why these priorities matter, and what constitutes success in achieving these outcomes (see appendix). The Family Violence Rolling Action Plan 2017–2020 commits to progressively shifting performance monitoring and accountability to focus on these outcomes.
The Children and Families System outcomes framework
To support reform in the Children and Families system, the department has developed a new system model that offers three pathways to support: early help, targeted and specialist support and continuing care. Implementation of the pathways will include a focus on early intervention, place-based local governance, community engagement and mobilisation, and quality and safety.
The three pathways approach is accompanied by a draft outcomes framework for the children and families system (outcomes framework) that articulates the desired changes or benefits that services have on the lives of children, young people, their families and carers. This outcomes framework lays the foundation for systemic outcomes measurement in the children and families system, and can be used to support strategic decision making, service and system design and delivery, including by The Orange Door. The role of The Orange Door as an intake point for child and family services means a focus on outcomes articulated within the family violence and children and families outcomes frameworks is fundamental. The outcomes framework will be finalised throughout 2019-20.
The outcomes framework is a sub-framework of the Department of Health and Human Services Outcomes Framework, and as it becomes routinely used will contribute evidence and data to this overarching framework.
Outcomes measurement and monitoring within The Orange Door
FSV is committed to a robust and multidimensional approach to outcomes measurement and monitoring and evaluation that aligns with the Family Violence Outcomes Framework, the Children and Families Outcomes Framework and the outcomes frameworks of relevant departments (including DHHS), the justice system and police.
Work is underway to develop an approach to outcomes measurement and monitoring for The Orange Door. This work will include articulating the outcomes and indicators that reflect the impact of The Orange Door in both the short and long term. It will also describe the way FSV will measure progress against these outcomes, including through collecting information relevant to client outcomes, client experience data, service delivery data and evaluation. This approach will support The Orange Door and partner agencies to develop better understandings of the efficiency and effectiveness of their services and of their contribution to holistic client outcomes.
In line with the evolving development of The Orange Door, early outcomes measurement and monitoring will most likely focus on system outcomes that will help review and refine the service model. These may include that The Orange Door is accessible, person-centred and supports the development of an integrated service system that better responds to individuals rather than require individuals to conform to the service system. The contribution of The Orange Door to the outcomes of women, children and families who are supported by specialist family violence services, perpetrator services and child and families services will also be a fundamental consideration in developing an outcomes approach for The Orange Door.
Features of The Orange Door service model that will support outcomes measurement and monitoring include:
- systems to collect data that will help to build a better picture of demand, client outcomes, service flows and system performance (including CIP and CRM)
- strong feedback loops between The Orange Door, core services and the broader services in each area that will monitor service capacity, gaps and blockages and client outcomes
- mechanisms to feed this intelligence into ongoing statewide and local design and to inform continuous improvement at the local level
These features will build over time. FSV is committed to minimising the reporting burden on service agencies and in supporting shared accountability at the local and whole-of-Victorian-Government levels. This is in line with the whole-of-Victorian-Government effort to streamline performance monitoring and strengthen the focus on outcomes across government and the community services system.
Updated