Domestic and Family Violence Services

1.INTRODUCTION

Domestic violence includes physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse as well as threats and controlling behaviour.

Family violence is the most widely used term to identify the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as it includes the broad range of marital and kinship relationships; and refers to violence between family members, as well as violence between intimate partners.

Pormpur Paanthu Aboriginal Corporation is committed to working in line with the strategic intent of the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services, Domestic and Family Violence has been designated as a specific funding area to Queenslanders affected by violence. The department has procured PPACC to deliver the service.

2.PURPOSE

To support the safety and wellbeing of people experiencing or at risk of experiencing domestic and family violence

3.SCOPE

To provide a service delivery for the Domestic and Family Violence allows for flexibility, responsiveness and innovation in service delivery, enabling the right services to be delivered to the right people at the right time. The Queensland Government provides for timely and quality risk and needs assessment, information, counselling and support to people affected by domestic and family violence; as well as investing in service delivery to achieve safer communities through prevention and early intervention and service system capacity building.

4.SERVICE DESCRIPTION

  • The Domestic and Family Violence Services are required to work as part of a broader service system that includes police, courts, child protection and non-government organisations to deliver timely coordinated and client focussed response to people affected by domestic and family violence.
  • Services are delivered in this context to enhance responses to this client group and improve the safety and wellbeing of victims and their children, particularly those in high risk situations
  • System support services assist workers and agencies, including government and non-government organisations to improve capability, both as an individual agencies and collectively as a system, to deliver more appropriate responses when working with people affected by domestic and family violence
  • System support services also deliver improved social policy and service system capacity to enhance the provision of quality, integrated, evidence –based service responses to people affected by domestic and family violence
  • Priority victim safety is the core priority of the Domestic and Family Violence Service and includes:
    • Domestic Violence Counselling
    • Telephone Counselling
    • Counselling for children and young people
    • Court based services
    • Perpetrator intervention programs
    • Home security and safety upgrade recommendations
    • Local Domestic Violence Service Systems

5.TARGET GROUP

Adults (people over 15 years of age) experiencing (or at risk of experiencing) or using domestic and family violence

Children and young people (under the age of 18) who have been exposed to domestic and family violence
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (members of the community including women, men, children and young people) who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing or using domestic and family violence; and Government and non-government service providers: (system support- research; Local and Domestic and Family Violence Service Systems). These services may include police, courts, corrective services, local service systems, researchers, and non-government support services.

6.SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

The safety needs of people who experience domestic and family violence are prioritised
The Service operates from an understanding of domestic and family violence as the abuse of power and control in a relationship and acknowledges that domestic and family violence is a gendered issue in that it has unequal impact on women

Opportunities to link and network with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers are maximised with the aim of building capacity of the service to provide culturally appropriate support to Indigenous people affected by domestic and family violence

Service considers client service delivery hours and approaches that will enable clients to access support service outside standard business hours

Service to adhere to the Practice Standards for Working with Women Affected by Domestic and Family Violence
The Service must operate within a practice framework that prioritises victim safety and incorporates appropriate information sharing and victim advocacy as strategies to achieve this.

Children and young people must be provided with support as service users in their own right

7.OUTCOME PRIORITIES

  • Increased safety from domestic and family violence and improved wellbeing
  • Increased perpetrator responsibility for abusive behaviour
  • Increased public awareness about domestic and family violence including available support services
  • Joined up, informed and holistic response to service users (coordination of services at a community level to deliver effective responses to service users (e.g. networks, alliances, working parties to identify and respond to the issues experienced by people affected by domestic and family violence at a systems level (community safety planning meetings/interagency meetings)

8.OUTPUT ACTIVITIES

  • Counselling
  • Risk assessment to be undertaken to identify preliminary needs identification and safety planning
  • Case planning
  • General Service availability information, advice and referral
  • Explanation of legislations as opposed to legal advice and processes that may apply to the Service User
  • Prepare appropriate documentation to referral services and activate follow up with receiving referral agency/ies
  • Brochures developed outlining service provision
  • Ensure there are mechanisms in place to allow meaningful service user participation in service planning, design and evaluation
  • Practical support and advocacy
  • Consumer and legal information
  • Preparation of applications for domestic violence orders
  • Management of case/service plans (assist in determining the range and severity of the service users’ needs and risk factors)
  • Coordination and network development
  • Social Planning and policy development
  • Community education/information and referral pathways provided at community events
  • Security upgrade recommendations to the service users home (advocate to social housing)
  • Develop Risk Management Framework so as not to exclude users with challenging behaviours
  • Provide referral pathways to an appropriate alternative service
  • Ongoing evaluation using Participatory Action Research