Additional Specialised Family Violence Services
Responsible government
- Commonwealth
Fourth Action Plan actions
- Respect, listen and respond to the diverse lived experience and knowledge of women and their children affected by violence
- 11 Deliver policies and services to address the disproportionate impact of violence on particular groups.
- Improve support and service system responses
- 18 Improve access to and embed trauma-informed support for perpetrators of domestic, family and sexual violence to prevent reoffending and promote rehabilitation and treatment.
What are we doing?
The Australian Government provides around $5 million each year for Specialised Family Violence Services (SFVS) under the Family and Children Activity.
Under the Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022, an additional $10 million was committed over three years, from 2019 20 to 2021-22, to expand SFVS services to an additional 12 organisations. This funding has a focus on specialised services for children and young people, and other diverse communities. Funding was also provided to enhance existing SFVS services. Currently a total of 35 SFVS providers are funded by the Australian Government with services in each state and territory.
What have we achieved so far?
In 2020-21, SFVS services saw 7,923 individual clients attending 34,998 sessions in comparison to 6,313 individual clients attended 25,728 sessions in 2019-20.
What is next?
The last of the new SFVS services commenced service delivery early in 2021. The Department will continue to work with the new providers to embed services in their local communities.
What difference will we make?
The intended outcomes of these services are:
- additional support is available for children who have experienced and/or witnessed family and domestic violence
- people who experience violence access supports and services, and are able to make empowered and informed choices about their relationships