Specialist DFV Workers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Services
Responsible government
- Queensland
Fourth Action Plan actions
- Support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children
- 8 Develop innovative and alternative models for victim and perpetrator support that contribute to safe healing and sustainable behaviour change.
What are we doing?
The Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs is trialling a number of specialist domestic and family violence positions embedded within community-controlled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Services across the state. Family Wellbeing Services work with families who may be experiencing vulnerability, and make it easier for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in communities across Queensland to access culturally responsive support to improve their social, emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing, and build their capacity to safely care for and protect their children.
Queensland has committed funding to trial Specialist DFV Workers in Family Wellbeing Services.
This initiative is an action under Queensland’s Framework for Action – Reshaping our Approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Domestic and Family Violence, released in 2019 (see separate Initiative). The framework provides a clear statement of commitment to a new way of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to address domestic and family violence, towards the vision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities living free from violence and enabled and supported to undertake healing.
The framework sets out strategies and actions to achieve the vision, including new actions to be delivered in 2019-21. Importantly, it acknowledges the strengths within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to address domestic and family violence, and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to determine what, when and how services and responses are needed in their communities.
What have we achieved so far?
The specialist domestic and family violence positions commenced June 2020, with service delivery occurring in each of the trial locations of Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Townsville and the Bowen region. A reference group has been formed and meets fortnightly, comprising the five Family Wellbeing Service providers, the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs, and the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak.
What is next?
The reference group continues to meet to ensure effective ongoing co-design of the model. Priorities for this group include to:
- giving effect to agreed initiative intent and clarifying outcomes for service delivery
- refining program reporting to ensure case studies and other reports are capturing information on achievements, enabling evaluation of the initiative
- capturing learnings to inform the rollout of similar positions in other locations to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities.
What difference will we make?
Within the broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Service evaluation, there has been a dedicated focus on these positions to track progress and outcomes for this initiative.
Anticipated outcomes of the initiative include co-designed, flexible and innovative approaches that provide wrap-around support to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities.