Keeping Women Safe in their Homes program
Responsible government
- Commonwealth
Fourth Action Plan actions
- Improve support and service system responses
- 20 Improve access to suitable and safe accommodation within their communities for women who have experienced domestic, family and sexual violence.
What are we doing?
The Australian Government provided $18 million over three years (2019-20 to 2021-22) under the Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children for Keeping Women Safe in their Homes (KWSITH).
KWSITH was established in 2015-16 to support women and their children experiencing violence to stay in their own home, or a home of their choice, where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
KWSITH funding is provided to state and territory governments and select non-government service providers for a range of responses aimed at enhancing the safety of women and their children in their homes. Responses include risk assessments, safety planning, case management and home security upgrades, including alarms, security screens and locks and the use of technologies, such as CCTV cameras.
As part of the Government’s $150 million Coronavirus Domestic Violence Support package, additional funding was provided for select non-government service providers to support increases in demand and to adapt to new ways of working, as a result of the pandemic.
What have we achieved so far?
As at 30 June 2021, KWSITH has supported 7,945 women and their children nationally under the Fourth Action Plan. Since its commencement in 2015-16 and as at 30 June 2021, the program has assisted 13,838 women and their children nationally.
The University of New South Wales conducted research into the KWSITH and broader Safe at Home activities, which supported the development of best-practice principles for safe at home responses. The Safe at Home Operational Framework [PDF/Word] is intended to assist practitioners with the design and implementation of Safe at Home responses to support women experiencing violence to remain in their home, or a home of their choosing, where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
What is next?
Under the Fourth Action Plan, KWSITH activities will continue to be delivered nationally to complement and expand the suite of service delivery and accommodation options for women escaping violence provided by state and territory governments.
On 18 March 2022, the Minister for Women’s Safety, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, announced the Government was investing a further $54.6 million to expand the KWSITH program over five years to progressively establish a national provider to ensure the delivery of consistent national standards and support better integration with other frontline services.
What difference will we make?
The KWSITH program will continue to support women and children to remain living in a home of their choice after experiencing violence to help them maintain access to important support networks, their workplaces and schools.
Delivery of this program will be monitored via the Department of Social Services Data Exchange, including the numbers of clients and sessions.