2. Introduction
2.1 Prevalence of family violence
Family violence is the main preventable risk factor that contributes to illness and death in women aged 18 to 45 globally (WHO 2021). It presents across a spectrum of risks, ranging from subtle exploitation of power imbalances, to escalating patterns of abuse (Family Safety Victoria 2021b) People of all genders experience and perpetrate family violence; however, evidence shows that overwhelmingly, family violence is perpetrated by men towards women and children (WHO 2021).
In Australia, women are around three times more likely to experience violence, with almost oneinfourwomen(23%)reportinganexperienceofviolencebyanintimatepartner,compared with one in 14 men (7.3%) (ABS 2023). Some women and children, such as those from Aboriginal communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities or women with disabilities,areaffecteddisproportionatelyand/orfaceadditionalbarrierstoaccessingsupport (Family SafetyVictoria2018b; No toViolence 2018).
While estimating prevalence rates of family violence against children and young people remainschallenging,censusdataestimatesthatalmostoneinfivewomenandonein10men experienced physical and/or sexual violence or abuse by an adult beforethe age of 15, while 13% of adults report witnessing violence against one or both their parents as a child (ABS 2023). The first nationally representative child maltreatment study estimates an even higher prevalence, with two in five adultsreporting exposure to family violence as a child and one in three experiencing one or more kinds of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse (Haslam et al. 2023; Mathews et al. 2023)
2.2 Impactof family violence on children and young people
Family violence has serious impacts on the physical and mental health of children and young people, whether they are directly targeted, witness the violence, or are aware of the violence in the family (Family Safety Victoria 2021b). Children can suffer from a variety of physical, spiritual, emotional, mental and developmental effects as a result of family violence (State of Victoria 2018). Longterm effects of traumafrom family violence can impact the health, safety and wellbeing of children across a range of developmental domains across the life span, including physical, emotional, mental and relationship problems and are linked with an increased likelihood of experiencing and/or perpetrating violence as an adult (Lamb 2017; AIHW 2022; Fitz-Gibbon et al. 2022).
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2.3 Family violence reform in Victoria
“Above all, we will put victims at the heart of our reforms" (State of Victoria 2016a).
In2015,theVictorianGovernmentlaunchedaRoyalCommissionintoFamilyViolence,calling family violence a national emergency. In response to the findings, the Victorian Government committed to the implementation of 227 cross sectoral reforms to deliver integrated system reform, across a continuum of responses from primary prevention and promotion of gender equality and respectful relationships, strategies to reduce offending behaviour and better support victim survivors, and increasing the focus on holding people who use violence to account, and building system wideresponses that willwork totowardsending family violence (State of Victoria 2016b)
With recognition of the particular and specific risks for some communities, the reforms have includedatargetedandspecificfocusonprioritycommunitiesandgroupsincludingAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, childrenand young people, and people with disability (State of Victoria 2016b). The reform agenda made a commitment to listen to, identify and respond totheneeds ofallvictimsurvivorsof family violence toensuretheir safety, wellbeing and recovery continues to be at the heartof all reform efforts (State of Victoria 2016a).
Increasedfocus on perpetrator accountability at individual and system level has been central to the implementation of family violence reforms in recognition that victim survivors can only be truly safe in a context where external systems and services are able to view and share information about people using family violence to understand risk and offer a range of interventions that can support change in behaviours(State of Victoria 2016b) .
Recognition of the need to focus on changing behaviour of people using violence as well as supporting victim/survivors has led to increased investment in Men’s Behaviour Change Programs (MBCPs). When working effectively, MBCPs are recognised as a key intervention focusedonincreasingperpetrator accountabilityformanypeoplewhouseviolence(Chung et al. 2019).
The development of the Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM) was recommended by the Commission to provide the overarching architecture and accountability mechanisms required for a system-wide approach to, and shared responsibilityfor,familyviolenceriskassessment andmanagement withinthestateof Victoria (State of Victoria 2016b).
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MARAM’s objectives seek to address Commission’s recommendations including increasing victim survivors safety, preventing and reducing family violence, effectively supporting victim survivors with recognition of the broad and diverse presentations of risk and seriousness acrossthespectrumofviolence,andkeepingperpetratorsinviewandholdthemaccountable for their actions (State of Victoria 2016b). Further to this, the framework mandates collaboration between services and agencies, enabling a holistic, and systemic approach to family violence intervention.
2.4 Supporting children and young people through family violence reform
Many of the Commission’s recommendations highlighted the need for children and young people to be identified as victim survivors in their own right and to listen to children’s voices and experiences of family violence. This included recommendations specifically centred on reducing risk and increasing the safety andwellbeing of children andyoung people through a commitment to establishing integrated service teams with expertise in family violence and childrenand youth, enhancing informationsharingacrossallpointswherechildrenandyoung people interact with systems, increasing statewide access to comprehensive and integrated services for families, children and young people, and prioritising funding for evidence based therapeutic interventions and counselling for child victim survivors to support healing and recovery(Stateof Victoria 2016b).
As a key part of the reform efforts MARAM has been designed with the capacity to support children as victim survivors in their own right (Family Safety Victoria 2020). Specific risk assessment tools, safety plans, policy and practice guides and training exist to assess and work directlywith childrenand address their needs as victim survivors(Family Safety Victoria 2021b).
While the framework to support direct practice with children is in place, direct assessment of risk and engagement with children and young people continued to be identified as a gap in the Family Violence Reform Rolling Action Plan 2020-2023 (Family Safety Victoria 2020).
Workforce skill building and capability uplift have been identified within the priority areas for supporting children and young people as a key area required to support this need (Family Safety Victoria 2020).
FurtherreformssuchastheestablishmentoftheFamilyViolenceInformationSharingScheme (FVISS) in 2017, with revisions in 2021 and the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) in 2023,havebeendesignedtoprioritisetherightsofchildrenandtheirsafetyoveranyperson’s
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righttoprivacy,promotingwellbeingandreducingthepotentialrisksofnotsharinginformation (Family SafetyVictoria2021a; Department of Education 2023).
2.5 Practice approaches for working with children and young people experiencing family violence
Child focused practice prioritises children's safety and wellbeing, which includes considering their long term developmental risks in parallel with the assessment of immediate danger and highlights the child or young person’s view within the family unit (Eriksson et al. 2022). This includesactionsandpracticesthatsupportandaffirmparentsandfamilymemberssafetyand emotionalwellbeingsothattheycanidentifyandprioritisetheirchild’spointofviewandneeds as well as their own (Emerging Minds 2019). This can include actively providing support to families in a way that ensures children are protected from harm (so they are safe) while meeting their emotionalneeds (so they can feel safe) (Wendt et al. 2023).
Child focused practice also recognises every child is different and has unique needs, wishes andabilitiesandthatduringperiodsofcrisis,parentsmayhavelessawarenessoftheirchild’s needswhilechildrenmayfeelinvisibleorignored(Halletal.2020).Childfocusedapproaches aim to provide children with information and support to form views about what they want and need, supportthem toshare theseviews to feel heard and understood, as wellas confidence thatthesupportsofferedwillmeettheirandtheirfamily’sneedsandknowwhatothersupports are available tothem(Hall et al. 2020).
The 2020FamilyViolence ReformImplementationMonitorReport notedthatwhilethecurrent MARAM Framework(includes victim survivorfocused practice guides), provides guidanceon identifying and screening for family violence risk with children, there is a need for further guidanceandtrainingforstaffinhearingandincludingthevoicesandperspectivesofchildren and young people to achieve reform objectives (State of Victoria 2020a).
While itis clearthat significant work has been undertakento amplify thevoices of child victim survivors and meet their needs through reform actions, the Family Violence Reform Rolling ActionPlan2020-2023, andresearchconducteddirectlywithchildrenandyoungpeopleabout their experiences of the service system found that thereis still a lack of targeted resources to meet the specific needs of Victorian children andyoung people who have experienced family violence (Family Safety Victoria 2020; Fitz-Gibbon et al. 2022).
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2.6 Child focused practice in MBCP and the role of FSA
Whenimplementedeffectively,FSAhasthecapacitytoroutinelymonitorand contactchildren and young people who are victim survivors of family violence through engagement with their safeparentorcarer(Chungetal.2020).MostrecentupdatestotheVictorianMBCPMinimum Standardshaveincreasedtherecognitionofchildrenandyoungpeople’sneedforinformation and support to manage their safety and wellbeing as individuals as well as through their safe parent (Family Safety Victoria 2018b). Examples of this within the FSA Practice GuidanceMARAM Alignment document include information about speaking with children about their experiences of family violence, and a focus on sharing details about the MBCP program at age and capacity appropriate levels (No to Violence 2021). The language used to describe the programs is also indicative of this shift in approach. Initially known as ‘Partner Contact’, therenamingoftheserviceinVictoriaas‘FamilySafetyContact’andthereframingofworker’s roles and titles as Family Safety Advocates (FSAs) recognises the need for the inclusion and prioritisationoftheneedsofthewholefamily,includingchildren(FamilySafetyVictoria2018b; No to Violence 2021).
The benefits of strengthening child focused approaches within FSA are clearly defined in the shortterm,throughtheabilitytoeffectivelysupport safety,wellbeing,andrecoveryforcohorts of children who may otherwise remain disengagedfrom services (Chunget al. 2020). Linking children and young people into effective therapeutic services that promote safety, wellbeing, and recovery may also support longer term changes in behaviour and attitudes as these children grow into adults. Effective and early intervention can support a shift in intergenerational cycles of both experiencing and perpetrating violence (Breckenridge et al. 2016; Fitzgibbon et al. 2022).
3. Methodology
This project used a narrative research design that engaged qualitative methods to reveal unique perspectives and develop a deeper understanding of how FSA could better support the healing and recovery of children and young people experiencing family violence. This approach aimed torespond to the following questions:
a) HowcantheFSAcomponentofMBCPworkbestrengthenedtoprovidechildfocused, trauma informed support for children and young people, offering pathways for recovery?
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b) What arethekey characteristics of such amodel?
3.1 Research design
Narrative research design was engaged to bring together different experiences and perspectives about FSA and identify opportunities to strengthen child focused approaches. Through analysis of existing evidence, together with lived experience expertise, and perspectives of current practice and sector knowledge, this research aimed to elicit a point in timeperspectiveaboutthewaysinwhichFSAcouldbestrengthenedtobettersupportchildren and young people experiencing family violence and identify characteristics that could inform the continued development of child focused models of support.
Limitations of theresearch
While this research was designed to bring together qualitative learnings to support an under studied area, the design and approach were subject to a range of limitations that are likely to have influenced both the research process, and research findings. These limitations are related to literature review approach, limited availability of current evidence about FSA work, and participant sampling strategies and are outlined in more detail in the following sections as well as summarised in theDiscussion section.
3.1.1 Research approach
The research was conducted in four phases (see section 3.3). Each phase of data collection wasdesignedtoreflectonthekeythemesdevelopedthroughtheprecedingphaseandcreate additional information to inform the research’s response to the key research questions. This researchdesignwasfirmlygroundedinprinciplesoftraumainformedresearch:todonoharm, create safety, and avoid retraumatisation (SAMHSA 2014). In practice, this included raising awareness and building capacity within the research team to recognise both symptoms of trauma and thepotentialfor thesetoarise during research participation.
Risk mitigation strategies included sharing a distress protocol at each consultation, creating safe spaces for consultation where research participants were able to speak with a trained social worker during and after the consultations and offering ongoing connection to support services, focused on healing and recovery as required. The research approach actively resisted retraumatisation by focusing on survivor agency and empowerment within data collectionprocessesandacommitmenttoprioritisinglivedexperienceperspectivesandusing the research process toamplify these voices within recommendations forchange.
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3.2 Ethics approval
TheresearchprotocolwasreviewedbyBellberryHumanResearchEthicsCommittee(HREC) in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council's National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (NHMRC 2018) in December 2022. The project received ethics approval on 20 March2023. Ethics application number2022-10-1087.
3.3 Research methods
The researchused qualitativeresearch methods, including a narrative literaturereview,focus group discussions with lived experience experts and specialist family violence practitioners and collaborative reflection on findings through the practice summit. The following describes the separate phases of the research.
3.3.1
Literature review
The purpose ofthe literaturereview was to:
a) Understand what is known about how FSA operates as a component of MBCP including how it is known to protect and support children and young people as victim survivorsof family violence.
b) Identify child focused strategies that engage with adult victim survivors in ways that affirm,support,andstrengthenthemintheirparentingrole,aswellasopportunitiesfor workingdirectlywithchildreninrecognitionthatmostFSAoccursthroughengagement with the adult victimsurvivor.
c) Identify where and how child focused work and trauma informed approaches have been applied to FSA in Australia and internationally and highlight potential opportunities to increase child safety and wellbeing outcomes in the Victorian context of ongoing and significant reform efforts that continue to prioritise and be responsive to the needs of childrenand young people.
d) Identify how the role of FSA can increase accountability of both people using family violenceandtheservicesectoritselfforthesafety,healing,andrecoveryofchildvictim survivors.
An initial search of published and grey literature was conducted using key search terms in August and September2022 and updated inApril2023 toinclude morerecent review articles and reports. Records were limited to those published in English from January 2010 onwards andlocatedonSoc.IndexandGoogleScholardatabasesasoutlinedintheresearchprotocol.
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Other sources of published and grey literature included state, territory and Commonwealth government websites, the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) website, Australia’s NationalResearchOrganisationforWomen’sSafety(ANROWS),andtheAnalysisandPolicy Observatory digital repository.
Thereviewof literatureincludedprimary studiesrelatedtoFSA,family safetycontact,partner contact, perpetrator accountability, MBCPs, adult and child victim survivor lived experience, children’s experience of seeking family violence support, and parenting while experiencing familyviolenceaswellasfindingsfromrecentsystematicreviewsfocusedonpartnercontact, help seeking behaviour, and children’s experience of family violence, as well as current practice guidelines.
Key search terms included: family violence, family safety advocate, family safety contact, partner contact, Men’s Behaviour Change Programs, perpetrator accountability, victim survivor safety, qualitative findings, parenting and family violence, childhood experience of family violence, fathers who use family violence, children, young people, trauma informed practice,childfocusedpractice,childfocusedresearch,healingandrecovery,systemsabuse, coercive control, evaluation, impact, outcomes. In total, 98 full articles and reports were identified, as well as key policy documents andpractice guidance.
Limitations:
The literaturereview approachwas limited totwodatabases (GoogleScholar and Soc.Index) that may have limited access to relevant publications. While the search parameters limited publications to those published after 2010 to ensure a focus on current practice, there was limited availability of literature related to FSA practice in its current context, and therefore limited ability to consider the impacts of the significant shifts towards reform since the 2015 Royal Commission onFamily Violence.
3.3.2 Lived experience consultation
The purpose of this consultation was to safely engage people with lived experience of family violence to:
a) present and reflect on themes identified from the literaturereview.
b) learn about their experiences of the family violence services and hear how they think services could be improved to be morechild focused.
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Lived experience participants were members of Family Safety Victoria’s Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council (VSAC) aged over 18 years of age and with experience of family violence and using family violence services either as a child or young person, as a parent, or as an adult victimsurvivor.VSACrepresentslivedexperiencesofpeopleofdifferentages,genders, demographics, and communities across Victoria impactedby family violence and gives victim survivorsa voice toengage with processes ofreform (Family Safety Victoria 2016).
Participation was limited to adult lived experience consultants as the short timeframe of the project provided limited ability to build the trust and rapport required to ethically engage with childrenand youngpeoplewithlivedexperienceoffamilyviolence. Adultvictimsurvivorswho were currently accessing family violence services were also excluded on the basis that participation may retraumatise them during a time when they may already be emotionally vulnerable.
Engagement of VSAC members was facilitated by Family Safety Victoria who provided an expression of interest to VSAC council members, including a plain language statement and informed consent protocol attached as Appendix 1. At VSAC’s request, the initial request for engagementof eight membersin one onone interviewswas adjusted to allow consultation to occur through online focus groupdiscussions within an existingcouncil meeting.
Eleven VSAC members participated in a 60-minute online consultation around their experiences of using family violence services, barriers and facilitators to service use, approaches for children and young people using family violence, and FSA processes. Five members identified as having experienced family violence as a child or young person, and a further two had experience supporting their own children as victim survivors. Six members reported experiencing family violence in the last five years. Ten participants identified as women, and one as aman.
Participants were remunerated through Family Safety Victoria’s lived experience register payment schedule. At the beginning of the consultation the research team provided a verbal overview of the research, reconfirming the interview questions and confirming that VSAC memberswerestillwillingtoparticipate.TheVSACmembersweresplitintothreesmallonline groupsthatalsoincludedamember oftheVSACsecretariatandonemember oftheresearch team to respond to the questions outlined in the interview guide through a focus group discussion (refer toInterview Guide in Appendix 2).
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Limitations:
Theresearchtimingandscalemeantthatitwasunabletosafelyandethicallyengage directly with children or young people aged under 18 whohad experienced family violence. This limited the sampling strategy to adult victim survivors aged over 18, some of whom had experiencedfamilyviolenceasachildoryoungpersonandoradultorparent.Whilethisrelied on their memory of their own experiences, we recognise the way time may alter or influence their recollection of their experiences, and strongly advocate for further research that can include children’s perspectives of family violence and service use including FSA.
Participation of lived experience experts were based on a convenience sample, and those appointed to Family Safety Victoria’s Victim Survivor Advisory Council at the time of the research. This convenience sample provided a range of lived experience and expertise, including someparticipation inFSAandfamilysafety contact services,howevertheexclusion of current clientsmeant that accessing contemporary FSA services werenot included.
3.3.3
Practitioner consultation
The purposeof this phase was to:
a) presentandreflectonthemesidentifiedfromtheliteraturereviewandlivedexperience consultation
b) understandhowwell practitionersfeltthecurrentstructureandprocessesof FSA asa component of MBCP provides child focused and trauma informed support, identifying what supports this and what could be done to continue to strengthen the service’s ability tomeet the needs of children and young person victim survivors.
Recruitmentofspecialistfamilyviolencepractitionersforthefocusgroupconsultationoccurred through the Lead Researcher in consultation with Family Life’s practice leadership team. The choice to only engage Family Life staff in this consultation reflected the small scale of the researchandthegoalofhavinghonestconversationswiththepractitionerswhichtheresearch teamfelttheywerewellplacedtosupport. Aninvitation toparticipatewasofferedtoallFamily Life staff working in family violence services via email communication. The Lead Researcher spoke directly to staff regarding the project and distributed a plain language statement (Appendix 3) emphasising thevoluntaryandoptionalnatureoftheconsultation andthatthere was no penalty or advantage from opting to participate or not. Practitioners were able to ‘opt in’ to participate inthepractice forum by contacting the Lead Researcher.
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Potential ethical concerns around practitioners feeling compelled to join the research due to their employment status were identified and discussed with both team leaders and practitioners together and separately. All interested participants were offered an opportunity for a one on one interview as an alternative to the focus group discussion if they preferred to keep theirresponses anonymous. No practitioner requested this option.
Nine family violence practitioners participated in a 60 minute focus group, responding to questionsaboutprovidingFSAsupport,barrierstoservice,andstrengthsandopportunitiesto develop a child focused, trauma informed approach for FSA. Focus group participants includedFSAworkers,liaisonpointsforMBCPsandprogrammanagersandteamleaderroles whodirectlysupervisedstaffprovidingFSAservices.AllparticipantswereemployedbyFamily Life. Participation was voluntary, andparticipantswere ableto enter orleave the consultation at any time.
Limitations:
Participationofpractitionersintheinitialfocusgroupdiscussionwaslimitedtothoseemployed atFamilyLifeandworkingacrossMBCPandFSAprograms.Whilearangeofstrategieswere put into place to manage this ethically, the findings generated from this process may have limited generalisability for other agencies and programs.
3.3.4 Practice Summit
The purpose ofthis phase was to:
a) present key themes from the literature review, lived experience consultation and practitioner consultation to key stakeholders within the family violence sector
b) reflect on the applicability of these themes intheir own practice experience
c) identify aspects of FSA practice that currently support a child focused approach and opportunities for strengthening this
d) identify the key characteristics of a child focused model of FSA that could provide pathways for therapeutic support for child andyoung person victim survivors.
A two-hour online Practice Summit was held to share key themes and findings with identified stakeholders and facilitate a group discussion around potential characteristics of a child focused model of FSA. Researchers developed a list of key stakeholders across the family
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violence sector (particularly focusing on those located in Southeast Melbourne), including specialistfamilyviolenceservices,childandfamilyorganisations,researchers,state,andlocal government representatives, and lived experience experts. Attendees were invited by email and event information was also shared through key organisational partnerships including South Safe, and family violence communities of practice to ensure wider awareness. A short document outlining the research project, methodology and consolidated themes and findings basedonliteraturereviewandconsultationswithlivedexperienceandpractitionergroupswas provided toall participants prior to attendance.
Fifteenparticipantsattendedthepracticesummitincludingpolicyadvisorsfromlocalandstate government agencies, including Family Safety Victoria and Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, two members of VSAC (one who had engaged in the earlier lived experience consultation and one additional member), senior management from family violence services, family violence practitioners (including two who had participated in the consultation) and practice development advisors. Appendix 4 provides details of the organisations represented through the practice summit.
Following a short presentation of the key findings, participants were placed in three small breakout groups to discuss and reflect on how the findings were best interpreted to support identificationofcharacteristicsthatcouldsupporttheimplementationofachildfocusedtrauma informed model. At the completion of the breakout groups, key findings from eachroom were summarised back to the larger group to confirm and share learnings. Opportunities to strengthen practice and key characteristics to support FSA to be more child focused were identifiedthroughthesegroupdiscussions.Followingthesummit,theresearchteamreviewed the notes andrecordings, andanalysed howthesefindings aligned withthebroader literature and context, as well as the scope of the research, and refined them into the key findings and characteristics outlined in section 5.
Limitations:
Recruitment strategies for the practice forum were based on Family Life networks and partnerships across the south east of Melbourne, and this may have limited the applicability of the findings, outside of theseparticipants and their organisations.
3.3.5 Thematic analysis
Data collected through the consultation processes with lived experience advisors and practitioners was analysed by three research team members, two of whom had participated
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in the consultation using a manual coding approach (Nowell et al. 2017). The data was manually coded over three or four cycles using a reflexive approach. This recognised the active role of the research team in making meaning throughout the consultation, and continuing to reflect on and adjust initial themes as new ideas and additional themes were identified throughout theprocess (Braun and Clarke 2019).
Throughthecodingprocess,theresearchteamdeveloped keythemesforeachphase,which werethenusedtoidentifyfourkeyfindings andfive characteristicstorespondtotheresearch questions.
4. ResearchThemes
Thissectionofthereportdetailsthekeythemesidentifiedthrougheachphaseoftheresearch.
4.1 Literature review
Strong policyguidance in a rapidly changing
context
The Victorian family violence sector has been through a significant period of change and developmentinrecentyearsinlinewiththereformagenda.Thishasincludedtheintroduction of Family Violence MARAM Framework (Family Safety Victoria 2018a), Men’s Behaviour Change MinimumStandards (Family Safety Victoria 2018b), Implementation Guide for Men’s Behaviour Change Minimum Standards (No to Violence 2018), Code of Practice: Principles and Standards for Specialist Family Violence Services for Victim-Survivors (2nd edition) (Domestic Violence Victoria 2020), FSA Practice Guidelines - MARAM Alignment (No to Violence 2021), and the MARAM Practice Guides (Family Safety Victoria 2021b). These are all important pieces to support the reform agenda in Victoria, however the timing of these changesandthelimiteddataavailabletounderstand theimpactofthesereformscanlimitthe direct applicability of existing literature to the current context.
Prioritising victim survivor voice and choice
Framed as a partnership between victim survivors and family violence services, FSA aims to overcome and improve some of the challenges experienced by victim survivors when accessing family violence support (Chung et al. 2020). These include a lack of coordination and collaboration between services that focus individually on adult and children victim survivors,aswellas perpetrators, leadingtoaninadequate understandingof theneedsofthe entire family anda failure to deliver safe and effective outcomes (Vlais and Campbell 2019).
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Throughacommitmenttopartneringwiththevictimsurvivor,FSAworkershaveanopportunity to build a shared understanding of family violence with the victim survivor, validating their experiences and agency and offering alternative perspectives around a perpetrator’s use of family violence. These include taking a person centred approach and seeing the victim survivor as an individual person, not just a motheror asthe partner of the person engaged in the MCBP (Chung et al. 2020), recognising the strength and agency they have shown, and thattheycancontinuetodrawonthisintheirrecovery(Humphreysetal.2020).Thispositions thevictimsurvivor’slivedexpertiseas equallyimportantfor consideration alongsideother risk assessment tools (Vlais 2017). These approaches reinforce that victim survivors are not responsibleortoblameforthefamilyviolenceandseektoredresstacticsofminimisationand victim blaming often used by perpetrators (Reissman et al. 2019).
Specific examples of these approaches that are recommended or identified in the evidence include: building a shared understanding of the victim survivor’s experiences of family violence, including recognition of the agencytheyhave displayed, and taking thiscontext into account to ensure an individualised approach to managing their risk and safety, and supportingconnectionwithappropriateservicestorecoverandhealfromtheimpactsoffamily violence (Family Safety Victoria 2021b). Making a commitment to keep children safe and togetherwiththeirnon-violentorsafeparent,andsupportingthecreationofapartnershipwith the safe parent also supports trust and rapport building with the adult victim survivor and makesacommitmenttoworktogetherwiththeminthebestinterestsoftheirchildren(HewardBelle et al. 2020).
What children and young people want from family violence services
While limited evidence exists on what children and young people want from participation in familyviolenceservices,studieshavehighlightedthevalueofstrengthbasedapproachesthat supportchildrentounderstandthatfamilyviolenceisnottheirfault(Lambetal.2018; Hegarty et al. 2022). Other priorities include wanting to understand what is happening for their parent who uses family violence and opportunities to seek accountability from their violent parent in a safe and supported way and work towards healing on their terms (Westwood et al. 2020; Arai et al. 2021).
As family violence reform continues to evolve and mature, there is also a recognised need to better capture children’s voices in what effective FSA looks like from their perspective as codesignersinthisprocess(VlaisandCampbell2019).Despitethesepositivesteps,inpractice, literatureidentifiescontinuedchallengesineffectivelyengagingwithchildrenandyoungvictim survivorsin this space(Chung et al. 2020; Fitz-Gibbon et al. 2023).
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The recognition that many adult victim survivors may resist engaging with FSA is well documented and often occurs because of previous negative experiences or out of fear of further violence (Chung et al. 2020). There is less evidence available about how this impacts children’ssafety. Whilerevisions to information sharing schemes,including CISSand FVISS, provide an opportunitytoshareorseekinformationabout achildoryoungperson whenarisk is identified (Department of Education 2023; Family Safety Victoria 2021), it remains unclear how effective theseschemes are where victim survivor engagement is limited.
Supporting FSAs to take a child focused approach when direct access to children is limited
The MBCP Minimum Standards recognise that the majority of FSA contact with children and young people will take place through conversations with a safe adult (Family Safety Victoria 2018b). However, the MARAM Practice Guides: Foundation Knowledge Guide which guides practiceforworkingwithadult andchildvictimsurvivorsrecommends, andprovides guidance on, undertaking separate risk assessments for children as age appropriate (Family Safety Victoria 2021b), and identifies some of the challenges of being child focused when access to the child or young person is limited. The Safe and Together model supports prioritising interventions with adult victim survivors that encourage reflection and actions to support their parenting while healing from their own trauma(Humphreys et al. 2020).
Appropriateresourcingandfundingareneededtodeliverqualityservicesandsupport effective collaboration
Chung et al.’s (2020) review of FSA programs highlighted the significant investment and resourcingrequiredfororganisationsseekingtodeliverhighqualityFSAservicesthatprioritise the needs of victim survivors. Implementing child focused models of practice within FSA that are based on principles of trauma informed caredepends on the capacity of the organisation toeffectivelyengagewithandmeetthepsychosocialandsafetyneedsofadultandchildvictim survivors as a first step to building rapport and trust. In practice, this requires highly coordinated services within and between organisations, skilled practitioners and a range of interconnected responses that prioritise and do not compromise the safety of adult and child victim survivors (Westwood et al. 2020).
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4.2 Lived experience consultation
“Knowing who is safeto trust”
The lived experience consultation identified how crucial it is to establish emotional and physicalsafetyforallvictimsurvivors,includingchildrenandyoungpeople,toenableeffective engagement with services.
Lived experience advisors provided examples of the challenges victim survivors faced in choosing whichinformation wassafetosharewith servicesandfeeling aneed to “self-police” and minimise experiences of violence, mental health concerns or substance use from police or other support services to avoid judgement or invite scrutiny on the parent’s capacity to provide care for themselves or their children.
Thosewith experiencesseekingsupportforfamily violenceasan older childor youngperson reported feeling torn between seeking help and safety and wanting to protect their parents or family. Overlapping themes were identified around the challenges of “telling the truth”or confidinginservicesandtheirfearsthatbeinghonestoropenmaynotleadtoeffectivesupport and to causefurther marginalisation and shame.
Significanceofservicefatigue
Many lived experience advisors reported experiencing service fatigue, both those with experiences as an adult or child/young person victim survivor. Lived experience advisors stressedthe needforpractitionersandorganisations toconsiderhowsignificantthe impactof trauma caused by negative experiences of service use may be for victim survivors, and the extenttowhichthesepastexperiencesmaycontinuetoaffecttheirwillingnesstoengagewith FSA or any other service.
Whiletherewasrecognitionoftheprogressthereformprocesseshavemade,livedexperience advisors stressed the need for practitioners and organisations toconsider how significant the impact of trauma caused by previous service use may be for victim survivors, and the extent to whichthesepastexperiencesmaynegativelyinfluence ordelaytheirdecisiontoreengage.
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Challenges of accessing direct services as a child or young person
While outside of the direct scope of this research, three of the lived experience advisors highlighted the challenges they experienced as a young person trying to access services independently of their safe parent. These advisors spoke of their failed attempts to access support from family violence organisations, including the service’s inability to communicate with them or refer them to appropriate services without the safe parent’s involvement. This was seen as a challenging barrier for young people aged 16 and over who were often taking onadultpersonastosupporttheirparentsandyoungersiblings, yetthesystemwasunableto meet them wherethey were and providetheservices at thetime they needed them most.
The right support at the right time
Lived experience advisors also spoke about the differing timelines for support they had experienced. Flexibility around timelines for accessing services was also identified by lived experienceadvisorsasatraumainformedapproachthatcentredtheneedsofvictimsurvivors. ThiswasseenasrelevantbothincaseswherevictimsurvivorschosenottoengagewithFSA for a range of reasons, including service fatigue, or where the need for support was still significant,butexternalfactorssuchasdelaysincourtproceedings,waitlistsandother issues interrupted or impacted FSA support. Keeping an option for re-connection open and offering warm referrals to other supportive services if FSA support needed to end was identified as a minimum level of trauma informed carefor victim survivors.
For some participants, there had been a disconnect between the time in which they received FSA contact and the timeframethey wouldhave ideally neededsupport in. This was linkedto the reality that families and children/young people may be in very different stages of their journey to recover from family violence. Contact by an FSA worker may be the first time they have considered seeking support from a service, or they may have experienced many years of interactions with different levels of support.
Some of the lived experience advisors contacted by a FSA had not been aware that their perpetratorwasengagedinaninterventionorhadprovidedtheircontactdetails,meaningthat the contact was unexpected and, in some cases, unwanted. This was evident, particularly in caseswhere allcontactwiththepersonusing familyviolencehad ceased. The contactfrom a FSA createdfear and insomecases triggeredtrauma symptoms.
Supporting children to understand their experiences of family violence
Giving children and young people language and space to understand family violence and ensure that they do not feel responsible was viewed as an essential component of healing.
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Lived experience discussions highlighted the opportunity for services to more clearly explain to children/young people that the violence was wrong and it was never their fault, as well as allocating space for them to share their own story about family violence with a skilled and trusted professional who can affirm and validate their experience and actions they may have taken to keep themselves or others safe.
"(Workers)...wanted to speak to me about the emotional and physical violence but didn’ttellmeitwaswrongornotokor(thatitwas)familyviolence...theytoldMum, but I wasn’t told any of this stuff” (VSAC member).
This was seen to form a key part of both understanding their own experiences and helping them identifytheir needs for support and recovery.
Motivations for MBCPparticipation - risksoffurther abuse
ConcernsaboutperpetratorinterventionsandFSAbeingusedbypeopleusingfamilyviolence to commit further abuse were also highlighted by lived experience advisors. The issue of perpetrators providing contact details of family members (as required by some MCBPs as an accountability mechanism for participants) was also seen as an opportunity to inflict further violenceor controlover victimsurvivors. Lived experienceadvisorsprovidedexamples where enrolment in an MBCP was used by their perpetrators to give the illusion of cooperation and engagement prior to court or sentencing or to further abuse or control victim survivors. Examples included coercion to share information about the perpetrator to show them in a positive light or preventing reporting of continuing family violence or abuse. The impacts of this on children were also highlighted, particularly in the context where family court or parenting orders are in place that require children to spend time with the person using family violence.
4.3 Practitioner consultation
“Case management without the resources”- challenges of limited time and resourcing to support families’ needs
The practitioner consultation highlighted the challenges of limited time and resources to promote effective partnering with each victim survivor as a FSA, and how that can impact the quality of support provided. This was particularly relevant where victim survivors were not linked in with other family violence services or where family violence case management services had closed butsupport was still required.
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“It can feel like taking over case management without the resources to really do so. This is a huge gap...need to look at when and how case management endsor is replaced with something else” (Practitioner Focus Group Member).
Theimportanceofmeetingthedifferingneedswithinafamily wasrecognised,however,there was consensusthatthisis hardtodo inpracticewhen contact isonlyestablishedthroughthe adult victim survivor, and FSAs can support alarge number of families at the same time.
"I find it fascinating that so much funding goes into men’s groups, and women get aphone call. There isnocapacityforface-to-facegroups,financialsupport,or one on one sessions at this time, it can feel like a tokenistic effort" (Practitioner Focus Group Member).
The complexity of this tension between providing quality practice and limited service capacity left someparticipantsfeelingfrustratedthatthey wereunabletoprovidetheservicesrequired to assist victim survivors at times when their needs were acute or rapidly changing. Others shared a feeling of powerlessness due to the inability to overcome these constraints
“(We know) victim survivors can feel powerless but (FSC) practitioners also feel powerless...weareonthesideratherthanatthecentre”(PractitionerFocusGroup Member).
Balancing risk and safety concernswhen contacting victim survivors
Contact methods and risks associated with FSA were also raised in the practitioner focus group.This includeda recognitionthat FSAinitial contactcancome“out oftheblue” for some families, if they are not aware that their perpetrator was involved in an MBCP, and that this unexpected contact could be upsetting or retraumatising for adult and child/young person victim survivors.
“When we make the first call. Many victim survivors find that the process is retraumatising… and then…. when women do trust to reengage, they find that men learnthelanguage-andcanperpetuatefurther violence” (PractitionerFocus GroupMember).
The need to carefully plan the process of first contact and the impact that this can have on both the likelihood of engagement and timelines of engagement werealso discussed.
In addition to this, practitioners highlighted potential safety concerns that could arise during initial contact and strategies for ensuring that the adult victim survivor was safe to talk. This
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was reported as beingparticularlyrelevantwherefamilies arestillliving with thepersonusing familyviolenceandmayincreasethelikelihoodthatvictimsurvivorswill refusetoengagewith FSAasaprotectiveresponse, potentiallywithoutunderstandingthescopeand benefitsofthe service.
Related to this was the complexity of managing victim survivor safety through FSA where a person using family violence is using their participation within MBCP or other services to perpetrate further abuse. Examples of this included where safety planning met legal advice, particularly around providing access to children.
Trauma informed practicein FSA
Where adult victim survivors have previously experienced negative interactions with services or are experiencing service fatigue, they are less likely to engage and be open to accessing support for themselves or child victim survivors. Practitioners found the best opportunities to be child focused werethrough responding tothe narrative of the parent in away that brought consideration of a child’s perspective into view for parents. This often led to referrals that supported parents in helping their child and setting shared goals that included the specific needs of their child or children. Participants discussed the need to be led by adult victim survivorsaround when and how they shared information about theirchildren tobuild trust.
“Sometimes being trauma informed is not pushing… to build the trust and the relationship (by) asking about the kids and waiting for them to share. This is challenging as then you wonder if you missed opportunities to engage with services and support children. It is a struggle to honour this in the work”
(Practitioner Focus Group Member).
While reluctance to engage in services by victim survivors was well understood, practitioners considered what this choice might mean for children and young people in the family and the risks of “missing”an opportunity to engage.
Consent, information sharing, and needs of children
PractitionerconsultationshighlightedthecomplexityaroundtheprocessofconsentintheFSA process, particularly where contact details of women and their children and other relevant information,havebeenprovidedthroughinformationsharingschemessuchasFVISSorCISS and may not have required their specific consent. While practitioners recognised the critical need for timely and detailed information sharing, it was recognised that this could act as a barriertobuildingtrustandrapportwithvictimsurvivors,particularlythosewhohadpreviously negativeortraumatisingexperiencesofseekingsupportfromfamilyviolenceorotherservices.
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4.4 Practice Summit
FSA and perpetrator accountability
Close coordination between FSA and MBCP workers was seen as a key strength that is recognised by both FSA and perpetrator intervention teams. Practical examples such as engagement in quality control meetings and team meetings have been able to bring the perspectives of family members into the room and inform individual sessions with men using family violence as well as supporting individualised risk and safety planning with victim survivors.
FSAs were seen as an important part of the specialist family violence workforce due to their ability to centrevictim survivors within MBCP, offer support tocohorts of victim survivorswho may be harder to reach, and offer individualised support to meet the needs of all family members. However, participants expressed concern about the capacity of FSAs to deliver high quality support in acontext of limited resources and high caseloads.
“[There is a] risk that FSAs have the responsibility to be everything to everyone…and end up diluting, or compromising the services they can provide”
(Practice Summit Participant)
Strengthening child focused approaches with safe parents
Practice summit participants highlighted that in their practice or organisational experience, FSAs currently have little opportunity for direct practice with children and young people. However,referralsaroundparenting support,andreferralsfor childrentotherapeuticservices were identified as relatively common. Participants noted that in contexts where the safe parent’s engagement with FSAs is strong, there are opportunities to facilitate conversations with adultvictim survivorsabout their childrenand the impactfamily violence hashad ontheir health, wellbeing, and development. Further to this FSAs areoftenable to engage with victim survivors to identify the ways in which their experience of family violence impacted them as parentsandhowtheycanseekhealing andrecoveryaswell assupportopportunitiesfortheir children todo the same.
Supporting closer integration between families engaged with MBCP, FSA and other child specific family violence services was also identified as an opportunity to strengthen child focused approaches within FSA. This type of approach could be refined from international bestpracticemodelssuchastheCaledoniansysteminScotland(Ormstonetal.2016),orthe integrated service model used by the Orange Door (State of Victoria 2020b). Practical
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examples would include clear processes to access timely referrals to child specific services for children and young people as early as possible after FSA contact begins and regular contact through a care team or other collaborative planning between the key workers or servicesengagedwitheachfamilymemberwouldencourageacenteringofthechildoryoung person’s needs in FSA work with their safe parent. This would also offer the opportunity to inform practice within the MBCP and other therapeutic services with the person using family violence.
Safe and ethical delivery of direct FSA practice with children and young people
A range of practical and ethical considerations are required to effectively support the direct practice of FSAs with children and young person victim survivors including identifying appropriate contact methods where a phone based contact is not likely to be feasible or desirable, particularlywith youngerchildrenandconsideration of serviceaccessandtimingto ensure that childrencould engage withtheservice around school and other commitments.
The need for flexibility with timelines was also highlighted, noting that a clear step down and onward processbasedontheneedsofthechildoryoungpersonratherthantheperpetrator’s intervention would be required to support trauma informed practice with children and young people and maintain their physical and emotional safety.
Strategies to build workforce capacityto engage with children and young people
Participants presented conflicting views around the most appropriate approach to build workforceskillsinworkingdirectlywithchildrenandyoungpeople.Therewasrecognitionthat delivery of FSA to children or young people requires a level of specialised skills and that supporting children and young people through specialist workers is a key feature of internationalevidencebasedbestpracticemodels.Someparticipantsnotedthatthisapproach needed to be balanced against the risks that come with siloing these skills as a specialist workforce to ensure that organisations are still building confidence and capacity within their FSA workers to engage with children and young people in child focused and age appropriate way to manage their risk and safety, even if referral to a worker with specialist skills is the overall outcome.
Managing service capacity and quality
Participantshighlighted howchallenging implementationof FSA work canbe inthe context of limited resources and funding. While MARAM (Family Safety Victoria 2018a), the MBCP Minimum Standards (Family Safety Victoria 2018b), and relevant practice guides (No to Violence 2018; Family Safety Victoria 2021b) provide an overarching framework for child
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focusedpractice,participants notedthat atthepracticeleveltherearearangeof“bottlenecks withinandbetweenorganisationsthatlimitFSAsabilitytoadvocateeffectivelyfortheirclients.
Participants in management roles discussed the challenges of increasing caseloads and supporting their staff to meet critical victim survivor needs while managing a risk of service overwhelmwithoutasteppedprocesstoincreasefundingandpracticalsupportforFSAwithin MBCP.Raisingawarenessoftheimpactofthesepracticalandworkforcechallengeswasseen as even more critical in a context of both increasing numbers of referrals to MBCP and other servicesforpeopleusingfamilyviolence,thegrowingcomplexityofclientsengagedwiththese programs, and the flow on impacts of this into FSA workloads.
Child focused practice as an investmentfor the shortandlong term
Participantsidentifiedthatstrongerinvestmentisrequiredtostrengthenchildfocusedpractice both within FSA and across the family violence sector more broadly.
A detailed understanding of the workforce and resources required to scale up child focused approaches were seen as a key opportunity to more effectively meet the short term needs of children and young people for safety, wellbeing and recovery, as well as having the potential to contribute towards the longer term goals of Victorian family violence reform, by reducing and interruptingcycles of intergenerational violence.
5. Key Findings
This section of the report brings together the overarching findings from each phase of the researchto respond to the research question:
a) HowcantheFSAcomponentofMBCPworkbestrengthenedtoprovidechildfocused, trauma informed support for children and young people, offering pathways for recovery?
b) What arethekey characteristics of such amodel?
The following four key findings are presented inresponse tothe first research question.
KEY FINDING 1
Family Safety Advocates face challenges providing effective support to child and young person victim survivors when access to the child or young person is limited or non-existent.
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Thisfinding recognisesthat the primarycontactfor FSAengagementwithchildrenandyoung people is through the establishment of a relationship with an adult victim survivor who is their parent or carer (Noto Violence 2021).
Practitioners found the best opportunities to be child focused were through responding to the narrative of the parent in a way that brought consideration of a child’s perspective into view forparents.Wheneffectiveengagementwasestablishedwithparents,theymaybemoreable toconsidertheneedsoftheirchild,separatefromthemselvesandprioritiseaccesstosupports that could addresstheseneeds.Thisoftenledto referralsthatsupported parentsto helptheir child, andthe development of shared goals that included children’s specific needs.
Practitionersdiscussedtheneedtobeledbyadultvictimsurvivorsaroundwhenandhowthey shared information about their children to build trust and rapport with parents as afoundation forsupport,toincreasetheirconfidencetosharerelevantinformationabouttheirchildren.This was particularly relevant in circumstances wherevictim survivorshad previously experienced negative or traumatising interactions with family violence services.
While Chung et al. (2020) found that child specific referrals were uncommon at the time of their review, anecdotal feedback from practitioner consultations and the practice summit highlightedthis as akey strategytheyusedto both support parents andprovide opportunities for childrento engage directly with specialist services that meet their needs.
However,navigatingandadvocatingforchildrenandyoungpeople’sneedsinacontextwhere an adult victim survivor does not want or is unable to engage effectively with FSA and continues to be challenging. Increased opportunities for understanding where and how childrenareconnectedwiththeservicesystemthroughtheenhancedCISSschememayoffer FSA additionalinformation or opportunities to engage with other services supporting the child and the family (Department of Education 2023) and provide opportunity to take action where requiredto ensure that the child’s safety needs are prioritised.
While revisions to FSA guidelines have taken steps to more clearly connect the needs of childrenandyoungpeoplewithinthescopeoftheservice,itisstilltobestudiedhoweffectively this is translated into practice and if appropriate resourcing is in place to prioritise the needs ofchild/youngpersonvictimsurvivortothesameextentasthatoftheadultvictimsurvivorand the perpetrator completing theintervention programs.
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KEY FINDING 2
Family Safety Advocates can create safe and trusted connections between safe parents and family violence services,increasingopportunities toidentifyandsupport the needs of their children.
This finding reflects on existing evidence and lived experience data about what children and youngpeoplewantfromfamilyviolenceservicesandidentifiesthewaysinwhichFSApractice can promote and support the physical and emotional safety of children and young people in contexts of both direct practice andthrough connection with a safe adult.
Prioritising children’s perspectives in the context of family violence involves recognising and understanding the complex and multi-layered effects of family violence on their social, emotional, behavioural, and physical development and the way in which this can impact their physical and emotional safety(Emerging Minds 2019).
The literature review and conversations with lived experience advisors highlighted key priorities for victim survivors when seeking to engage with family violence services (Hegarty et al. 2022) This included the ability of services to demonstrate non-judgemental and empatheticsupportfromthefirstconnectionwashighlightedbylivedexperienceadvisorsand supportedthrough the literature review (Humphreys et al. 2020; Fitz-Gibbon et al. 2023)
Participants who had accessed support for their own children agreed that thoughtful questioning to create an individualised approach to their support was important in building trust.Thiswasseentodemonstratethatvictimsurvivorswerevaluedbytheserviceandseen as important, not just as a tick box for theprogram their perpetrator was involved with.
Opportunities to participate at age appropriate levels in decisions related to safety planning and wellbeing needs, including the nature of the relationship a child or young person will maintain with their parent who has used family violence was also seen as an important recovery strategy through re-introducing a child’s voice and choice, particularly in circumstances where coercive control has been used (Callaghan et. al. 2015). Rogers and Berger (2023) also highlight the importance of hearing children’s perspectives and feelings about their experience of family violence to gain a greater understanding of how family violence may have interrupted or compromised healthy attachment and development. This approach can both support targeted referrals to appropriate support services as well as informing engagement with both their safe parent and, in some cases, with the parent who is using family violence to focus attention on the needs of their child, and considerations for parenting and support (Rogers andBerger 2023).
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KEY FINDING 3
Family Safety Advocates are in a unique position to build children’s understanding of family violence and affirm and validate their experiences and agency.
ThisfindinghighlightsthecapacityofFSAstobuildchildren’sunderstandingoffamilyviolence, relative to their age andstage andcontextualise their own experience.
Direct engagement and education with children to provide age appropriate explanations of family violence was seen as critical for supporting them to understand their experiences and validate their emotional responses to it. Lived experience advisors with experience of family violence as a child or young person emphasised the importance of explaining to children that family violence was never their fault in age appropriate terms as early andoftenas possible.
FSA work is groundedin the needtotakea person-centred approach withvictim survivors,to understand and validate the profound impact violence has on adult and child victim survivors andsensitivelyidentifypresentingandcumulativeriskandgainingtheirperspectivesonsafety (Family SafetyVictoria2020).
Undertaking these approaches with children and young people highlights a need for FSAs to have appropriateawarenessof childdevelopmentto engage effectively andsensitivelyin this space, using age and stage appropriate psychoeducation principles. While this is clearly documented in the MBCP Minimum Standards and the FSA Practice Guidelines - MARAM Alignment(Family SafetyVictoria2018b;NotoViolence2021),somepractitionerparticipants reported experiencing or observing opportunities for these skills and knowledge to be strengthened.
KEY FINDING 4
Family Safety Advocates are well placed to engage with children and young people who are victim survivors directly or through a safe parent, but require adequate skills, time, and support to operationalise both these approaches.
This finding identifies the strengths of the FSA model to engage effectively with children and young people in a range of contexts and considers opportunities to address some of the practical and implementation barriersidentified through theresearch.
While FSAs are well placed to support the risk management, safety planning, and wellbeing of children and young people, the service has limited mechanisms to facilitate direct practice with children andyoungpeople, except throughthe engagementoftheirsafe parent. In many
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cases this approach is appropriate and draws on best practice principles for supporting connection between safe parents and children and focusing on parenting capacity (Humphreys et al. 2020).
However, this requirement also has the potential to position parents as the gatekeeper and sole decision makersaboutserviceaccessandcontinuestocreatebarriersforsomechildren and young people whose parents or carers are unwilling or unable to engage, limiting their opportunities to connect with services to support their safety and wellbeing (No to Violence 2021).
The“Ibelieve you”researchwithchildrenandyoung peoplefoundthat alackofdirectservice engagement was linked to a sense of powerlessness for children and young people experiencing family violence (Fitz-Gibbon et al. 2023). Lived experience consultations highlighted that providing effective support in this context requires awareness of the “mental health crisis” impacting the whole family as well as the individual needs of each member, which may include support seeking at different times. Arai et al. (2021), also highlight the different timelines of readiness for support between adult and child victim survivors and the need for person centred and whole of family solutions.
Resourcingservicestoeffectivelysupportchildrenandyoungpeopletoengageinhealingand recoveryandbeheardindecisionsabouttheirliveswasidentifiedasachallengeforthesector but seenas a priorityarea for investment indelivering child focused services.
Based on these key findings, the following five characteristics are presented in response to the second research question:
KEY CHARACTERISTIC 1
Prioritise building trust and rapport to engage effectively with the safe parent.
Thischaracteristicrecognisestheneedtoestablishtrustandrapportasacritical stepforFSA when engaging with a safe parent to provide the greatest insight into their child’s needs, whether the child or young person is directly engaged with support.
While FSAs are well placed to support the risk management, safety planning, and wellbeing of children and young people, the research highlighted the range of reasons that adult victim survivorsmay be (rightly) hesitant or frightened to share information about their children, due
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to previous experiences of violence, or through negative interactions with services (Humphreys et al. 2020; Meyer et al. 2021; Rogers and Berger 2023).
This research has highlighted the need for a careful balance within the FSA and parent relationship to demonstrate their trustworthiness and the need for space to gain a detailed understanding of individual factors and experience that may be impacting their willingness to share information about children. Ensuring that FSA workers can invest this time with safe parents to create this partnership is a key foundation for putting other child focused approaches into practice (Heward-Belle et al. 2020)
KEY CHARACTERISTIC 2
Family Safety Advocacy identifies and affirms parenting strengths of adult victim survivors and supports them to identify their children's needs.
Child focused strategies to support this characteristic includes capacity of FSAs to build rapport with the child’s safe parent around their potential or expressed needs, to support greater understanding of their child’s experiences of family violence, separate to their own. This may include offering referrals and resources to build confidence and support parenting capacity, as well as child focusedreferrals.
A key component of this includes affirming existing parenting strengths, and recognising and validating the way family violence can impact on parenting capacity due to increased stress, anxiety, and exhaustion (Kaspiew et al. 2017). Building parents capacity to be present and supportive for their children, through FSA can provide opportunities for parents to better identify and understand their children’s needs. This may include elements of respectful education about risks for their children, opportunities to view circumstances from the child’s point of view and building awareness of the effects of trauma on children’s health wellbeing and development (Emerging Minds 2019).
KEY CHARACTERISTIC 3
Providing age appropriate education to help children and young people as victim survivors understand their experience of family violence.
ThischaracteristicidentifiestheimportantroleFSAareabletoplayinsupportingchildrenand young people to understand and be able to speak about their experiences of family violence and thesupport they need toengage sensitively and age appropriately in this space.
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Children and young people report receiving definitions of family violence (in age appropriate terms) can support affirm and validate their own experience and provide the language and framing to articulate and understand their own experiences (Fitz-Gibbon et al. 2022). Lived experienceexpertswithexperience offamilyviolenceasachildoryoungperson emphasised the importance of explaining to children that family violence was never their fault in age appropriate terms as early and often as possible.
This component of the FSA role in engaging with adult victim survivors is clearly outlined in the MBCP Minimum Standards (Family Safety Victoria 2018b) and the MARAM Foundation Knowledge Guide (Family Safety Victoria 2021b), based on principles that affirming and validating victim survivor experiences of violence is critical to address the denial and minimisation used by perpetrators about theirbehaviour (Vlais and Campbell 2019; Chung et al. 2020). FSA Practice Guidance also provides context and advice on how to support these conversations with children and young people within FSA or through onward referral (No to Violence 2021).
Where FSA are engaged with children or young people independently or have good engagementalongsideaparent,they arelikelytohavethetrustandrapport withchildrenand young people to support this need. Practitioner focus group participants highlighted the benefits of ongoing training, support, and reflective supervision to build their skills and confidence in using age appropriate psychoeducation principles to engage effectively and sensitively in this space.
KEY CHARACTERISTIC 4
Flexibility in Family Safety Advocacy service timelines and opportunities for support that are not determined by the perpetrator's engagement in an intervention.
While the person using family violence’s involvement in an MBCP or other intervention facilitatestheconnectionto FSA,thereisanopportunityonceaconnectionhas beenmadeto more clearly orient the timelines for support around the particular context of each family and the individual needs of the child or young person, rather than the perpetrator’s ongoing participation in a program: from the moment the perpetrator is referred to mandated to a program, to during a program, and when they enter post-program support phase. Clarity around the type and nature of ongoing support for children and young people at the time a perpetrator completes or ceases attendance at a program is particularly important as their perpetrator may have less regularvisibility by external agencies (Vlais and Campbell 2019).
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As Lamb et al. (2018) highlight, there are benefits of using opportunities for early contact to build children’s awareness of why their father is participating in an intervention, in articulating and processing their experiences, and this is also important to support realistic expectations aroundthelikelihoodofbehaviour changebeyondtheprogram.Theimportanceofsupporting engagement during the waitlist or referral phase of an intervention was also a theme of the practitioner focus group consultations conducted. Considering the ways in which ongoing supportcanbeofferedandclearstepsforclosurethatprovidechildrenandyoungpeoplewith an opportunity to reflect what elsethey need for safety and recovery is a key component of a child focused model of FSA support.
Flexibility around timelines for accessing services was also identified by lived experience advisors as a trauma informed approach that centred the needs of victim survivors. This was seen asrelevantbothincases wherevictim survivorschoseto engageandwheretheychose not to engagewith FSAfor arange ofreasons.Keeping anoption forre-connectionopen and offering warm referrals into other supportive services if FSA support needed to end was identified as a minimum levelof trauma informed carefor victim survivors(Chung et al2020).
KEY CHARACTERISTIC 5
Organisations are equipped to respond to the diverse needs of individual children and young people engaging with Family Safety Advocacy support.
This characteristic highlights the need for an organisational commitment to child focused practice so that FSA’s can draw on the resources and supports that they need to effectively support the safety and wellbeing of children andyoung people engaged with their service.
Practical examples of this may include:
Prioritised clear referral pathways to specialist services for children that can support FSA to quickly triage familiesas needed whilemaintaining engagement andrapport withthe service. Access to timely referrals also helps to support clear boundaries between FSA and other family violence services (therapeutic, case management etc) to manage workload levels (No toViolence2021).Practitionerconsultationshighlightedthechallengesof“casemanagement without resources” and the limitations this can place on FSAs ability to effectively understand and support the needs of child and adult victim survivors.
Bringingan explicit focusto allMBCPsaroundtheimpactsoffamily violenceforchildren,and informationaboutchildfocusedapproachesin parenting, isakey component ofchild focused practice, and facilitates opportunities to bring children’s voices into the MBCP. Ensuring FSA workers are able to share specific risks and information related to children with MBCP
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facilitators in a time sensitive way, also provides opportunities to inform therapeutic or individualsessionswiththepersonusingfamilyviolence,tosupportreflectionaboutparenting capacity and the impacts on children related to the use of violence (Kaspiew et al. 2017; Rogers and Berger 2023).
6. Discussion
6.1 Significance of the research in context
Supporting engagement with children through a primarily adult focused service such as FSA is recognised as a challenge (Humphreys et al. 2020) however this research has identified a range of opportunities within FSA to support child focused practice and increase the physical and emotional safety and service accessibility for child and young person victim survivors. Theseapproachescanbeimplementedbyworkingcollaborativelywiththesafeadultsintheir lives, as well as increasing opportunities for direct engagement with young people in some circumstances with the support of adequate skills, time, and resources.
While the sector has progressed to recognise children and young people as victims in their ownright,therearestilllimitationsontheabilityofFSAstosufficientlymeetthediverseneeds of child and young person victim survivors, particularly for those who are unable to engage with, or effectively support through asafeparentor carer.
The ability of FSAs toproactively connect withvictim survivors offers theopportunityto reach families who otherwise may not be connected with services and offer support to all affected members.Whilethemethodsandapproachesofmakingcontactrequirecarefulplanning,this presents opportunities for identifying pathways into support for child and young person victim survivorsthat are offered in partnership with their safe parent.
The focus on FSA on partnering with victim survivors and building a trusting and supportive relationship is important both to engage effectively with adult victim survivors to increase access to children and young people through their safe parent, but also as a model for direct practice with children and young people, when this is available. Access to enhanced informationsharingthroughCISSandFVISScanalsosupportamoredetailedpictureofother points where children and young people and their parents are interacting with the family violence sector or otherservices to understand their specificsafety andrecovery needs.
Strong policy guidance and minimum standards are in place to support engagement with childrenandyoungpeopleintheirownrightthatencourageandsupportopportunitiesforboth
41 Windows of Opportunity: Towards Child Focused, Trauma Informed Family Safety Advocacy in Men’s Behaviour ChangeWork (March2024)
direct and indirect service models with parents and children.While the sector has progressed to recognise children and young people as victims in their own right, there are still limitations to the ability of FSAs to meet the diverse needs of child and young person victim survivors, particularly for those whoare unable to engage through a safeparent or carer.
6.2 Research limitations
Limitationsofliteraturereviewstrategyandinclusions. TheuseofSoc.IndexandGoogle Scholar databases limited access to some publications and may haveinfluenced the types of themes arising from this first phase of the project. Additional limitations are acknowledged in the timeframe used for the search (from 2010 onwards) and the availability of evidence that reflects family violence sector experiences in the current context, recognising the significant reform that has occurred in Victoria since 2016.
Listening to children and young people’s perspectives. In the timeframe available, we were unable to engage directly with children andyoung people who had experience of family violence services in a safe and age appropriate way. While their voices were unable to be directlyincludedinthisproject,wegainedvaluableinsightfromconsultationswithadultvictim survivors who had experienced family violence as a child or young person, as well as victim survivors who had experienced family violence as a parent, including those who had experienced partner contact and FSA. While we relied on their memory of their own experiences, we recognise the way time may alter or influence their recollection of their experiences. It is imperative that more research include children’s perspectives, in particular in how we understand contemporary experiences of FSA.
Limitations of lived experience advisors with FSA experience. Only three of our 11 lived experience experts identified as having experience of FSA either as a child or young person or as a parent of a child or young person, while one other adviser had experience working within an FSA role. This means that a lot of the experiences shared were based on former versions of the model and may not accurately reflect current practice orexperiences.
Limitation of lived experience of sample size and composition. Participation of lived experience experts were based on a convenience sample, and those appointed to Family Safety Victoria’s VSAC at the time of the research who were over 18 years of age and had experience of family violence as children, young person and/or adult and a parent. This convenience sample provided a range of lived experience and expertise, including some participation in FSA and family safety contact services, however the exclusion of current
42 Windows of Opportunity: Towards Child Focused, Trauma Informed Family Safety Advocacy in Men’s Behaviour ChangeWork (March2024)
clients meant that accessing contemporary delivery of FSA services were not included which limits the ability of this research to reflect morerecent experiences of service.
Limitations of practitioner consultation sample size and composition. Participation of practitioners in the initial focus group discussion was limited tothoseemployed at Family Life and working in family violence services by design. While breadth of roles was wide for the organisation, the findings generated from that process may hold limitations to their wider application. The inclusion of wider family violence sector stakeholders inthe Practice Summit totestthesefindingswasusedtoverifykeythemesidentifiedbyrepresentativesatthatevent.
Given the small-scale nature of this research, wider testing and validation of these themes is recommended.
6.3 Recommendationsfor further research
In recognition of the small scale nature of this research, we have identified a range of areas for further researchthat could further build on this initial exploration.
Wider consultation to test findings and recommended characteristics of model
It is acknowledged that understanding child and young person voices andexperience in FSA is under researched. There is much to be learned by sharing these small findings and continuing tobuildourunderstandingofthesechallengesandopportunitiesasmoreresearch is conducted.
Wider consultation to identify additional needs of diverse groups in this model
Research around child focused approaches in FSA would benefit from wider consultation to hear the voices of children and young people across a range of ages, genders and social characteristics to understand a variety of perspectives about how FSA is understood and received by children as well as a more detailed understanding of where and how these services and programs support longer term change, and the mechanisms required to create safe and effective engagement strategies, and entry points for groups who experience marginalisation.
Evaluations focused on outcomes of perpetrator interventions that includes FSA support
Additional investment in high quality research, evaluations and knowledge translation of the longer term impacts and outcomes of MBCP, including a focus on the context, mechanisms,
43 Windows of Opportunity: Towards Child Focused, Trauma Informed Family Safety Advocacy in Men’s Behaviour ChangeWork (March2024)
and outcomes of FSA for adult and child victim survivors to understand who and how the programs are working overtime.
7. Conclusion
The central purpose of MBCPs is to enhance the safety of women and children. FSA work provides ‘windows of opportunity’ to hear the perspectives of women, children and young people who have experienced family violence. This is an under researched area and there is potentialtoimprove,usingchildfocusedapproachestoextendbeyond(butstill including) risk assessment andsafety planning, into supportingpathways to healing and recovery.
Offeringandencouraging opportunitiestoengagechildrenasactiveparticipantsanddecision makers relative to their age, stage and capacity works towards ensuring that their rights are respected, voices heard, and their needs are prioritised. This reflects the intent of the Family Violence MARAM Framework, and supports concepts of partnering with victim survivors, strengtheningthe child’s relationship with their safe parent.
This research identifies key characteristics to support child focused FSA and each of these recognises the importance of placing the child/young person victim survivor at the centre of family violence services, with support and connection to their safe parent to promote both individual and whole of family mechanisms for healing and recovery.
It is acknowledgedthat this is asmall contributionto awider landscape ofcontinued effortsto refine family violence services, including how the needs of children and young are identified and supported.
The overarching recommendation from this research is to reflect on what is presented here andconsiderhowindividualservicessuchasFSAandthefamilyviolencesectormorebroadly can use the insights to continue to enhance their ability to understand and respond to the needs of children and young person victim survivors - ultimately leaving their representation as ‘silent victims’ of family violence as a thing of the past.
44 Windows of Opportunity: Towards Child Focused, Trauma Informed Family Safety Advocacy in Men’s Behaviour ChangeWork (March2024)
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Appendix1:VictimSurvivorsAdvisoryCouncilfocusgroup:Participant InformationandConsentForm
Introduction:
WewouldliketoinviteyoutotakepartinaresearchprojectwhichexploreshowtomaketheFamily SafetycontactcomponentofMen’sBehaviourChangeworkmorechildfocused,andtraumainformed forvictim/survivorsofdomesticandfamilyviolence.Thiswouldinvolveparticipatinginaninterview witharesearchertodiscussyourexperiencesoftheservicesystemrelatedtodomesticandfamily violence(DFV)andyourviewsonhowservicescouldbeimprovedtobemorechildfocused.Whilst theprojectisfocusingonthefamilysafetycontactcomponentofMen’sBehaviourChangework,you donothavetohavedirectexperienceoffamilysafetycontacttoparticipate.Theremaybefurther opportunitytoparticipateinotherprojectactivitiesincludingaPracticeSummitandproviding commentsandfeedbackontheproject’sdraftreport.
Weacknowledgethatreflectingontheseexperiencescanbechallenging.Participationisvoluntary andyoucanwithdrawatanystage.Alistofsupportresourcesisprovidedattheendofthis informationsheetandwillbediscussedduringtheinterview,shouldyouwishtoproceed.
Thisisanopportunitytohelpusunderstandthethingsabouttheservicesystemthatsupportedyou ifyouexperiencedfamilyviolenceasachild/youngpersonand/orasanadultandaparent.Itisalso anopportunitytodiscussthechallengesandyourviewsaboutchangesthatshouldbemade.
Wearehopingtoaudiorecordthesession,however,ifthereareanyconcernsexpressedby participantsinrelationtothis,wewillnotaudiorecordthesessionandtakesummarynotes.
Definitions:
FamilySafetyContact:WhenamanrequestsorisrequiredtoparticipateinaMen’sbehaviourchange group,arequirementmaybethatheprovidecontactdetailsforaworkertocontacthispartnerorexpartnerorofotherfamilymemberswhohavebeenaffectedbyhisabuse.Thiswasformerlyreferred toas“partnercontact.”
50
WindowsofOpportunity:TowardsChildFocused,TraumaInformedFamilySafetyAdvocacyinMen’sBehaviour ChangeWork(March2024)
“WindowsofOpportunity”:ChildFocusedFamilySafetyContactResearchProject ParticipantInformationandConsentform LivedExperienceInterviews
Men’sBehaviourChangePrograms: Men's behaviour change programs play an important role in promoting the safety of women and children. The purpose of these programs is to initiate a change process in men's behaviour and provide a forum for exploring and challenging beliefs. Within this, there is a focus on making men accountable for their violence toward family members1
BenefitsoftheProject
This project assists us to develop a model for family safety contact that takes the needs of children and young people into account and focuses on linking them, along with their victim survivor parent to appropriate support. The project is being conducted by Sarah Waters at Family Life.
GeneralOutlineoftheResearchProject
We will be gathering information from a range of sources that include:
● Lived experience consultants.
● Program staff
● Sector professionals
● Review of the literature
The project is being conducted by Sarah Waters at Family Life.
Sarah has 28 years ofexperience as a social worker, working inthe fields offamily support, foster care, specialist child and family services, intensive therapeutic support services for child protection clients and in research and evaluation. She holds a Master of Advanced Social Work, Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Arts and Diplomas in Project Management and Leadership.
YourInvolvement
You are invited to attend an interview
Interview The interview:
● Will take approximately 90 min
● Can be completed via zoom, phone, or face to face
● Is confidential
● Is voluntary
Risks
1 https://providers.dffh.vic.gov.au/mens-behaviour-change-program
51 Windows of Opportunity: Towards Child Focused, Trauma Informed Family Safety Advocacy in Men’s Behaviour ChangeWork (March2024)
The risks of being involved in the project are moderate. As discussed, we acknowledge that reflecting on these experiences can be challenging and stress that participation is voluntary and you can withdraw at any stage. A list of support resources is provided at the end of this information sheet and will be discussed during the interview, should you wish to proceed. Family Life is a trauma informed organisation and all of our work is conducted with a focus on creating safety and encouraging voice, choice and collaboration.
There may be some inconvenience to you due to the time involved in taking part. You can end the interview at any time without having to give a reason.
YourChoice
It is your choice whether you participate in the research interview.. Youdonothavetoparticipate.
Confidentiality,AnonymityandDataStorage
Only the researchers will have access to the information that we collect from you. We will keep it confidential in that you will not be identified. We will combine your comments and ideas with those from other participants. Project material including reports, presentations and promotional material will not include names or other personal details, however it may include non-identifying quotes. The staff of the “Windows of Opportunity” project might know that you have taken part in an interview but will not be able to link your information in the project materials. Data will be stored securely electronically on password protected Family Life systems. Once the project is complete any information will be kept securely for a period of five years, then destroyed. We respect the rights of research participants to privacy under the Privacy Act 1988 and comply with all of the Act’s requirements in respect of the collection, management and disclosure of personal information. We comply with the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) where we collect health information.
ConcernsandComplaints
If you have any questions or concerns about this survey please contact the project lead (Sarah Waters swaters@familylife.com.au)
If you have any complaints about other matters related to the project please contact the Chief Impact Officer at Family Life (amccoy@familylife.com.au)
The Bellberry Human Research EthicsCommittee has reviewed and approved thisstudy in accordance withthe National Statement on Ethical ConductinHuman Research(2007) –incorporating all updates. This Statement has been developed to protect the interests of people who agree to participate in human research studies. Should you wish to discuss the study or view a copy of the Complaint procedure with someone not directly involved, particularly in relation to matters concerning policies,
52 Windows of Opportunity: Towards Child Focused, Trauma Informed Family Safety Advocacy in Men’s Behaviour ChangeWork (March2024)
information or complaints about the conduct of the study or your rights as a participant, you may contact the Operations Manager, Bellberry Limited on 08 8361 3222.
AGREEMENT TO PARTICIPATE
You do not have to participate.
If you wish to take part, please add the details below and return it to the researcher by sending an email to Sarah Waters (swaters@familylife.com.au) with suggested times and dates that are suitable for you for the interview.
I, ____________________________________________(name) consent to participate in an interview for the “Windows of Opportunity” project
Date: __________________
Suggested times/dates for interview:__________________________________________________
Support required (e.g. interpreter):____________________________________________________
Resources:
Lifeline, 24hr Counselling 13 11 14
www.lifeline.org.au
Beyond Blue: 1300 224636, 24 hour counselling 1800 RESPECT (Domestic Violence support) 1800 737 732 www.1800respect.org.au
Men’s Helpline 1300 78 99 78
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