About this resource
Family violence responses must prioritise safety. This guide covers immediate safety, responding to disclosures, using your organisation's family violence risk assessment framework, specialist family violence services, children's safety, information sharing and documentation, with a local contacts table.
Purpose
To support safe, coordinated responses to family violence.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Social workers. Also relevant for community services and case workers, allied health and multidisciplinary teams, youth workers.
Client or participant group: Social workers and practitioners.
Practice setting: Hospital, community, health and family services.
Suggested uses
- Practice reference
- Staff training
- Supervision
- Developing procedures
Instructions for practitioners
- Respond to immediate danger by calling 000.
- Listen and believe; never confront the person using violence.
- Use your state or territory's family violence risk assessment framework.
- Refer to specialist family violence services and follow child safety and information sharing obligations.
Accessibility considerations
Use professional interpreters, never family members. Consider culturally specific services.
Scope and limitations
A practice guide. It does not replace training, risk assessment frameworks, legal obligations or specialist services.
Higher-risk topic: use only within your training, supervision and organisational procedures.
Research basis
Trauma-informed practice prioritises safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment, and avoids re-traumatising people. Primary prevention of violence focuses on respectful relationships, consent and challenging harmful attitudes. Case management practice standards describe assessment, planning, coordination, review and planned exits with the person at the centre.
- Case Management Society of Australia and New Zealand. (2013). National standards of practice for case management (3rd ed.). https://www.cmsa.org.au/
- Kezelman, C., & Stavropoulos, P. (2012). Practice guidelines for treatment of complex trauma and trauma informed care and service delivery. Adults Surviving Child Abuse (now Blue Knot Foundation). https://professionals.blueknot.org.au/resources/publications/practice-guidelines/
- Our Watch. (2021). Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women in Australia (2nd ed.). https://www.ourwatch.org.au/change-the-story
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA's concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach (HHS Publication No. SMA 14-4884). SAMHSA. https://store.samhsa.gov/product/samhsas-concept-trauma-and-guidance-trauma-informed-approach/sma14-4884
What is included
A 2-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure, layout and icons were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced.
