Preventing Domestic Violence – the new Safer Pathway Sophie Farrell & Rochelle Zats Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service - Redfern Legal Centre

Preventing Domestic Violence – the new Safer Pathway 1.  Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services

2.  It Stops Here: Safer Pathway 3.  Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT)

4.  Central Referral Point & Local Coordination Points (LCPs)

5.  Safety Action Meetings (SAMs) 6.  How to refer a client; Contacts; Questions

Preventing Domestic Violence – the new Safer Pathway 1.  Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services

2.  It Stops Here: Safer Pathway 3.  Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT)

4.  Central Referral Point & Local Coordination Points (LCPs)

5.  Safety Action Meetings (SAMs) 6.  How to refer a client; Contacts; Questions

Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services (WDVCASs) A network of 28 services across NSW

Funded by Legal Aid NSW

WDVCASs (cont.) Help address the legal and social needs of women, young people and children experiencing domestic violence by:

1.  Assisting clients to obtain legal protection from

NSW Local Courts in the form of an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO)

2.  Providing advice, advocacy and targeted referrals 3.  Working with local community NGOs (eg. refuges, housing organisations, family support)

WDVCASs (cont.) The WDVCAS Network has been selected to host the rollout of the “It Stops Here: Safer Pathway” reform package.

Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service —  Auspiced by Redfern Legal Centre. Located at Downing Centre Local Court

—  Attends Newtown, Waverley and Downing Centre

Local Courts on ADVO list days and runs the safe room at each court

—  Works with the Domestic Violence Practitioner

Scheme to provide legal advice to victims on a range of related matters including family law

—  Hosts the Waverley Local Coordination Point, one of the current sites of Safer Pathway.

Preventing Domestic Violence – the new Safer Pathway 1.  Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services

2.  It Stops Here: Safer Pathway 3.  Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT)

4.  Central Referral Point & Local Coordination Points (LCPs)

5.  Safety Action Meetings (SAMs) 6.  How to refer a client; Contacts; Questions

It Stops Here: Safer Pathway —  Safer Pathway is one element of the broader It Stops Here Domestic and Family Violence Reforms

—  A new coordinated way of responding to domestic and family violence in NSW

—  Launched by the Minister for Women in 2014 at Waverley and Orange.

—  Extended in 2015 to Bankstown,

Parramatta, Tweed Heads and Broken Hill.

It Stops Here: background Reforms build on recommendations of key reports:

—  NSW Auditor-General’s 2011 Responding to Family and Domestic Violence report

—  NSW 2012 parliamentary inquiry into domestic violence trends and issues.

These reports recognised the excellent work being done in NSW, but highlighted the need for agencies and services to coordinate more effectively.

Aim of Safer Pathway —  Provide all domestic violence victims across NSW with a consistent, effective and proactive response

—  Promote information sharing between service providers in order to prevent domestic violence homicides.

Components of Safer Pathway Common approach to assessing threat

Consistent access to coordinated support for domestic violence victims

Targeted response to victims at serious threat of injury or death

Central Referral Point

Local Coordination Points (WDVCASs)

Safety Action Meetings

Information Sharing

Streamlined referral pathway

Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool

Preventing Domestic Violence – the new Safer Pathway 1.  Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services

2.  It Stops Here: Safer Pathway

3.  Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT)

4.  Central Referral Point & Local Coordination Points (LCPs)

5.  Safety Action Meetings (SAMs) 6.  How to refer a client; Contacts; Questions

Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT) —  To assess the level of threat to a victim of domestic violence, particularly serious injury or death

—  Part A: 25 questions relating to known indicators of serious threat, harm or lethality

—  Part B: Professional judgment

DVSAT (cont.) Two levels of threat: “threat” & “serious threat” Victims can be found to be at serious threat based on:

—  Number of “yes” responses (12 or more) —  Professional judgment —  Repeat victimisation (3 referrals from Police in 6 months)

DVSAT (cont.) —  Since July 2015, Police across NSW must complete the DVSAT for each domestic violence incident

—  The completed DVSAT is automatically sent to the Central Referral Point (electronic platform) by the end of the officer’s shift.

DVSAT (cont.) —  Other services and agencies are strongly encouraged to use the DVSAT - for a consistent approach to risk assessment.

—  However they can make a referral to a Local Coordination Point without completing the DVSAT, or with their own assessment tool.

Preventing Domestic Violence – the new Safer Pathway 1.  Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services

2.  It Stops Here: Safer Pathway 3.  Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT)

4.  Central Referral Point & Local Coordination Points (LCPs)

5.  Safety Action Meetings (SAMs) 6.  How to refer a client; Contacts; Questions

Central Referral Point —  Electronic Platform managed by Victims Services —  Receives automatic referrals from Police and

distributes them to the relevant Local Coordination Point (LCP) or WDVCAS based on the victim’s postcode

—  Male victims are referred to Victims Services —  Non-police agencies and services will be able to use the Central Referral Point in the future.

Local Coordination Points (LCPs) Receive all referrals for their area from the Central Referral Point:

—  automatic referrals from Police —  voluntary (manual) referrals from other agencies and services.

LCPs (cont.) Contact each referral and provide client with:

—  Threat assessment using DVSAT —  Case coordination – warm referrals to range of service providers

Seek consent to provide a service when they first contact a client.

LCPs (cont.) —  Provide secretariat support for Safety Action Meetings (SAMs)

—  Hosted by 28 Women’s Domestic Violence

Court Advocacy Service (WDVCASs) across NSW

—  LCPs functions are in addition to (and separate from) regular WDVCAS work

LCPs (cont.) The strength of WDVCASs as LCPs:

—  Existing strong partnerships with local services

—  Positive working relationships with NSW Police

—  Extensive existing infrastructure and service coverage across 113 Local Courts.

Preventing Domestic Violence – the new Safer Pathway 1.  Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services

2.  It Stops Here: Safer Pathway 3.  Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT)

4.  Central Referral Point & Local Coordination Points (LCPs)

5.  Safety Action Meetings (SAMs) 6.  How to refer a client; Contacts; Questions

Safety Action Meetings (SAMs) —  A process to reduce threat to victims’ safety through targeted information sharing

—  Focus on reducing the immediate threat to victims’ safety – not case management

—  Fortnightly meetings in local areas.

SAMs (cont.) Core members include:

—  Local Coordination Point —  NSW Police Force —  Corrective Services —  Department of Education —  NSW Health (incl. drug and alcohol and mental health)

—  FaCS (Housing NSW and Community Services)

SAMs (cont.) Other government and non-government service providers may attend on an occasional basis - if they are working with a particular client.

At the Safety Action Meeting For each victim on the agenda, SAM members:

—  share information to build a comprehensive picture of a victim’s circumstances and needs

—  develop a Safety Action Plan – a list of actions

aimed at reducing the threat to the victim’s safety

Actions are for agencies and services (not victims!). The question is always: What can we offer to keep this person safe?

Part 13A: information sharing In 2014, Part 13A of the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 came into force:

—  enables NSW Police Force (and NSW Local Courts) to

automatically refer victims to Local Coordination Points for support, and enables LCPs to proactively contact these victims

—  also enables service providers to share information to

prevent or lessen a serious threat to a person’s life, health or safety – with consent in limited circumstances

The Domestic Violence Information Sharing Protocol provides guidance in relation to Part 13A.

Preventing Domestic Violence – the new Safer Pathway 1.  Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services

2.  It Stops Here: Safer Pathway 3.  Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT)

4.  Central Referral Point & Local Coordination Points (LCPs)

5.  Safety Action Meetings (SAMs)

6.  How to refer a client; Contacts; Questions

How to refer a client —  As a community worker working with a

family experiencing domestic violence, you can apply the DVSAT, or your own risk assessment tool.

—  If the victim answers yes to 12 out of 25

questions on the DVSAT, or in your professional judgment is at serious threat, you can refer them to the LCP to be placed on the Safety Action Meeting agenda.

How to refer a client (cont.) —  Send the DVSAT (or another tool) with the

completed Safety Action Meeting Referral Tool, and a file note outlining your concerns, to your Local Coordination Point

—  You may be asked to attend the SAM to outline your concerns for your client.

WDVCAS contacts WDVCASs and the Local Courts they cover —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  — 

Blue Mountains (02) 6352 2052 Katoomba, Lithgow, Bathurst, Mudgee Burwood (02) 9744 2461 Burwood Central Coast (02) 4321 0099 Gosford, Wyong, Woy Woy Central West (02) 6361 3345 Orange, Parkes, Forbes, Cowra Far South Coast (02) 6492 5002 Bega, Narooma, Eden, Batemans Bay, Moruya, Bombala Far West (08) 8087 2053 Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Wentworth Hunter (02) 4940 8766 Newcastle, Toronto, Belmont, Raymond Terrace Hunter Valley (02) 4934 5332 Maitland, Singleton, Cessnock, Muswellbrook, Kurri Kurri Illawarra (02) 4229 4604 Wollongong, Port Kembla, Albion Park, Kiama Macarthur (02) 4640 7333 Campbelltown, Camden, Picton Macquarie (02) 8833 0922 Parramatta, Ryde Mid-North Coast (02) 6584 0053 Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Taree, Forster, Gloucester New England (02) 6763 2375, 1800 613083 Armidale, Walcha, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Glen Innes North Coast 1800 174 466 Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Bellingen, Grafton, Macksville North West (02) 6752 4882, 1800 004022 Moree, Boggabilla, Inverell, Mungindi North West Sydney (02) 9831 5482 Blacktown, Windsor Northern Rivers (02) 6621 1044 Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah, Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore, Casino, Kyogle

WDVCAS contacts (cont.) WDVCASs and the Local Courts they cover —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  —  — 

Northern Sydney (02) 8425 8707 Hornsby, Manly, North Sydney Riverina (02) 6964 4804 Griffith, Leeton, Hillston, Hay, Lake Cargellico South Coast (02) 4423 8507 Nowra, Moss Vale South Eastern (02) 6299 3835 Queanbeyan, Cooma, Goulburn South West Sydney (02) 9601 6988 Liverpool, Fairfield, Bankstown Southern (02) 6021 3059 Albury, Holbrook, Finley, Deniliquin, Corowa Southern Sydney (02) 9589 1200 Sutherland, Kogarah Sydney (02) 9287 7505 Downing Centre, Newtown, Waverley, Wagga Wagga (02) 6921 6227 Wagga Wagga, Narrandera, Young, Tumut, Cootamundra, West Wyalong, Gundagai, Temora, Junee Western (02) 6884 7388 Dubbo, Nyngan, Wellington, Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Narromine, Warren, Gilgandra Western Sydney (02) 4731 5098 Penrith, Mount Druitt

Questions? Sophie Farrell Waverley Safety Action Meeting Coordinator [email protected]

Rochelle Zats Waverley Intake and Referral Officer [email protected]

Redfern Legal Centre resource page

rlc.org.au/training/resources/domestic-violence-reforms

Before you go… Your feedback helps us improve our training... so please stay online for 30 seconds more. Training: rlc.org.au/training Enquiries: Nick Manning [email protected] This workshop is a guide to the law in NSW, Australia. It is not a substitute for legal advice. If you have a legal problem, seek legal advice from a legal centre or Legal Aid.