Focus on Logan and Beenleigh
Logan/Beenleigh, south of Brisbane, is the first urban location to trial an integrated response to domestic and family violence in Queensland using a common risk and safety framework. The need for integrated responses was a recommendation from the Not Now, Not Ever report.
A key component of an integrated response is the establishment of high risk teams. These teams play a critical role in providing coordinated government and non-government agency responses to meet victims’ needs and hold perpetrators to account.
Operating since January 2017, the Logan/Beenleigh high risk team communicates daily on complex and high risk domestic and family violence matters. Team members include Victims Assist, Department of Housing and Public Works, Queensland Police Service, Child Safety, Queensland Health, Probation and Parole, Court Services, Youth Justice, and lead non-government domestic and family violence specialist services, WAVSS and Centacare.
An ICT platform has been developed to support the team’s work and is the first of its kind in Queensland. The ICT solution allows team members to more effectively share information, manage complex risk assessments and address high risk cases in ‘real time’ for immediate and coordinated response planning.
The team has coordinated the relocation of victims with priority housing accommodation transfers, increased security in the Beenleigh court for specific court appearances, and assisted with immediate safety upgrades to homes including locks, fences, security screens and cameras.
Holding perpetrators to account is also enhanced, with information sharing between agencies about breaches of domestic and family violence orders. It also assists with ensuring victims are made aware of bail decisions related to the release of perpetrators from custody. This allows victims to take action if required, such as moving to a safe location. Men’s behaviour change programs can also be better informed of perpetrator behaviour progress, and court processes used to ensure magistrates are kept up-to-date.