Enhancing service responses
We are progressing a range of initiatives, including establishing integrated service responses, to ensure survivors and people experiencing violence and their families across Queensland have access to the services they need to escape and not return to violence.
We recognise there are specific groups of people within the community who are more vulnerable to domestic and family violence (DFV) and may face additional challenges and barriers to seeking support and protection. We are committed to identifying and understanding their specific needs and challenges to ensure our communication, support services and responses are accessible and culturally appropriate.
We are also progressing initiatives and reforming systems to ensure people using violence receive appropriate sanctions and have access to culturally responsive assistance, education and tools to stop using violence.
Key initiatives include:
- developed a DFV training and change management framework
- conducting integrated service response trials
- a Common risk and safety framework for use by government and non-government community service agencies to recognise, assess and respond to DFV risk and safety action planning, including common minimum standards and approaches.
- funding new and enhanced specialist support services for people experiencing violence and people using violence
- conducting a DFV services audit
- developed a Suicide prevention framework for working with people impacted by DFV
- supporting the development of the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme and amending legislation to enable Queensland to participate in its future implementation
- developing a new Funding and investment model (PDF)
- implementing our commitments under the National plan to reduce violence against women and their children 2010–2022
- trialling new and emerging technologies to improve the safety of women and their children through the Keeping Women Safe in their Home initiative
- boosting crisis accommodation services across Queensland
- conducting a pet-friendly refuge pilot
- enhancing training and employment support for Queenslanders affected by DFV through the annual VET Investment Plan
- implementing a range of actions to ensure that housing assistance is provided appropriately when people are impacted by DFV
- increasing access to perpetrator programs for offenders in custody less than 12 months
- conducting a review into the prevalence and characteristics of elder abuse
- conducting a review into the impact of DFV on people with disability (PDF) (or DOCX)
- enhancing interpreter support in DFV court proceedings
- revising the Queensland language services guidelines
- developing and implementing a toolkit of resources for health workers
- developed Queensland's framework for action: Reshaping our approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander DFV
- established a Domestic and Family Violence Death Review and Advisory Board to identify systemic issues and preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of DFV-related deaths in Queensland; visit the Queensland Courts website to access the Board's annual reports and Queensland Government responses
- providing employment and financial independence to support women affected by DFV to return to work through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative
- establishing high risk teams to provide integrated responses to DFV survivors and people experiencing violence and their children.