Family Safety Framework

Nicole LionnetSenior Policy Officer – Women’s SafetyOffice for Women

outline

1. Context of initiative -WSS

2. Main elements of the FSF• Family Safety Meetings • Risk Assessment• Information Sharing

3. Where to from here? More information?

History

• 2005 - Women’s Safety Strategy• Whole of Govt Reference Group• Community consultation • MARAC – UK• 2006 - Cabinet endorsement• FSF Implementation Committee set up –

core agencies• 2007 - 3 trial sites established• 2008 – Evaluation Report (OCSAR)

Evaluation Nov 2008

• Conducted by OCSARMajority of victims were assessed as safer

as a result of the Family Safety Meeting intervention

• 62% of victims went from high risk to low risk

• ¾ of referrals that remained in SA had no police record of re victimisation for at least 3 months

WSS - 2012

FSF integral to:• Senior Research Officer – Coroner’s

Office, Heidi Ehrat• New DV legislation – Intervention Orders

(Prevention of Abuse) Act 2009

Aim – Integrated Service Responses • enhancing victim safety, for women and

children at high risk of serious harm or death due to domestic violence.

• Increase perpetrator accountability• Reduce repeat victimisation

Coordinated, appropriate, consistent responses

Aims

RegionsRegions align with Police Local Service AreasFamily Safety Meetings currently at:Metro:Holden Hill; South Coast – Noarlunga; Western – Pt Adelaide;Northern – Elizabeth; Inner Southern – Sturt; Adelaide Eastern

Country/regional: • Pt Augusta; Pt Pirie; Limestone Coast – Mt Gambier; Riverland -

Berri2012• Murray Bridge• Pt Lincoln• Coober Pedy – FSMs started in October

Statewide implementation by Dec 2013

Agencies

Core agency involvement: • SAPOL • Families SA • Housing SA • Education Department (DECD) • Health (Primary, Acute, Women’s & Aboriginal Health)• Adult Mental Health Services• Drug & Alcohol Services (DASSA)• Correctional Services• Women’s Domestic Violence Services• Victim Support Service

3 Elements

1. Common Risk Assessment

2. The Family Safety Meeting

3. Information Sharing

Process

1. Determine whether the offender poses a significant risk

2. Refer case to Family Safety Meeting 3. Agencies research the case at hand4. Relevant information brought to Family

Safety Meeting5. Jointly construct and implement a multi

agency positive action plan6. Review plan

Risk Assessment

What is Risk Assessment? • Where a professional attempts to assess

the degree of harm or injury likely to ensue from family violence, including homicide.

• Risk Indicators• Victim’s prediction• DV related deaths are preventable

Common Risk Assessment

FSF • relies on common understandings of risk among

agencies• Research indicates commonalities of risk –

domestic homicide. These relate to:• Nature of abuse, patterns of behaviour, victim’s

perception of risk, aggravating factors such as mental health, drug and alcohol use and other factors such as separation, pregnancy, child contact, cultural vulnerabilities

Risk Indicators• Recent separation or plans to separate • Victim predicts that offender could harm or kill her/children• History of violence to family member/s• Level and frequency of violence has increased• Offender has attempted to strangle victim• Offender has threatened to kill/harm family members in recent incident, inc verbalised

plans• Offender has access to weapons• History of violence towards non family members• Increase in controlling behaviour eg isolating, stalking, obsessive behaviour, jealousy• Harm to family pets• History of substance abuse• History of mental health issues• Custody and access issues• Pregnancy• Cultural vulnerabilities – ATSI and CALD. • Does victim speak no/little English?

Family Safety Meetings

What is an FSM?•Local meeting of relevant services•Held fortnightly •Referral of high risk cases•Share information and implement a multi agency Positive Action Plan•Referrals via SAPOL Chair

ActionsInclude: • DV Services support/liaison• SAPOL actions, safety plans, IO’s, warrants, advising

victim re police bail and court outcomes• Joint visits, eg SAPOL and DV Services• Liaison with schools re children’s safety• Monitoring of bail conditions, prison status checks• Flagging of various systems• Housing needs assessment, bond assistance• Provision of assistance of security screens and duress

alarms• Mental health assessments & referrals

Let’s have a look at the FSF Risk Assessment Form

Women’s assessment of risk

• Vital that we hear and respond to women’s fears.

• Some women can minimise the violence • Risk assessment literature (Dutton and Kropp,

2002) suggests that women are not likely to overestimate risk, but they may underestimate it.

• If she says she is in danger she must be believed. Risk assessment can help to clarify the nature and imminence of the threat.

Referral Process

• Complete Risk Assessment Form• Establish imminent high risk• Fill out FSF Referral Form • Email Referral Form and Risk

Assessment Form to SAPOL Chair in region

FSF Forms available on Office for Women website

Still Not Sure?

• Use Form in conjunction with other info• Use professional judgement• Speak to supervisor• Speak to SAPOL or DV Service

Support for Info Sharing

• Privacy Committee of SA• Identification of High Risk• Informed consent - always the preferred

response• If no consent – still able to share information

as part of duty of care in high risk DV cases where victim at risk of serious harm or death

What to tell the victim?

Tell her:• You are asking for information due to concerns

for her safety.• Professional duty of care• About FSM – agencies sharing info to help

reduce risk (Handout: Appendix 8)• Ask for consent to share info• No consent – if high risk will still share

information• Record if no consent & reasons on referral & in

file

Where to go for more information

• FSF Practice Manual and forms are available to down load:

www.officeforwomen.sa.gov.au

Or contact Nicole Lionnet Office for WomenPh: 8303 0599Email: nicole.lionnet@dcsi.sa.gov.au

SAPOL Chairs (Oct 12)Metro –Officer in Charge of FVIU• Adelaide Eastern – Warren Manship & David Coultate – 8172 5892• Sturt – Mike Richardson - 8207 4801 • Holden Hill –Peter Weber, Michelle Collise – 8207 6033• Pt Adelaide – Tracey Moody – 8207 6387• Elizabeth – Brenton Tester, Gill Shaw– 8207 9386• South Coast ––Bernadette Martin - 8392 9102Country• Pt Pirie – Rachel Lonnie, Julianne Fowler – 8638-4000• Pt Augusta – David Davies, Samantha Formby - 8648 5019 • Limestone Coast – Anthony Scott – 8735 1006• Riverland (Berri) - Simone Gardner - 8595 2017 • Murray Bridge - Andrew Bissell - 8535 6006 Tracy Foster & Charisse

Cooper - 8535 6013• Pt Lincoln - Mary Octoman – 86883022 and Sonya Bryson – 86883007• Coober Pedy – Micheal Clark - 8672 5489 (also Samantha Formby - 8648

5019 & Nicole Rooney - 8648 5024 from Port Augusta Family Violence Section)