Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697639627210.pdf (Australia)
Family and Domestic Violence Strategy 2020–23 Acknowledgement of Country and Traditional Owners Services Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands we live on.

We pay our respects to all Elders, past and present, of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations.

A message from the Chief Executive Officer Services Australia presents our Family and Domestic Violence Strategy 2020–23.
Our mission as Services Australia is to be ready to support our customers with the kind of assistance that any of us would want to receive: assistance that is simple, helpful, respectful and transparent.

Having access to the right assistance is never more important than when supporting those affected by family and domestic violence, whether they come to us as customers or they are our staff.
The way we respond when someone walks up to the counter or picks up the phone is important—but so too are the systems we design, the work practices we put in place, and the relationships we forge with our partner organisations in the community.

As a united agency, it is our responsibility to help those affected by family and domestic violence access the services we provide, and make connections to other sources of guidance and support.

It is vital, and calls for understanding and commitment from us all.
This strategy is the blueprint that will guide us in that ongoing effort.

It builds on the structures we have already put in place, and the culture of awareness we have developed, while recognising that we cannot let our efforts lapse.

As a society, we need to be alert to the ways that abusers can use technology to facilitate methods of abuse, and understand the person responsible for violence is the person using the violence.
As an agency, we need to be both evidence-based and creative in the ways we respond.

Above all, we will never lose sight of ways we can raise awareness of and support those affected by family and domestic violence.

Together, we can make a difference.

Rebecca Skinner Chief Executive Officer Services Australia What is family and domestic violence?

Family and domestic violence is behaviour that is violent, threatening, coercive or controlling, or causes a person to be fearful.
Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission Family and domestic violence happens in many types of relationships, including past or current intimate relationships.

It can also happen in relationships involving carers, relatives or guardians, kinship groups and other family groups recognised by various cultures and communities.

Family and domestic violence isn’t only physical violence or sexual assault.
It can include doing 1 or more of the following to a person: • financially abusing them—for example, restricting or removing their access to money • verbally abusing them—for example, calling them names, criticising and belittling them or being cruel to them in front of others • emotionally or psychologically abusing them—for example, controlling them, threatening them, or forcing them to do something • abusing them through technology—for example, harassing or threatening them through social media, pretending to be another person online or sharing nude or sexually graphic images of them without their permission • stalking, following or harassing them—for example, watching them from a parked car, or turning up at their home or where they work • • • • • • kidnapping or holding them against their will neglecting them when they depend on the perpetrator for care or support causing or threatening injury to others causing or threatening injury or death to an animal—for example, hurting the family pet causing or threatening damage to property abusing spiritual or cultural beliefs—for example, stopping them from practising their religion or putting them through harmful traditional practices, such as female genital mutilation, early or child marriage, or dowry abuse.
Exposing a child to any of these behaviours is also family and domestic violence.

Family and domestic violence is always the responsibility of the person perpetrating the violence.

It’s never the fault of the person it affects.

That’s why our focus isn’t only on supporting those affected by violence, but on encouraging perpetrators to change their behaviour.

We support all people affected by violence.


However, we know there are certain factors, such as gender inequality and gender-based stereotypes, that lead and contribute to violence against women.

Around 1 in 4 women and 1 in 13 men have experienced at least 1 incident of violence by a current or former partner since the age of 15.

That’s more than 2 million women and more than 700,000 men who have been affected.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men have experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner since the age of 151.

1.

Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Personal safety, Australia, 2016.

ABS cat.

no.

4906.0.

Canberra: ABS.
Some people are particularly vulnerable to family and domestic violence, including: Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples • Children and young people • Older people • People with disability • People experiencing financial hardship • People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and others (LGBTI+) • People living in rural, remote and regional areas • Women at particular stages of life, such as young women, pregnant women, new mothers and women separating from their partners • Refugees and newly arrived migrants.
A person who identifies with more than 1 of these groups may face even greater barriers and be at even higher risk of family and domestic violence.

Our role Family and domestic violence is a complex issue and affects people in different ways.

Everybody has a role to play in addressing it.

Our role as a service provider is to identify customers affected by family and domestic violence and to connect them to support as quickly as possible.
Our role as an employer is to make sure we provide a safe and supportive workplace for our staff, including those affected by family and domestic violence.

We also recognise the high levels of expertise in the community in this area.

We work with specialist providers and other areas of government to find better ways to support our customers and staff who are affected by family and domestic violence.

These partnerships help us provide a complete service for customers and staff.
We will create an environment where customers and staff feel comfortable reaching out for support.

Telling someone family and domestic violence has affected you isn’t easy.

Our customers and staff should feel comfortable telling us their concerns.

They should feel encouraged to reach out.

We train our staff to recognise when customers might be experiencing family and domestic violence.
We also train them to ask customers a risk identification question if they’re concerned someone might be experiencing family and domestic violence.

We tell people how we can help or how other organisations can help.

We offer this support to all people violence affects, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, cultural background or ability.
Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission We will: Strategic goal Suggested actions for Services Australia Previous EJA recommendations1 • target our communication materials, including the ‘enough’ brand, to make sure customers and staff know what support is available to people affected by family and domestic violence.
• make sure our risk identification and referral model includes all customers who might be affected by family and domestic violence, and how it might affect them—for example, we’ll look at how we can identify and support older people experiencing abuse (see the box on page 11).

This will make sure customers get the support they need.
• Establish DFV community reference group (beyond existing referral organisation partnerships) to facilitate consultation with peak organisations representing DFV support services, including Indigenous and CALD community organisations • Seek feedback from the DFV community reference group to ensure: o communication materials are targeted and culturally appropriate, including review of draft materials o best practice in risk identification and referrals, including review of draft risk identification and referral model • identify customers who might be affected by family and domestic violence so we can offer them support.
This includes people experiencing less visible types of abuse like coercive control (see the box on page 11).
• Further develop training modules on recognising and responding to DFV for staff involved in various aspects of service delivery, from frontline, to compliance to Authorised Review Officers • Develop operational guidelines to ensure that specialist staff, including social workers, supervise referrals and deal with clients in urgent need of support, including clients threatening suicide /self-harm – with social worker follow-up engagement with services to which the client has been referred Submission Recommendation F: That Services Australia institute a regular consultation and feedback loop between Centrelink offices and local community organisations regarding service adaptations in relation to DFV, including Indigenous and CALD community organisations.
Report Recommendation 26: That family and domestic violence training of frontline Centrelink staff include efforts to assist staff to flag clients who may be in or have recently left a relationship including family and domestic violence Submission Recommendation E: That the Services Australia system of vulnerability flags continues be refined to improve identification of domestic and family violence cases and ensure victims are treated 1 Previous recommendations come from EJA’s 2018 report “How well does Australia’s social security system support victims of family and domestic violence?” and from EJA’s July 2020 submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission • ask our customers the risk identification question when there might be more risk of family and domestic violence—for example, when families separate.
• Ensure that training modules and operational guidelines cover risk identification, and include content re cultural issues / cultural safety appropriately, and referred for specialist assistance and support.

• make sure our risk identification and referral • Seek feedback from expert DFV model follows the latest, most rigorous research about family and domestic violence.
community reference group, including ANROWS representation, to further develop risk identification and referral model • make sure all staff can access family and domestic violence and child safety training, along with other support materials.

• use communication materials that promote primary prevention—for example, materials that explain why gender equality and healthy relationships are important, and that challenge gender stereotypes.

This will help us drive change.


• use communication materials that promote secondary prevention—for example, materials that encourage someone experiencing the early stages of family and domestic violence to seek help.

• make sure the language in our communication materials doesn’t promote myths about family and domestic violence.
• Seek feedback from the DFV community reference group, including review of draft materials, to ensure: o primary prevention communication materials are targeted and culturally appropriate o secondary prevention communication materials are targeted and culturally appropriate o DFV myths are not promoted o communication materials are targeted and culturally appropriate Submission Recommendation A: That the National Plan include funding for research activities that draw on frontline experience of the intersection between DFV and critical areas of support to identify systemic changes that would help empower and protect victims of DFV.
Submission Recommendation D: That training of Centrelink staff includes a focus on enhancing understanding of DFV and its impacts, and increasing the capacity of frontline staff capacity to identify clients experiencing DFV.

Submission Recommendation F: That Services Australia institute a regular consultation and feedback loop between Centrelink offices and local community organisations regarding service adaptations in relation to DFV, including Indigenous and CALD community organisations.
Submission Recommendation G: That Services Australia engage additional Multicultural Service Officers and Indigenous Service Officers to adequately serve community needs.

Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission • make sure the referrals we offer to customers affected by family and domestic violence suit their needs.
• offer to refer customers who identify as perpetrators of violence or who tell us they are thinking of perpetrating violence to support services that can help them change their behaviour.
• Consult broader DFV community reference group including peaks representing DFV support services – for victims and perpetrators – regarding how best to identify local support services, including Indigenous and CALD community organisations Submission Recommendation H: That substantial additional funding be urgently allocated to enable Services Australia to employ social workers in every Centrelink office to enable victims of family and domestic violence to be supported and appropriately referred.
Submission Recommendation F: That Services Australia institute a regular consultation and feedback loop between Centrelink offices and local community organisations regarding service adaptations in relation to DFV, including Indigenous and CALD community organisations.

Submission Recommendation G: That Services Australia engage additional Multicultural Service Officers and Indigenous Service Officers to adequately serve community needs.
Submission Recommendation H: That substantial additional funding be urgently allocated to enable Services Australia to employ social workers in every Centrelink office to enable victims of family and domestic violence to be supported and appropriately referred.

Coercive control Coercive control is a pattern of dominating behaviour used to make another person afraid and obedient.

It’s not always obvious that coercive control is happening, particularly at the start of a relationship.
At first, coercive control can include constant communication, protectiveness and displays of jealousy from the perpetrator.

But it can get worse over time.


The perpetrator may: • • isolate the person from their family, friends and other sources of support restrict their finances and other resources Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission • track and control their movements • criticise and belittle them often • set rules about their behaviour, such as what to eat and wear • make them believe they’re imagining the abuse—this is known as gaslighting.
They may also threaten violence to the person, their loved ones or pets.

Or, they may threaten to hurt themselves if the other person leaves them.

This can be devastating.

The person affected can feel scared and like they can’t speak up.

They may also question their self- worth.

Abuse of older people Abuse of older people, also called elder abuse, is any form of violence or mistreatment that causes harm or distress to an older person and is generally perpetrated by someone they trust and depend on.
This can include: • physical abuse • sexual abuse • psychological abuse • financial abuse • social abuse • neglect.

Abuse of older people can be unintentional or deliberate.

The older person usually knows the perpetrator, who may be a carer, neighbour, friend or family member.

Abuse of older people can happen in the person’s home and in institutions, such as nursing homes and hospitals.

A person is generally considered to be an older person if they are aged 65 and older.
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples may be considered older from the age of 45–50.2 2.

Cotterell, E., Leonardi, S., Coward, D., Thomson, J.

& Walters, A.

(2015).

Elder abuse in the ACT: A literature review.

Canberra: Council on the Ageing ACT, cited in Kaspiew, R., Carson, R. & Rhoades, H. (2015).

Elder abuse: Understanding issues, frameworks and responses (Research Report No.

35).

Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.


We will make sure our systems and processes are simple and safe for customers to use.

Family and domestic violence can be traumatic and disempowering.

When a customer is experiencing family and domestic violence, we don’t want them to be traumatised more.

We want to help them make an informed decision about what to do next.

Our systems and processes need to support this by being easy and safe for them to use.
Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission We will: Strategic goal Suggested actions for Services Australia Previous EJA recommendations • give customers affected by family and domestic violence trauma- informed services (see the box to the right).
• Seek feedback from DFV community reference group to continue developing best practice in ensuring trauma-informed services including content on providing trauma-informed services in staff training • Recruit more social workers, ensuring that vulnerable clients have timely access to a social worker for referral and ongoing support for establishing social security income support / family assistance entitlements • Provide better access to social workers for victims and their support workers through: o a dedicated DFV phone line at Services Australia staffed by social workers who can connect with relevant expertise on how DFV impacts social security o Centrelink offices with safe spaces to disclose DFV to a social worker on site o training of Services Australia staff so they are better equipped to identify people at risk of DFV who should be referred to a social worker (including training modules – see above) Report Recommendation 24: That training of general staff continues to increase staff capacity to deal with family and domestic violence: Not only building awareness but also developing the practical skills and resources required to discretely and effectively interact with clients who may be experiencing family and domestic violence, including making an appointment with a social worker and/or other specialist staff as soon as possible.
Report Recommendation 25: That DHS consider ways to make Centrelink offices safer spaces, enabling clients’ disclosure of family and domestic violence Report Recommendation 26: That family and domestic violence training of frontline Centrelink staff include efforts to assist staff to flag clients who may be in or have recently left a relationship including family and domestic violence.
Report Recommendation 27: That frontline staff be given more in-depth training to better support clients’ interaction with the social security interface, particularly when clients are referred away from face-to-face service and support to complete forms and supply other required documentation.

Report Recommendation 29: That DHS consider establishing a dedicated phone line for clients experiencing family and domestic violence to discuss issues relating to their social security entitlements.
Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission Report Recommendation 30: That timely access to social workers, particularly on- site social workers, be increased to better support victims of family and domestic violence, with references in the Guide to Social Security Law to assist staff in determining when a referral to a social worker is appropriate.
Submission Recommendation H: That substantial additional funding be urgently allocated to enable Services Australia to employ social workers in every Centrelink office to enable victims of family and domestic violence to be supported and appropriately referred.

Submission Recommendation G: That Services Australia engage additional Multicultural Service Officers and Indigenous Service Officers to adequately serve community needs.
Submission Recommendation F: That Services Australia institute a regular consultation and feedback loop between Centrelink offices and local community organisations regarding service adaptations in relation to DFV, including Indigenous and CALD community organisations.

• give customers affected by family and domestic violence culturally appropriate services.

• provide access to interpreting services for people who speak languages other than English and who may be affected by family and domestic violence.
• Recruit additional Multicultural Service Officers and Indigenous Service Officers • Establish consultation frameworks with local community organisations, including Indigenous and CALD organisations (see above), as per national service guidelines • continue to increase the skills of our staff in supporting people affected by family and domestic violence, through training and updated reference material.
We want staff to be well informed and confident in explaining the • Ensure training of staff goes beyond awareness-raising to development of practical skills in identifying and referring people at risk of DFV and the legal and policy frameworks to be considered in decision-making, especially for compliance officers and Authorised Report Recommendation 24: That training of general staff continues to increase staff capacity to deal with family and domestic violence: Not only building awareness but also developing the practical skills and resources required to discretely and effectively interact with Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission payments and services available to those experiencing family and domestic violence.
Review Officers (including via training modules – see above).

EJA can provide input to assist with this based on work being done with AAT learning and development team for its decision-makers in partnership with ANROWS.
clients who may be experiencing family and domestic violence, including making an appointment with a social worker and/or other specialist staff as soon as possible Submission Recommendation D: That training of Centrelink staff includes a focus on enhancing understanding of DFV and its impacts, and increasing the capacity of frontline staff capacity to identify clients experiencing DFV.
• improve our service so we can help customers experiencing family and domestic violence to get the support they need without having to tell their story multiple times.

See above in relation to trauma-informed service See above in relation to trauma-informed service • explore ways to fast-track • Reduce processing times for payments to customers affected by family and domestic violence to help them get the support and services they need.
people affected by DFV • Use information gathering powers to obtain necessary documents where people experiencing DFV find it difficult to obtain them • Facilitate timely access to social workers on site and by phone with recruitment of more social workers and a dedicated DFV phone line Report Recommendation 28: That processing times be reduced to provide some financial certainty for people escaping situations of family and domestic violence.
This should include consideration of a triage system where payments associated with family and domestic violence are treated as urgent.

Report Recommendation 29: That DHS consider establishing a dedicated phone line for clients experiencing family and domestic violence to discuss issues relating to their social security entitlements.
Report Recommendation 30: That timely access to social workers, particularly on- site social workers, be increased to better support victims of family and domestic violence, with references in the Guide to Social Security Law to assist staff in Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission determining when a referral to a social worker is appropriate.
Report Recommendation 31: That, in appropriate cases, where victims of family and domestic violence are unable to access official documents, Centrelink uses its information gathering powers to access required documents held by other government departments, including Births, Deaths and Marriages, and to assist clients to access those documents.
Submission Recommendation H: That substantial additional funding be urgently allocated to enable Services Australia to employ social workers in every Centrelink office to enable victims of family and domestic violence to be supported and appropriately referred.
Submission Recommendation E: That the Services Australia system of vulnerability flags continues be refined to improve identification of domestic and family violence cases and ensure victims are treated appropriately, and referred for specialist assistance and support.
Report Recommendation 27: That frontline staff be given more in-depth training to better support clients’ interaction with the social security interface, particularly when clients are referred away from face-to-face service and support to complete forms and supply other required documentation.

• explore ways to improve our online services so customers affected by family and domestic violence can complete their transactions safely and securely, at a time that suits them.
• Refine system of vulnerability flagging • give all customers consistent, accurate and up-to-date information and support when they engage with us face-to-face, over the phone or online.
• Train frontline staff so they do not inappropriately refer people at risk of DFV away from face to face services • Ensure that social workers are involved in referrals of people at high risk Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission • review our systems and processes to find issues that may place customers affected by family and domestic violence in further danger.
• Review compliance processes which may be used as a weapon of DFV (Note EJA is currently engaged in research and will have further recommendations on this) • Ensure that social workers are involved in referrals of people at high risk • understand the impact of • Refine system of vulnerability flagging technology-facilitated abuse and make sure customers affected by family and domestic violence can safely use our online services (see the box to the right).
Trauma-informed service Submission Recommendation M: That Services Australia investigate the way in which its tip-off procedures may be used to perpetuate DFV and amend procedures to ensure that tip-offs from partners/ex- partners are dealt with cautiously, especially where the client’s record has a vulnerability flag.
Submission Recommendation N: That Services Australia institute a process of confirming care arrangements with both parents before cutting payment to a parent who is currently receiving Parenting Payment or Family Tax Benefit.

Submission Recommendation O: That Services Australia and the CDPP develop appropriate mechanisms for identifying and dealing with cases of DFV-influenced social security fraud.
Submission Recommendation E: That the Services Australia system of vulnerability flags continues be refined to improve identification of domestic and family violence cases and ensure victims are treated appropriately, and referred for specialist assistance and support.

Trauma-informed services recognise customers may have experienced or be experiencing trauma, such as family and domestic violence, and respond to each person with sensitivity and respect.
Those providing trauma-informed services understand customers might be fearful or mistrustful of services.

It’s therefore important to help customers feel safe when they deal with services.
Some ways a service provider can help customers feel safe include: Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission • • • reducing the number of times they have to tell their story making sure they have a safe space where they can talk about their concerns giving them clear information about the services available • empowering them to make their own decisions, rather than telling them what to do.
Technology-facilitated abuse Technology-facilitated abuse is using technology to control, threaten or harass another person.

This can include sending someone abusive text messages, stalking them through social media or surveillance devices, and sharing private photos of them without their consent.

The impacts of this abuse on the person affected are huge.

For example, a person whose violent ex-partner is stalking them online can be in constant fear for their safety.
We will work with the community and government to better support customers.

The support we provide is important for people affected by family and domestic violence.

We recognise this must complement the support other organisations provide.

Our referral partners and local, state and national community service providers work alongside us to make the changes that need to happen to transform attitudes and end family and domestic violence.
Other levels of government also help us address family and domestic violence.

Sharing our approach to family and domestic violence with these groups, learning from their expertise, and uniting with them against family and domestic violence, will lead to better support for our customers.

We will: Strategic goal Suggested actions for Services Australia Previous EJA recommendations • work together with the community, across government and with our customers to drive cultural change.
• share our communication materials, including the ‘enough’ branding, across government.

We want the government, in one voice, to declare: ‘Family and domestic violence: It’s time to say enough’.

• work together with external services to place customers at the centre of our approach and to make sure services and support are accessible, timely and useful.
• Develop a mechanism for coordinating interdepartmental work on reform of law, policy and service delivery to improve support to DFV victims, which provides central contact point for consultation with community organisations and DFV service providers including CALD and Indigenous organisations • Identify KPIs to drive performance and measure success against the strategy, including performance benchmarks and regular outcome reporting Report Recommendation 32: That DHS and the DSS develop transparent and accessible mechanisms to address the impact of family and domestic violence on social security entitlements, including designated family and domestic violence policy and programme specialists, and a mechanism coordinating interdepartmental work on this issue.
Submission Recommendation C: That performance measurement benchmarks be inserted into the Services Australia Family and Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission • See above recommendations regarding consultations with community peaks and establishment of an expert DFV community reference group, including ANROWS representation • champion the government’s national family and domestic violence agenda.
• work with our referral partners to connect customers affected by family and domestic violence to the support they need, when they need it.

• find new referral partners to provide a range of support options for all customers.

• share our data and insights about family and domestic violence with other areas of government when it’s appropriate.

Domestic Violence Strategy, and action plans under the National Plan, and that a system of regular outcome reporting be instituted for each.
Report Recommendation 33: That DHS develops key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure implementation of, and performance against, the Family and Domestic Violence Strategy.

Submission Recommendation F: That Services Australia institute a regular consultation and feedback loop between Centrelink offices and local community organisations regarding service adaptations in relation to DFV, including Indigenous and CALD community organisations.
Family and domestic violence myths • • • • The person experiencing violence should just leave.

False.

There are many reasons why a person may be unable to ‘just leave’.

A person is often at greater risk of harm if they do leave: the violence may not stop simply because they’re no longer living with the perpetrator.

The person experiencing violence might not be able to support themselves financially.

Or, perhaps they want to stay to keep the family together or because they hope the abuse might stop.
Most importantly, the responsibility to stop the violence always lies with the perpetrator.

All people have a right to live without violence.

If the person doesn’t leave, the violence can’t be that bad.

False.

No form of violence is acceptable.

Also, the violence might be so bad that it’s too dangerous to leave.

People who stay in family or domestic violence situations often correctly predict the violence will increase if they leave.
The person experiencing the violence must be doing something to cause it.

False.

The perpetrator chooses to be violent.

Often, the person experiencing the violence is trying desperately to avoid doing anything to ‘trigger’ the violence.

The perpetrator is always responsible for the violence.

We should never blame the person experiencing it.

A certain type of person is more likely to be abused.

False.

Family and domestic violence doesn’t discriminate.

Anybody can be affected.


Family and domestic violence affects all sections of the community.

Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission • If there’s no physical evidence, it’s not abuse.

False.

Psychological and emotional abuse, such as coercive, controlling behaviour and verbal abuse, are just as destructive as physical abuse and can impact people for the rest of their lives.

• Children aren’t really impacted if they witness family and domestic violence.
False.

Witnessing family and domestic violence can be extremely traumatic for children.

Exposing children to abusive behaviour is in itself considered family and domestic violence.

We will take care of ourselves and each other.

Safety underpins everything we do at Services Australia.

We connect Australians to the services they need, and we take this role seriously.

We make sure our workplaces are safe and supportive for all.
We want to encourage our staff to talk about their concerns if they’re affected by family and domestic violence and to ask for help if they need it.

We will: • encourage our staff to talk about their concerns.

We’ll make sure we openly acknowledge the work we do can be difficult in our induction and management processes.
• support our staff with effective training and updated reference materials so they can look after their own wellbeing when helping customers affected by or perpetrating family and domestic violence.

• support our staff who are affected by family and domestic violence.

We’ll behave consistently and sensitively and give all staff access to training and information.
• make sure staff affected by family and domestic violence know about existing staff entitlements, such as flexible working arrangements and the leave they can use.

• make sure safety measures are in place so staff affected by family and domestic violence are safe at work.

• maintain our dedicated contact line for staff affected by family and domestic violence.

• make sure staff and managers know about the support available through the Employee Assistance Program.
• improve staff awareness of the supports available to them by continuing our targeted family and domestic violence awareness activities.

• support our family and domestic violence senior leaders to promote the family and domestic violence assistance available for staff and customers.

• help our managers increase their skills, through effective training and updated reference materials.
We want them to provide consistent, high-quality support to their staff—for example, telling staff about how they can ask for advice on safety matters.

12899.2004 Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 95 - Supplementary Submission