Acronyms 1800 RESPECT – National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service CHYPP – Children and Young Persons Program CPS – Child Protection Service CSLS – Court Support and Liaison Service CSRT – Communities, Sport and Recreation Tasmania DHLS – Defendant Health Liaison Service FVCSS – Family Violence Counselling and Support Service FVMS – Family Violence Management System FVO – Family Violence Order FVOIP – Family Violence Offender Intervention Program FVRRL – Family Violence Response and Referral Line ICC – Integrated Case Coordination IDC – Interdepartmental Committee IFVO – Interim Family Violence Order
Steering Committee The Steering Committee has responsibility for the strategic direction of Safe at Home, overall resource distribution and resolving operational matters that cannot be agreed at the Interdepartmental Committee (IDC) level. Members are senior officials from the departments of Justice (Chair); Police and Emergency Management; Health and Human Services; Premier and Cabinet; and Education. Interdepartmental Committee The operational planning and development of Safe at Home has been undertaken by an Interdepartmental Committee (IDC), which is chaired by the Department of Justice. The IDC has a broad based membership including representatives from the departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, Police and Emergency Services, Premier and Cabinet, Education, the Magistrates Court, Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Prison Service. The IDC is responsible for service system design and ongoing system monitoring and improvement. Regional Coordinating Committees The IDC is supported by Regional Coordinating Committees (RCCs) which have a role in coordinating activities in each region and reporting any unresolved policy or system design matters to the IDC. The RCC’s include similar membership as the IDC with the addition of other agencies such as those responsible for housing or mental health (note that there are regional differences in the attendance of these agencies). The RCCs also have a charter to develop and foster ongoing relationships with relevant non-government services in their region in order to achieve improved information flow and better coordinated services for victims and offenders at the local level. Integrated Case Coordination A key feature of the Safe at Home service response is integrated case coordination. Integrated case coordination was introduced in recognition of the fact that no one service can manage all of the risk and safety issues associated with a Safe at Home case. Integrated Case Coordination (ICC) meetings are held on a weekly in each of the four Police districts throughout the State. Integrated case coordination is a systematic and holistic approach to coordinating interventions to address the risk and safety needs of Safe at Home clients across professional and agency boundaries. It aims to maximise the efficient use of available resources in order to produce better outcomes for clients through a ‘seamless’ service delivery system.
assessing applications to vary PFVOs; conducting safety audits, preparing safety plans and implementing security upgrades where appropriate; managing offenders at large (ensuring enquiries are conducted to locate offenders and ensure the safety of the victim until this is achieved); investigating breaches of protective orders; oversighting the use and application of the initial risk assessment process ie RAST; ensuring the development of a safety plan which may include strategies to enable the victim to remain in their own home; and gathering evidence to support the of offenders. Police Prosecutions Six specialist police prosecutor positions are funded under Safe At Home to provide better quality information to the courts, including information that enable the courts to assess the risk and safety aspects of family violence matters and the patterns of violence that exist in certain families. Police Safe at Home Coordinator The Safe at Home Coordinator for the Department of Police and Emergency Management is attached to the Executive Support Command. The following functions are the responsibility of the Safe at Home Coordinator (Sergeant), Legislation Development and Review Services: identification of statewide family violence trends and issues; monitoring statewide training and development needs and district training programs; stakeholder engagement, including government and non-government agencies on matters relative to family violence; preparation and delivery of authorised officer training, record maintenance and gazette notices; community programs, events and presentations (eg White Ribbon Day coordination); liaison with external agencies regarding offender management programs; liaison with external agencies regarding affected interventions and management; management of family violence information technology requirements including the FVMS and Tasmania Police system integration with the Safe at Home Information Management System (SIMS); and monitoring of FVMS coronial matters relevant outcomes/findings. Family Argument and Family Violence Incident Definition Family Argument A dispute between two persons, in a family relationship, family violence as defined in Section 7 of the Family Violence Act 2004 has not, and is not likely, to be committed. No further action is required in these cases. Family Violence Incident Defined in Section 7 of the Family Violence Act 2004 as: assault, including sexual assault; threats, coercion, intimidation or verbal abduction; stalking; attempting or threatening to commit any of the above; economic abuse;