The Family and Domestic Violence System Reform Plan was released by Government on April 26, 2024. The Plan was a direct outcome of the Family and Domestic Violence Taskforce, convened after crisis talks in November 2023.
The System Reform Plan comprises 17 reform actions across four key pillars:
- Risk assessment
- Risk management
- Information sharing
- Workforce development.
Developed in consultation with lived experience advocates and stakeholders across Government, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and the community sector, the System Reform Plan seeks to create a more unified system and service response that is easier for victim-survivors to navigate, and more effective at managing risk posed by perpetrators of violence. This can be achieved through improved coordinated and collective action.
The System Reform Plan will be implemented over five years with a phased approach. This timeframe recognises the high level of dependency between the actions, where delivery of some activities require formative scoping and design work to occur first.
Initiatives that have funding in 2024-25, or a clear deliverable for Government in relation to a decision or budget process, have been prioritised for immediate action in the first year. Funded actions – that do not relate to direct service provision – include:
- Establishing a dedicated family and domestic violence workforce entity
- Developing a family and domestic violence workforce capability framework
- Developing an Aboriginal family and domestic violence risk assessment tool
- Creating a of a whole of system standard for identifying, assessing and managing risk
- Support for better information sharing within existing legal frameworks
- Designing a trial of victim survivor advocates in the Justice System
- Considering/consulting on a dedicated disclosure scheme for victim-survivors
- Enhancing information sharing between specialist family and domestic violence services, including:
- sector consultation and engagement process to inform enhancements to the Specialist Homelessness Information Platform (SHIP)
- updating the SHIP platform and enable information sharing
- enhancing information sharing between specialist services to support the Central Information Point
- Completing a program of work to identify gaps and evidence of the demand, unmet need and a profile of ‘what works’ for the safety and recovery of children and young people
- Consulting on and designing safe accommodation initiatives
- Development of a perpetrator data linkage project.
The State Government has approved formation of an Implementation Oversight Group to drive and oversight implementation. The Oversight Group will include eight representatives from the following Government agencies:
- Department of Communities (co-chair)
- Department of Education
- Department of Justice
- Department of Health
- Department of Treasury
- Department of the Premier and Cabinet
- Western Australian (WA) Police
- Mental Health Commission.
There will be up to five non-Government representatives, including Chief Executive Officers, Chairpersons or equivalent from:
- Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing (co-chair)
- Stopping Family Violence
- Aboriginal Family Legal Services
- Council of Aboriginal Services WA (or Aboriginal Health Council WA)
- the Chairperson of the Lived Experience Advisory Group.
The Oversight Group will be responsible for driving activity, addressing barriers and creating accountability to implementation timeframes and outcomes. The work in designing and implementing reforms will be managed through Program Working Groups specific to the four pillars of the System Reform Plan. The groups will be responsible for designing and implementing reform actions.
A Lived Experience Advisory Group comprising victim-survivors will provide direct advice to the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence on ways to improve responses to family and domestic violence. Work priorities for the LEAG are organised around an agreed annual workplan and will align with some key elements of the System Reform Plan. The Oversight Group and Program Working Groups will seek advice from the LEAG to inform implementation of the System Reform Plan as required.
The initiatives determined as the highest priority for implementation are:
- FDV Workforce Entity
- Workforce Capability Framework
- Aboriginal Family Violence Risk Assessment Tool
- Common Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework review (CRARMF)
- Information Sharing Guidelines.
Two of the high priority initiatives are now open for tender on Tenders WA:
Aboriginal Family Violence Risk Assessment Tool
The Aboriginal Family Violence Risk Assessment Tool went live on Tenders WA on June 18, 2024. The Department of Communities is seeking an Aboriginal consultant, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation or Aboriginal Registered Business, to develop a dedicated, culturally appropriate family violence risk assessment tool, including practice guidance, to use with Aboriginal people across the service system. An online non-mandatory briefing session will be conducted using Microsoft Teams on Wednesday, June 26 2024 at 11am to 11.30am. Please confirm your attendance by no later than 5:00pm on Monday, June 24 2024 to FDV.Taskforce@communities.wa.gov.au.
Common Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (CRARMF)
The Common Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework went live on Tenders WA on June 18, 2024. The Department of Communities is seeking a consultant to produce an updated and contemporised CRARMF (including the overarching framework, tools and guidance) incorporating findings from the current state analysis and ongoing stakeholder engagement. An online non-mandatory briefing session will be conducted using Microsoft Teams on Friday, June 28 2024 at 11am to 11.30am. Please confirm your attendance by no later than 5:00pm on Wednesday, June 26 2024 to FDV.Taskforce@communities.wa.gov.au
Key documents
Family and Domestic Violence System Reform Plan (one page overview)
