What is the WRS Domestic Violence program?

Our program aims to enhance the safety and well-being of women and their children, by providing free and confidential crisis support and safety planning.

Women are entitled to 6 hour-long sessions in any of the four locations: Bangalow, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads.

Women are also entitled to 30-minute telephone appointments, which can be booked ahead.

What is our work practice?

1. Using a rights-based approach

Women are actively encouraged to identify the assistance they need from us to facilitate support. We are able to explore concerns, ‘open up options, to help clients expand their choices, or to help them become free to consider multiple paths.' (Dubois 2005)

By providing information to further a woman's understanding of her rights and available options, a worker can enhance a woman's ability to make informed decisions.

2. Validating Strengths

Validation of women's experiences is a key aspect of our support. We use strategic questioning to encourage recognition of the strengths, resources and spirit of women.

We are able to provide women with information about the nature and dynamics of domestic violence and ensure that women understand that responsibility for violence rests with the perpetrator. We have knowledge and understanding of the complex range of issues associated with domestic violence including the effects of trauma, and an understanding of issues facing a diverse range of women and the barriers they face in gaining support.

We support the empowerment of women by:

• assisting women to reframe their experiences and identify the problem-solving strategies and resourcefulness they have demonstrated;
• assisting women to recognize their own strengths, rather than focusing on their problems which obscures their personal potential;
• framing issues in terms of challenges rather than problems, as the focus on challenges implies the potential for overcoming obstacles;
• using open-ended questions with a solution focus, thereby facilitating a woman's exploration of options rather than providing advice or entering into a psychodynamic approach.

3. Risk Assessment and Safety Planning

Risk assessment and safety planning is central to the work of the domestic violence program. We take a consistent approach to risk assessment and safety planning, assisting women to make informed decisions regarding their safety.

Risk assessment is undertaken to identify factors which may jeopardise women's physical, emotional and/or psychological safety. (WRS currently uses DVIRC telephone risk assessments and GCDVP formats)

Risk assessment considers the risks posed by forms of abuse other than physical violence, and reflects an understanding of the nature and dynamics of family violence. Risk assessment never assumes that women's lives are made safer or better by leaving the relationship. (Laing 2001)

A safety plan is developed based upon these identified factors, and that builds upon the resources and experiences of the woman and is informed by the knowledge of the program.

Risk assessment and safety planning is undertaken with women on an ongoing basis.

4. Referrals

a) referral out

Referral is an extension of assessment and is made to:

• assist women to address the issues they have identified in their safety plan; and/or
• address issues identified by a woman that exceed the knowledge, expertise or boundaries of the domestic violence program.

An active, client-driven approach is taken in regard to referrals. Active referral involves facilitating the referral in accordance with assessed need, and encouraging the woman to feel confident and capable to make the referral herself.

We may offer to contact an agency on her behalf, but where this call is not made in the woman's presence, we will obtain signed consent to disclose information. Referral is made in accordance with the woman's wishes and, except where there are duty of care obligations, referral is at all times voluntary.

b) referral in

We prefer women to refer themselves to our program, for a number of reasons:

• it gives the woman the opportunity to choose how and what she presents to the service, and
• is generally regarded as ‘best practice' to enhance a woman's safety (because she can choose to ring when she is able to speak freely), and
• informs us that she is voluntarily making contact.

Other agencies are encouraged to alert us to referrals they have made to our program, encourage women to phone in their presence,
or indicate the circumstances for our program making first contact.

We are open to meet with agencies wanting to discuss protocols, and potentially joint case management processes.

5. Collaboration with police

The Domestic violence program actively encourages and supports police referral.

To increase the safety of women and children, we as domestic violence workers and police need opportunities to have a mutual understanding of our roles and responsibilities, that of our organizations, and the policies and procedures that inform our work in this area.

We will be aiming to have regular discussions with police as the program develops and evolves, and referral protocols and issues become more apparent to us and to police.

6. Evaluation and feedback

As this is a new program, we are very interested in feedback and evaluation from agencies and service providers.

If colleagues or clients have complaints about the service, we would like to hear about them. We have a positive attitude to Complaints procedures, seeing them as a mechanism for producing ‘best practice'.

We want the service to evolve to meet the needs of the client group and their advocates, and enhance best possible outcomes for women's
and children's safety.

We look forward to working with you.