Victoria government logo

The family violence and broader workforce across the system are skilled, capable and reflect the communities they serve

Indicator: Increase workforce diversity

Measure: Number/proportion of workforce who identify as from a priority community – ATSI, CALD, LGBTIQ+, disability

The Royal Commission highlighted the lack of detailed knowledge and essential workforce data about family violence workers in Victoria.

To address this gap, we undertake the family violence workforce census every two years. The census collects data and information about family violence workforces.

The following indicators and measures use the survey results from the 2019–20 census. Subsequent results will be compared with these to identify any progress made.

In 2019–20, most family violence workers identified as female (85–87 per cent), with 1 per cent identifying as non-binary (self-described).

Between 7 per cent and 13 per cent of the specialist family violence response and primary prevention workforces are classified as having a disability. This means they experience difficulties or restrictions which affect their participation in work activities.

Between 3–4 per cent of workers identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Between 6–7 per cent of workers spoke languages other than English at home.

Family violence workforce diversity 2019–20: specialist family violence response workforce

Priority community Number of responses Total responses to questions Proportion of workforce responses
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander 41 1,357 3%
Person with a disability (This refers to people who experience difficulties or restrictions which affect their participation in work activities) 94 1,366 7%
Speaks a language other than English at home 97 1,384 7%
Uses their culture or faith-based knowledge and experience in undertaking their work 478 1,196 40%
Born outside of Australia 273 1,363 20%
Self-described gender 14 1,374 1%
Age 55-74 278 1,391 20%

Source: Family Violence Workforce Census 2019–20

Family violence workforce diversity 2019–20: primary prevention workforce

Priority community Number of responses Total responses to questions Proportion of responses
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander 17 435 4%
Person with a disability (This refers to people who experience difficulties or restrictions which affect their participation in work activities) 56 429 13%
Speaks a language other than English at home 26 437 6%
Uses their culture or faith-based knowledge and experience in undertaking their work 135 387 35%
Born outside of Australia 86 431 20%
Self-described gender 4 438 1%
Age 55-74 107 445 24%

Source: Family Violence Workforce Census 2019–20

  • These explanatory notes are for all tables under the measure 'Number/proportion of workforce who identify as from a priority community – ATSI, CALD, LGBTIQ+, disability'.

    Source

    Data for this measure is from the Family Safety Victoria, Family Violence Workforce Census reports including the:

    • 2019–20 census of workforces that intersect with family violence: Survey Findings Report – Specialist Family Violence Response Workforce, available here

    • 2019–20 census of workforces that intersect with family violence: Survey Findings Report – Primary Prevention Workforce, available here.

    Definition

    Numerator – Number of workers who indicated ‘yes’ to relevant survey question.

    Denominator – Total worker responses for survey question, by workforce type.

    Time period

    The included data covered the 2019-20 report only.

    Data details

    Specialist family violence workforce includes:

    • those who work directly with victim survivors, perpetrators, or cases of family violence as a family violence response specialist

    • those who work directly with family violence response specialists as a manager, supervisor or trainer; or in a capacity building, policy or practice development role.

    Example roles: family violence or justice case manager, family violence outreach, refuge worker, counsellor / phone support, crisis worker, men’s behaviour change practitioner or case manager, RAMP Coordinator, intake or enhanced intake, sexual assault worker, family violence court practitioner or court registrar, etc.

    Primary prevention includes:

    • those who work to prevent family violence through systemic / organisational / community level initiatives.

    Example roles: family violence primary prevention officer or practitioner, family violence or respectful relationships educator, gender equity officer, prevention of violence against women officer, family violence health promotion officer, manager or trainer of primary prevention officers or practitioners, etc.

    Survey Coordinators were carefully recruited to ensure good coverage of all areas of the workforces that intersect with family violence in Victoria. Coordinators were asked to either email the survey link directly to their contacts, or act as an intermediary, by asking their contacts to share the link to relevant cohorts within their extended network. A total of 22 Survey Coordinators assisted in promoting and disseminating the census across the three workforces.

    Data quality and caveats

    A census was also undertaken in 2017, however many of the survey questions had changed and were not comparable.

    Full / Partial / Proxy / Ideal

    Partial – data reported is reflective only of the family violence workforce who participated in the Family Violence Workforce Census and responded to the relevant question reflected in this data.

Indicator: Increase workforce skills and capabilities

Measure: Number/proportion of workforce who report confidence they have enough training and experience to perform their role effectively

Many workforces that intersect with family violence – including in mainstream and universal services – require training to build the family violence prevention and response capability across the system.

We have heard through our engagement with family violence practitioners that there is a strong association between receiving training in family violence or primary prevention and feeling confident to identify and respond to those experiencing family violence.1

Accordingly, this training is fundamental to the success of the family violence reforms, particularly The Orange Door, the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme and the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) framework.

In the 2019–20 Family Violence Workforce Census, at least half of the family violence workforce (61 per cent for specialist family violence response and 50 per cent for primary prevention) felt very to extremely confident in their level of training and experience to complete their role.

The survey identified that confidence rose with age and years of experience.

The top-two identified areas for additional support required to increase confidence for both cohorts were:

  • further information sharing and collaboration with other service providers
  • a community of practice for each cohort.

Family violence workforce confidence in level of training and experience 2019–20: specialist family violence response workforce (total responses 1,486)

Confidence rating Number of responses Proportion of responses
Extremely confident 178 12%
Very confident 728 49%
Moderately confident 446 30%
Slightly confident 104 7%
Not confident 15 1%

Source: Family Violence Workforce Census, 2019–20

Family violence workforce confidence in level of training and experience 2019–20: primary prevention workforce (total responses 463)

Confidence rating Number of responses Proportion of responses
Extremely confident 60 13%
Very confident 171 37%
Moderately confident 171 37%
Slightly confident 46 10%
Not confident 19 4%

Source: Family Violence Workforce Census, 2019–20

  • These explanatory notes are for all tables under the measure 'Number/proportion of workforce who report confidence they have enough training and experience to perform their role effectively'.

    Source

    Data for this measure is from the Family Safety Victoria, Family Violence Workforce Census reports including the:

    • 2019-–20 census of workforces that intersect with family violence: Survey Findings Report – Specialist Family Violence Response Workforce, available here

    • 2019–20 census of workforces that intersect with family violence: Survey Findings Report – Primary Prevention Workforce, available here.

    Definition

    Numerator – Number of workers who indicated ‘yes’ to relevant survey question.

    Denominator – Total worker responses for survey question, by workforce type.

    Time period

    The included data covered the 2019-20 report only.

    Data details

    Specialist family violence workforce includes:

    • those who work directly with victim survivors, perpetrators, or cases of family violence as a family violence response specialist

    • those who work directly with family violence response specialists as a manager, supervisor or trainer; or in a capacity building, policy or practice development role.

    Example roles: family violence or justice case manager, family violence outreach, refuge worker, counsellor / phone support, crisis worker, men’s behaviour change practitioner or case manager, RAMP Coordinator, intake or enhanced intake, sexual assault worker, family violence court practitioner or court registrar, etc.

    Primary prevention includes:

    • those who work to prevent family violence through systemic / organisational / community level initiatives.

    Example roles: family violence primary prevention officer or practitioner, family violence or respectful relationships educator, gender equity officer, prevention of violence against women officer, family violence health promotion officer, manager or trainer of primary prevention officers or practitioners, etc.

    Survey Coordinators were carefully recruited to ensure good coverage of all areas of the workforces that intersect with family violence in Victoria. Coordinators were asked to either email the survey link directly to their contacts, or act as an intermediary, by asking their contacts to share the link to relevant cohorts within their extended network. A total of 22 Survey Coordinators assisted in promoting and disseminating the census across the three workforces.

    Data quality and caveats

    A census was also undertaken in 2017, however many of the survey questions had changed and were not comparable.

    Full / Partial / Proxy / Ideal

    Partial – data reported is reflective only of the family violence workforce who participated in the Family Violence Workforce Census and responded to the relevant question reflected in this data.

Indicator: Increase in health, safety and wellbeing of the family violence workforce

Work-related stress can lead to burnout (prolonged physical and psychological exhaustion).

This affects workers in ways including:

  • physical and emotional stress
  • low job satisfaction
  • feeling frustrated by or judgemental of clients
  • feeling under pressure, powerless and overwhelmed
  • frequent sick or mental health days
  • irritability and anger.

Family violence workforce work-related stress 2019–20: specialist family violence response workforce

Work-related stress level Number of workers Proportion of workforce responses
None 14 1%
Low 303 21%
Moderate 649 45%
High 332 23%
Very high 116 8%
Severe 29 2%
Total 1,443 100%

Feels safe performing role Number of workers Proportion of workforce responses
Always or often 1,213 85%
Sometimes or less often 214 15%
Total 1,427 100%

Source: Family Violence Workforce Census, 2019-20

Family violence workforce work-related stress 2019–20: primary prevention workforce

Work-related stress level Number of workers Proportion of workforce responses
None 5 1%
Low 105 23%
Moderate 206 45%
High 92 20%
Very high 41 9%
Severe 9 2%
Total 458 100%

Feels safe performing role Number of workers Proportion of workforce responses
Always or often 397 88%
Sometimes or less often 54 12%
Total 451 100%

Source: Family Violence Workforce Census, 2019-20

Most workers in both the specialist family violence response and primary prevention workforces experience at least moderate stress, with approximately one-third experiencing at least high levels of stress.

High workload is the key driver of high, very high and severe levels of stress in these workforces. Half the cohort reports that they only sometimes have sufficient time to complete tasks.

Positively, over 75 per cent are satisfied to very satisfied with their current role. Nearly all workers felt their work made a moderate to significant difference to people affected by family violence.

Satisfaction with role and perceived impact of work (combined specialist family violence and primary prevention workforce) – 2019–20

The data in this graphic is discussed in the preceding paragraphs.
Source: Family Violence Workforce Census, 2019–20
Satisfaction with role and perceived impact of work (combined specialist family violence and primary prevention workforce) – 2019–20
Satisfaction and perceived positive impact of work Agree Other response
Satisfied or very satisfied with current role 76% 24%
Work makes at least a moderate difference to people impacted by family violence 98% 2%
Download graph
  • These explanatory notes are for all graphs and tables under the measure 'Number/proportion of workforce who report work-related stress'.

    Source

    Data for this measure is from the Family Safety Victoria, Family Violence Workforce Census reports including the:

    • 2019–20 census of workforces that intersect with family violence: Survey Findings Report – Specialist Family Violence Response Workforce, available here

    • 2019–20 census of workforces that intersect with family violence: Survey Findings Report – Primary Prevention Workforce, available here.

    Definition

    Numerator – Number of workers who indicated ‘yes’ to relevant survey question.

    Denominator – Total worker responses for survey question, by workforce type.

    Time period

    The included data covered the 2019-20 report only.

    Data details

    Specialist family violence workforce includes:

    • those who work directly with victim survivors, perpetrators, or cases of family violence as a family violence response specialist

    • those who work directly with family violence response specialists as a manager, supervisor or trainer; or in a capacity building, policy or practice development role

    Example roles: family violence or justice case manager, family violence outreach, refuge worker, counsellor / phone support, crisis worker, men’s behaviour change practitioner or case manager, RAMP Coordinator, intake or enhanced intake, sexual assault worker, family violence court practitioner or court registrar, etc.

    Primary prevention includes:

    • those who work to prevent family violence through systemic / organisational / community level initiatives

    Example roles: family violence primary prevention officer or practitioner, family violence or respectful relationships educator, gender equity officer, prevention of violence against women officer, family violence health promotion officer, manager or trainer of primary prevention officers or practitioners, etc.

    Survey Coordinators were carefully recruited to ensure good coverage of all areas of the workforces that intersect with family violence in Victoria. Coordinators were asked to either email the survey link directly to their contacts, or act as an intermediary, by asking their contacts to share the link to relevant cohorts within their extended network. A total of 22 Survey Coordinators assisted in promoting and disseminating the Census across the three workforces.

    Data quality and caveats

    A census was also undertaken in 2017, however many of the survey questions had changed and were not comparable.

    Full / Partial / Proxy / Ideal

    Partial – data reported is reflective only of the family violence workforce who participated in the Family Violence Workforce Census and responded to the relevant question reflected in this data.


Notes

1Family Safety Victoria 2019, Building from strength: 10-year industry plan for family violence prevention and response, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne.

Reviewed 14 April 2022

Was this page helpful?