Routine screening for family violence in all public antenatal settings

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing continues to work with Family Safety Victoria and public maternity and newborn services to plan for the implementation of routine screening in accordance with the updated Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM) and practice guidance (Recommendation 1).

This work includes partnering with the Strengthening Hospitals Response to Family Violence initiative in the development and implementation of MARAM-aligned training and resources for antenatal staff, ensuring frontline midwives and doctors can begin and sustain screening for family violence during pregnancy.

Public health services were prescribed under the Family Violence and Information Sharing schemes (FVISS) in April 2021. With access to the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM) and practice guidance, public maternity service providers have also been supported to access training and resources for the implementation of routine screening for family violence, in alignment with MARAM. This, along with updates to the Birthing Outcomes System, used by most Victorian maternity services, is ensuring the use of common screening questions and consistent referral pathways to the right services and support.

The Victorian Government is implementing the MARAM Framework and practice guidance in conjunction with the FVISS. Health services were prescribed under this legislation from June 2021.

Antenatal workforces will have access to training and resources for the implementation of routine screening for family violence, in alignment with the MARAM, prior to commencement of the schemes in health services in mid-2021.

This will ensure the use of common screening questions and consistent referral pathways to the right services and support. Implementation of the recommendation now sees all public antenatal workforces routinely screening for family violence from June 2021.

Implemented