Building the evidence

The scale of The Orange Door reform has meant that it has been an iterative process, with its initial design focusing on establishing a foundational service model which would be continually improved and expanded upon using insights gained through the ongoing statewide implementation.

Key learnings from staff, clients and stakeholder feedback, internal operations reviews, independent evaluations, and the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office audit have also contributed to the continuous improvement activities currently underway.

A key priority is completing the recommendations from Victorian Auditor-General’s Office report on Managing Support and Safety Hubs released in May 2020 including:

  • delivering the plan to full concept for The Orange Door network
  • revising the Integrated Practice Framework in conjunction with sector stakeholders, Aboriginal communities and people with lived experience
  • providing an updated induction program for Orange Door network staff
  • commencing delivery of cultural safety training for Orange Door network staff
  • standardising the approach to child well-being assessments
  • developing a demand management framework and enhanced demand management monitoring
  • developing a performance monitoring framework to support Hub Leadership Groups in their governance role
  • designing and developing improvements to capture data on quality, timeliness, outcomes and clients awaiting a response from external service (to be finalised by December 2022).

These will result in better client outcomes through improved practice, management, monitoring and governance oversight.

Other priorities include:

  • Enhancing service connections, responses and accessibility for individuals of any age, gender, ability, sex, sexuality, culture or religion, including through the implementation of the Inclusion Action Plan for The Orange Door network.
  • Establishing three Aboriginal Access points by December 2022 and strengthening Aboriginal inclusion, access, and safety through the implementation of the Aboriginal Inclusion Action Plan and strengthening cultural safety in The Orange Door network program.
  • Conducting an evaluation of The Orange Door network, which will commence in 2022 and will be informed by those with experience of The Orange Door network’s services.

Work to build The Orange Door network evidence base will be supported by cross government focus on coordinating and expanding research, data and evaluation activities as detailed in the Family Violence Rolling Action Plan 2020-2023. This work program acknowledges that improving the quality, availability and use of data is key to driving continuous improvement and underpins effective research and evaluation.

Updated