The Victorian Government proudly acknowledges Victorian Aboriginal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Owners and custodians of the land and water on which we rely. We acknowledge and respect that Aboriginal communities are steeped in traditions and customs built on an incredibly disciplined social and cultural order. This social and cultural order has sustained up to 50,000 years of existence. We acknowledge the ongoing leadership role of the Aboriginal community in addressing and preventing family violence and join with our First Peoples to eliminate family violence from all communities..

The Victorian Government has committed to implementing all 227 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence and to delivering on the vision described in Roadmap for Reform: Strong Families, Safe Children.

A key recommendation of the royal commission and the Roadmap for Reform was to establish a network of Support and Safety Hubs (‘Hubs’) across Victoria to provide a new way for women, children and young people experiencing family violence, and families in need of support with the care, development and wellbeing of children and young people, to access coordinated support from community, health and justice services.

The Hubs are known as The Orange Door. They are accessible, safe and welcoming to people, providing quick and simple access to the support and safety they need. The Orange Door focuses on perpetrators of family violence, to keep them in view and to connect them to services that assist in holding them accountable for their actions and changing their behaviour.

Ending family violence: Victoria’s plan for change, released in November 2016, sets out the Victorian Government’s commitment to establish The Orange Door across all 17 Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) areas by 2021. The Orange Door is central to Victoria’s approach to addressing family violence and to ensuring child safety and wellbeing. The Orange Door also forms a critical part of the broader service system response.

The Support and Safety Hubs: Statewide Concept (‘the Statewide Concept’), released in July 2017, described the intent, scope, key functions and roles of The Orange Door and how it contributes to the vision and aspirations of Victoria’s plan for change and the Roadmap for Reform.

Family Safety Victoria (FSV) oversees the establishment of The Orange Door and provides local leadership, facilitation, oversight and infrastructure management in collaboration with Local Hub Establishment Groups, Hub Leadership Groups and Hub Operational Leadership Groups, who lead the implementation and management of The Orange Door in each area.

The Orange Door commenced in Mallee, Barwon, Bayside Peninsula, North Eastern Melbourne and Inner Gippsland areas in 2018. The Orange Door is being established in Goulburn, Central Highlands and Loddon areas, and over time will operate in all seventeen DHHS areas.

The Orange Door branding

The public branding of the Support and Safety Hubs is The Orange Door. ‘The Orange Door’ and ‘Support and Safety Hub’ terms are used interchangeably across policy and communication materials

The specifications make clear the expectations of providers with respect to the service model and include the operating context, key objectives and deliverables, minimum expectations, quality requirements and critical data collection and performance frameworks to which service providers must comply.

The first version of the service specifications related to the establishment phase of The Orange Door in the first five areas. This second version reflects changes to the branding of the Hubs that are now known as The Orange Door, implementation of the Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework and changes to legislation and information sharing schemes.

Purpose

The service specifications underpin the service agreements that form the legally binding document that holds service providers accountable. The service agreement and related schedules provide the legal and mandatory compliance requirements for departmental funding. The service agreement, minimum service delivery targets and related schedules remain binding.

The service agreements outline the respective contribution of agencies to achieving service targets outlined in the State Budget. This includes targets across three key areas:

• Support and Safety Hubs - Service delivery (activity number 38010)
• Support and Safety Hubs - Integrated practice support (activity number 38011)
• Support and Safety Hubs - Flexible funding and brokerage (activity number 38012)

These service specifications include guidance on monitoring expectations intended to complement reporting requirements detailed within the service agreements. These expectations focus on evidence that provide early insight into the performance of The Orange Door, and its’ interactions with the broader service system as described in the service model.

Tools and processes will be developed including a performance framework, an approach to outcomes measurement and monitoring within The Orange Door, and a methodology for capturing client experiences. Development of these tools and processes is ongoing and described in more detail in Appendix 1.

These service specifications are supported by The Orange Door service model, partnership agreements, an interim integrated practice framework and operational guidelines, described below and other key documents.

Service model

The Orange Door service model sets out the foundational model rolled out from day one at The Orange Door in the first five areas – Barwon, Mallee, North East Melbourne, Bayside Peninsula and Inner Gippsland and incorporates the evolution and changes to the service model over the first year. Given the phased approach to implementing The Orange Door and the evolving nature of the design process, certain elements of this service model will continue to change over time. The role and operation of The Orange Door is not static or fixed at one point in time. Future developments in the service model will continue to be set at the statewide level, informed by local practice and experience.

The Orange Door service model describes the processes and functions of The Orange Door in stages – from access and assessment, to response and review. However, it is recognised that because experiences of family violence or child and family vulnerability are not linear, and risk is dynamic, delivery of The Orange Door functions is not linear, and people accessing The Orange Door experience the service in different ways that may not represent a step-by-step process. The Orange Door functions are part of an ongoing and dynamic process of engagement, assessment, planning, response and review. People connect with or leave The Orange Door at different points.

Partnership agreement

A partnership agreement within The Orange Door in each area, involving government and The Orange Door organisations, lays the foundation for collective leadership of The Orange Door. This creates a legal mechanism across the organisations and key government agencies within The Orange Door to embed collective leadership, set down a shared vision, goals and actions, support integration of services, formalise governance mechanisms and create a process for dispute resolution.

Interim integrated practice framework

The interim integrated practice framework focuses on the coordinated delivery of The Orange Door functions and aims to establish consistent, strong, integrated and collaborative practice across The Orange Door in each area. It provides the foundation to create a common language, shared understanding and consistent approach to practice within The Orange Door. It ensures that The Orange Door practitioners work well together, know what they are required to do and understand the intended outcome of their practice.

Interim operational procedural guidelines

The interim operational procedural guidelines describe the operating procedures, processes and protocols that safeguard, support and govern the operations of The Orange Door. They provide the foundation to support the safe and secure operations of The Orange Door by ensuring the workforce is equipped in their efforts to avoid, minimise and mitigate any activities that may result in adverse impacts to people, the environment and The Orange Door infrastructure.

Performance monitoring framework

The performance monitoring framework will set out the performance management approach for The Orange Door. It will outline the approach to meeting accountability and reporting requirements and embed the practice of continuous improvement and evidence-based service delivery. The focus of the performance monitoring framework will be on promoting efficiency, effectiveness, safety and quality in delivering the integrated service model of The Orange Door.

All forms of family violence

The Orange Door design uses the broad definition of family violence in the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic). Family violence includes physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic abuse, as well as coercion and control or domination that causes the family member to feel fear for the safety or wellbeing of themselves or another person, and the exposure of these behaviours, or the effects of them, to a child.

The design of The Orange Door also recognises the many relationships in which family violence can occur. These include between spouses or domestic partners and in other intimate personal relationships such as parent–child relationships, child–parent relationships, relationships with elders, siblings and other relatives, and between extended families, kinship networks and in family-like or carer relationships.

DHHS

Refers to the Department of Human and Health Services.

The gendered nature of family violence

The use of gendered language is deliberate. It recognises that most victims of family violence are women, most perpetrators are men, and that violence perpetrated by a man is the most prevalent form of family violence. It recognises that the causes of family violence are complex and include gender inequality and community attitudes towards the roles of women and men in society.

Throughout this document, references are made to ‘women, children and young people’ in relation to people who are victim-survivors of, or at risk of, family violence, and to ‘men’ in relation to people perpetrating violence.

The design of The Orange Door recognises that a gendered understanding of family violence is critical to providing effective services and systems. The design of The Orange Door, and this document, also recognises that victims are not always women or children, that perpetrators are not always men, and that family violence occurs in relationships other than male–female intimate partner relationships. Victims of these forms of family violence face additional barriers to getting help because these other forms of violence are often not recognised or understood. The Orange Door responds to, and links effectively with, services that respond to family violence in all its forms.

References in this document to support for women, children and young people experiencing or at risk of family violence should be understood (unless otherwise specified) to relate also to victims of all forms of family violence. For clarity, specific issues relating to family violence that do not occur in a male–female intimate partner relationship are noted throughout the document.

The Orange Door is for families in need of support

The Orange Door is central to Victoria’s approach to addressing both family violence and children, young people and families in need of support (which may or may not be related to family violence) and forms a critical part of the broader service system response. The design of The Orange Door recognises that family violence and supporting children, young people and families in need are major social challenges for Victoria and core priorities for The Orange Door.

Children, young people and families in need of support are likely to be characterised by:

• multiple risk factors and long-term chronic needs, meaning that children are at high risk of developmental deficits
• children, young people and families who are at high risk of long-term involvement in specialist secondary services
• cycles of disadvantage and poverty resulting in chronic neglect and cumulative harm
• single/definable risk factors that need an individualised, specialised response to ameliorate their circumstances
• single/definable risk factors that may need specialised short-term or episodic assistance to prevent or minimise the escalation of risk

Throughout this document, reference is made to ‘women, children and young people experiencing family violence, and families in need of support with the care, wellbeing and development of children and young people’. In these references, the ordering of different cohorts of people is for simplicity and convenience in a written document only and does not imply a priority or emphasis on either group.

Perpetrator

This is the term used in state and national policy to describe people who use violence. The aim in using this term is to ensure safety and accountability and to end the individual’s use of violence. This term is not limited to people who have been accused or convicted of criminal offences. This term is not meant to define the perpetrator for life; the aim is to end the individual’s use of violence.

Aboriginal

The term ‘Aboriginal’ is inclusive of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Victoria.

CALD

Culturally and linguistically diverse or ‘CALD’ is used to reflect the fact that the Victorian population is ethnically diverse. The Victorian Government is committed to delivering services that meet the needs of people from multicultural communities, including people with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds.

The Orange Door practitioners

Refers to specialist workers within The Orange Door including:

• specialist family violence workers
• men’s family violence workers
• Child FIRST service workers
• Aboriginal practitioners
• senior child protection practitioners
• practice leaders

Home agency

Refers to a staff member’s employer (either DHHS, FSV or a CSO).

The Orange Door is for women and children experiencing family violence and for families in need of support with the care, development and wellbeing of children and provides them with quick and simple access to the support and safety they need. The Orange Door focuses on perpetrators of family violence, to keep them in view and connect them to services that assist in holding them accountable for their actions.

The Orange Door brings together the access points for family violence services, family services and perpetrator/men’s services (referred to as ‘core services’). The Orange Door draws on the strengths of these workforces and develops cross-disciplinary expertise enabling them to establish the risk and needs of different family members, including victims of family violence, families, children and young people, and perpetrators. In providing an integrated assessment of risk and need, The Orange Door equips these core services to respond holistically to individuals and families.

The Orange Door connects people and families to the supports and services they need, including family services, family violence services and men’s/perpetrator services, as well to the broader range of health, justice and community services. It also helps individuals and professionals navigate the broader range of social and justice services.

The Orange Door also provides safe and inclusive services tailored to the needs of Victoria’s diverse community including Aboriginal and CALD communities, the specific needs of people with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse and/or intersex (LGBTI) people, older people, children and young people.

The Orange Door provides welcoming, visible places where people can take a positive step for themselves or their family, seeking assistance and support with their relationships or with the care and developmental needs of children. The Orange Door provides responsive and sensitive services. People are connected to professionals who are well placed to provide support and guidance but also respect the agency of the help-seeker.

Vision

The overarching vision for The Orange Door is that:

All people have a right to live free from violence and intimidation in any form and to grow up within a safe environment that prioritises their needs, stability, development and wellbeing.

The Orange Door has a shared responsibility to promote safety for all individuals and to provide support in meeting the needs of children and young people.

The service model for The Orange Door was developed with the following objectives in mind:

• supporting women, children and families to have a better experience of the service system and improving the way their risk and safety is managed
• responding to families where there is a concern for the wellbeing of children and act in the best interests of children to protect their right to safety, stability and development
• harnessing the strengths of government and non-government agencies to deliver The Orange Door functions
• drawing on the ability of government to support the significant system reform
• utilising the experienced and specialist workforces of local community sector organisations to deliver The Orange Door functions, including initial contact and advice, triaging, crisis responses, risk assessment and safety planning, needs assessment and service planning and allocation, as well as expert advice and capacity building
• delivering an integrated service model and effectively managing the practice and cultural change required
• ensuring The Orange Door is supported by local and collective partnerships across government and non-government agencies and within and across different service sectors
• having a delivery model that gives government and non-government agencies a stake in the success of The Orange Door, supporting collaboration, shared responsibility and mutual accountability
• having clear accountabilities, including a clear process for resolving issues
• ensuring that the transition to the new role of The Orange Door in the system is supported and appropriately phased
• support alignment to the MARAM Framework
• providing guidance to support statewide consistency in delivering services to people experiencing family violence and families in need of support with the care, development and wellbeing of children and young people
• working in partnership to ensure accessibility, responsiveness to diversity and consideration of human rights
• delivering services that meet people’s needs, responding to the issues raised by the Royal Commission into Family Violence and delivering on the vision outlined in Ending family violence: Victoria’s plan for change

Principles

Practice within The Orange Door is informed by the following principles.

Safety and wellbeing are paramount

Promote safety and wellbeing by understanding family violence as a gendered social justice issue and that children need to be protected from harm.

In practice this means:

• The safety and wellbeing of children and victim-survivors of family violence (including children) is our first priority.
• Responses to violence, including risk assessments and support for victim-survivors, must consider the gendered nature of family violence and other social contexts in which family violence manifests.
• We are proactive and vigilant in keeping perpetrators of family violence in view and managing risk to women and children, so it is no longer their responsibility to keep themselves safe.
• We recognise the safety of children and young people is an inalienable right distinct from their parents and/or guardians. Each child has unique needs that is assessed individually.
• We protect children and promote their safety, stability and development.
• The interests of non-offending parents, children and young people are in alignment. Where possible, children or young people should remain with the victim-survivor parent to support safety, stability and healing from the trauma of family violence.
• Intervention is provided as early as possible to reduce risk and mitigate the impact of cumulative harm for victim-survivors.
• Prevention efforts are supported, given the prevalence of violence is affected by gender inequality and community attitudes towards gender roles and norms within society.
• We work with victim-survivors to tailor their safety plans and broader supports (including for children) based on their individual need.
• We undertake multidisciplinary collaboration to provide rapid responses to perpetrators’ use of violence.
• We support children or young people to remain with the protective victim-survivor parent to support safety, stability and healing from the trauma of family violence.

Support agency and empowerment

Believe victim-survivors, support their agency (including as parents) and respect their needs and decisions including with children and young people as appropriate to their age and circumstances.

In practice this means:

• We believe victim-survivors, work at their pace and support their agency so they have choice and control and be transparent with decisions when there is misalignment with their child’s best interests.
• We partner with victim-survivors to assess risk and understand the dynamics of family violence in their circumstances.
• We partner with victim-survivors to develop tailored safety plans and broader supports (including for children) based on individual need.
• We support the agency of victim-survivors (including as parents), children, young people and families and respect their needs, decisions and choices from the first contact and across the continuum of service delivery.
• We engage with children and young people as appropriate to their age and circumstances to understand their experiences, identify their goals and respond to their concerns and priorities.
• We provide age-appropriate information to children and young people about their situation and the possibilities of what will occur in future.
• We update victim-survivors about any systemic responses to their cases such as outcomes from police interventions and court hearings and work to obtain services and address support needs.
• We keep victim-survivors informed about known changes to their risk and provide age-appropriate information to children and young people about their situation and the possibilities of what will occur in future. We support decision making through providing information, time, advocacy and emotional and practical support.
• We strengthen, preserve and promote positive relationships between the child and protective parent and support the child’s relationship with the perpetrator where it’s safe to do so.

Keeping perpetrators accountable to violent and abusive behaviour

Family violence is a crime that is not tolerated, with perpetrators held accountable for their use of violence in any form.

In practice this means:

• Family violence is a violation of human rights and is not tolerated. Perpetrators are held accountable for their use of violence in any form.
• We increase the safety of women and children by supporting men to stop their violent and abusive behaviours.
• We uphold non-collusive practices and hold perpetrators responsible for their use of violence.
• We challenge the attitudes, values and behaviour that underpins either the expression or narrative of violence within families.
• We send clear messages to perpetrators of all forms of family violence that their use of violence is a choice and is unacceptable.
• We participate in multi-agency collaborative practice to provide timely responses to perpetrators’ use of violence to include coordination of justice-based and social service interventions.
• We facilitate perpetrator engagement and provide opportunities for change, including assessing perpetrators’ preparedness for change and connect them to programs to stop or reduce their use of violence and improve parenting.
• We are part of a system-wide approach that collectively creates opportunities for perpetrators’ accountability including as partners and as parents.
• We support prevention and education to promote respectful relationships and gender equality within the community.
• We consider and discuss the impact of the perpetrator’s violence on family functioning and dynamics in all our assessments, planning and referrals beyond The Orange Door and we recognise the strength and resilience of victim-survivors in managing this impact.

Promote self-determination among Aboriginal people

In practice this means:

• We respect Aboriginal self-determination and the sovereignty of Aboriginal people.
• We recognise and embrace the inherent strength and diversity of Aboriginal people, families and communities across Victoria, and support family, community and cultural connections.
• We meet the needs of Aboriginal people aligned with Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way and as described in the following section.

Be accessible and responsive to risk and needs²

In practice this means:

• We demonstrate value and respect for the diversity of children, women, men and families accessing our services.
• We draw on our professional understanding of diverse and intersectional needs to provide accessible and responsive services for everyone.
• We meet the needs of Victoria’s diverse communities guided by Everybody Matters: Inclusion and Equity Statement.

As funded services, providers of The Orange Door also operate in accordance with the broader Department of Health and Human Services values.

The Orange Door is welcoming and located in accessible community locations closely connected to support services. Consistent risk assessment and triage processes assist in keeping people safer, tailoring support and connecting people to the professionals and services within the broader system that can best meet their individual and family needs. Better integration and accountability within the broader service system is also underpinned by strong client management systems and improvements in information sharing.

The Orange Door service model describes the processes and functions of The Orange Door in stages. However, because experiences of family violence or child and family vulnerability are not linear, and risk is dynamic, people accessing The Orange Door experience the service in different ways that may not represent a linear, step-by-step process, and people connect with or leave The Orange Door at different points.

Core components

The Orange Door providers deliver the following core components of the service model.

Access

• Safe, accessible and convenient ways for people (including individuals, families and professionals) to access The Orange Door.
• An equitable service response regardless of the location, method or mode of access.
• Active engagement to increase opportunities for early intervention and to prevent concerns from escalating.

Screening, identification and triage

• Identify the presenting risks and needs with accurate and consistent determination of suitability of The Orange Door services.
• Assist those for whom The Orange Door services are not deemed suitable or where The Orange Door services are unable to be provided.
• Rapid prioritisation of requirements for further actions and responses by The Orange Door.

Assessment and planning

• Gather and analyse relevant information to help identify key risks, needs, high-level goals and preferences of individuals (in the context of their family and community).
• Assess the level of risk and the extent and impact of needs to determine the type, priority and urgency of response.

Connecting people to the right services

• Coordinate the required responses, to incorporate the preferences and requirements of the individual or family, their capacity and capability, the service delivery context (including availability and timeliness) and opportunity for effective intervention.
• Seamlessly transition from assessment and planning to specialist service responses in family violence, family services and perpetrator/men’s services.
• Connect people to community, health and justice services.
• Information and advice to inform next steps.
• Responses to meet immediate risks and needs and reduce harm.
• Interventions to meet emerging needs or risks and maintain engagement with the service system to address more complex issues.

Review and monitoring

• Discover the impact and effectiveness of the intended service response(s) on the person’s or family’s risks and needs with modification of the response(s) where limited effectiveness is identified.

Access and initial contact

To be read in conjunction with the Access section of The Orange Door: service model.

Purpose

People are able to access The Orange Door in ways that are safe, accessible and convenient for them. The Orange Door is accessible through an access network in the relevant area.

This includes:

• telephone and online access
• the primary premises for The Orange Door
• outreach or mobile practitioners who can engage with people where they feel comfortable
• referrals from other professionals and community organisations, including police referrals (L17s)

Requirements

The Orange Door providers:

• facilitate continuous access to The Orange Door from Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm for community members via:
  • telephone, through The Orange Door area-based toll-free number provided by FSV
  • email, through The Orange Door area email provided by FSV
  • physical (‘walk-in’) contact through the primary premises provided by FSV
  • outreach services to individuals or families where it is determined that their capability to travel is limited, where travelling would put their safety at risk and when other attempts to engage the person or family have been unsuccessful
• facilitate continuous access to The Orange Door from Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm for professionals for information, advice and to make referrals via:
  • telephone, through the area-based toll-free number provided by FSV
  • email, through the area based email provided by FSV
  • the L17 portal for police family violence referrals only

In response to referrals from professionals that are screened as eligible for The Orange Door response, providers make more than one valid attempt to directly contact the person or family referred or confirm that an appropriate response has been provided directly to the person by another agency or professional (for example, where the person or family has a current service involvement).

Where there is a concern for the wellbeing of children and risk cannot be reliably assessed without seeing the family but there is a lack of engagement in response to The Orange Door contact, providers seek:

• information from other sources to help ascertain the risk
• to undertake a home visit to the family

In facilitating access to The Orange Door for community members, The Orange Door providers ensure that all staff follow the relevant operational policies and procedures for maintaining worker safety and managing the safety of clients and community members. This includes compliance with:

• DHHS’s critical incident management and reporting instructions.
• FSV’s operational guidelines for building access, security and emergency procedures and preventing and responding to difficult or aggressive behaviour.
• occupational health and safety legislation.

Specifically, The Orange Door providers are required to observe specific guidance regarding perpetrators’ attendance at The Orange Door and the assessment and risk management of worker safety risks, particularly when undertaking outreach or performing The Orange Door duties off site.

The Orange Door providers monitor accessibility by capturing data relevant to:

• access methods
• rates of initial contact by telephone, email and physical presentation
• variations in access, and accessibility by key client demographics
• referral sources by type (for example, self, professional, L17)
• demand and unmet demand, including:
  • the number and proportion of telephone calls and emails answered/responded to
  • the timeliness of responses/calls answered
• critical incidents related to access or safety within The Orange Door (see the ‘Reporting requirements’ section)

Screening, identification and triage

To be read in conjunction with the Screening, identification and triage section of The Orange Door: service model.

Purpose

A range of people contact The Orange Door, including people who need help for themselves and their family, professionals who have concerns for people they are working with, and people seeking advice on how to help their friends, family members, colleagues or members of the community. Screening, identification and triage involves determining whether:

• the enquiry is something The Orange Door can help with (screening)
• there are immediate safety issues, wellbeing issues or risks that need to be addressed and priority or urgency of the action required (triage)

Requirements

The Orange Door providers ensure:

• attempts are made to determine a person’s suitability for The Orange Door through identifying:
  • current or past experience or risk of experiencing family violence
  • risk factors that impact on a child’s safety, wellbeing and development

For all individuals and families who contact The Orange Door or are referred to The Orange Door:

• screening and triage are undertaken within one business day of receiving a referral or initial contact, and high-risk referrals or cases are identified for immediate response
• The Orange Door responses are prioritised on the basis of risks and needs seeking to quickly identify:
  • women and children at high risk from family violence
  • children at high risk of harm due to neglect
  • families and children who are likely to experience greater challenges because the child or young person’s development has been affected by the experience of risk factors and/or cumulative harm or are at risk of concerns escalating and becoming involved with Child Protection if problems are not addressed
• emergency service responses are activated where there is a direct threat of injury or harm
• Child Protection is notified if there are significant wellbeing concerns for children, with all steps taken to inform adult victim-survivors to minimise risk to the family
• screening and triage activity is undertaken through applying the relevant guidance contained within the redeveloped Multi-Agency Risk assessment and Management (MARAM) framework and the ‘Best interest case practice model’
• screening and triage conform with FSV’s demand management framework for The Orange Door
• screening and triage determinations are communicated to referrers (where appropriate) and clients (for L17 referrals this is undertaken through the L17 portal)
• where appropriate, clients are referred to core or networked services.

Cohort

The Orange Door is for:

• women, children, young people and older people who have experienced, are experiencing or are at risk of family violence
• families in need of support with the care, wellbeing or development of children or where there are significant concerns for a child’s wellbeing
• perpetrators of family violence

Eligibility inclusions

Providers comply with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 and the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. The Orange Door providers deliver a service to individuals or families irrespective of:

• age (including referrals on the basis of prenatal concerns, with no upper age limit)
• relationship status (including clients who are single, partnered, married, separated or divorced)
• sexual orientation
• gender identity
• cultural or linguistic diversity
• Aboriginality
• disability
• faith community

Eligibility exclusions

Adults seeking assistance that is not related to:

• past or present family violence, or family violence has not directly contributed to the presenting issue or need, or
• the care, development or wellbeing of children, or concerns for the wellbeing of children

Also:

• Male victims of family violence who may present, be referred to, or be identified through engagement with The Orange Door.
• Victims of non-familiar sexual assault.
• Victims of other crime.
• People or families who do not live within the area (see ‘Catchment’ section below).

At a minimum, for people who are not eligible for The Orange Door services, providers must ensure they receive:

• a safe and welcoming first contact
• initial screening (to determine eligibility)
• information or support to access a relevant service, where this is identified as appropriate (for example, sexual assault services, police, Victims Support Agency, disability services or housing and homelessness services)

Catchment

Providers are required to:

• provide services for people and families who live within the DHHS area (this includes people and families who are living temporarily in the area or who demonstrate a strong connection to the area)
• undertake screening for people and families who attempt to access services from The Orange Door and do not live within the area (or have no residential location) to determine whether they have any immediate risks and needs that require an emergency or crisis response and provide, or facilitate, this response.

Service requirements for diverse populations

The Orange Door providers seek to identify clients’ Aboriginal status, cultural and linguistic preference, gender identity and any needs or adjustments required in relation to a disability to be able to effectively facilitate:

• choice to access a specialist service
• access to specific supports such as expertise or access to interpreters, advocates or specialist workers
• tailored or translated information
• screening and triage within The Orange Door that takes account of the impact of the interaction of these characteristics on the person’s or family’s experience and needs

The Orange Door providers ensure the workforce is well equipped in meeting the needs of diverse communities and providing responsive, inclusive services.

At a minimum, The Orange Door providers ensure all staff have received training in:

• cultural awareness and culturally safe practice
• healing and whole-of-family approaches
• LGBTI-inclusive language and practice
• disability awareness.

Information provision

• For all people and families who are determined to be eligible for The Orange Door services, the provider ensures the following information is provided:
  • the role and function of The Orange Door, its’ purpose and what it can (and can’t) provide and any relevant obligations in using the service
  • how to contact The Orange Door in future, or other relevant services including crisis, after-hours and emergency services
  • how their personal information is collected, stored and shared and how their privacy is maintained
  • how to provide feedback about The Orange Door

Providers monitor screening, identification and triage by capturing data regarding:

Responsiveness

• timeliness of screening determination following initial contact/referral receipt
• timeliness of communication of screening determination to referrer and/or client

Engagement

• number and characteristics of clients screened as eligible
• service use by diverse communities

Assessment and planning

To be read in conjunction with the Assessment and planning section of The Orange Door: service model.

Purpose

Providers undertake assessment and planning for clients requiring a service response. Providers are expected to prioritise risk and needs assessment for cases where there is a high risk to the health, safety and wellbeing of a person or their family member that requires timely support to prevent their situation from escalating.

Providers undertake assessment and planning to:

• assess the key risks, protective factors, strengths and needs and to identify high-level goals and preferences of individuals in the context of their family and community to determine the type, priority and urgency of response required
• identify and tailor the type of service response required, including whether a case manager is required, the type of service that should lead the response, and the tier of response, in relation to the duration and intensity required.

Requirements

The Orange Door providers:

• deliver an initial risk and needs assessment for all clients of The Orange Door who have undergone screening and triage and require an initial assessment and plan
• undertake assessment for each client individually, including children
• apply the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework for all adults and children where family violence has been identified or suspected
• assess the safety and wellbeing of children in line with the ‘Best interests case practice model’ for all cases involving children and young people, considering their safety, stability, development and culture, age and stage of life and parental capability
• undertake a risk assessment in relation to the risk posed by all perpetrators of family violence referred or identified through screening, including those who do not engage with The Orange Door.

If The Orange Door providers cannot contact the person or family in response to a child wellbeing referral, providers gather the best available information to inform the risk assessment.

Where there is a concern for the wellbeing of children and risk cannot be reliably assessed without seeing the family but there is a lack of engagement, providers seek:

• information from other sources to help ascertain the risk
• to undertake a home visit to the family

The Orange Door model provides significant opportunity for enhanced information gathering and multidisciplinary analysis to inform assessment and planning. Providers ensure that workers:

• consult with the advanced family violence practitioner in formulating the person or family’s initial assessment and plan for all clients where the risk from family violence has been assessed as high or serious threat of harm
• consult with the senior child protection practitioner in formulating the child or family’s initial assessment and plan for all children and families where there are serious concerns for the children’s safety and wellbeing

For clients who identify as Aboriginal or families where a member identifies as Aboriginal, The Orange Door providers ensure that:

• the Aboriginal practice leader and/or worker either leads, or is consulted (with client consent as appropriate), regarding the person or family’s initial assessment and plan
• clients are offered the choice to work with Aboriginal services (for relevant services where available)

Providers monitor assessment and planning by capturing data related to:

• the number and proportion of assessments by type
• responsiveness defined by the timeliness of the initial assessment and planning and the timeliness of communicating with the referrer and/or client about assessment and planning
• quality defined by the accuracy and completeness of assessments by type and processes for reviewing and updating assessments, particularly in relation to ongoing risk

Connecting people to the right services

To be read in conjunction with the Connecting people to the right services section section of The Orange Door: service model.

Purpose

The Orange Door prioritises and matches services to meet the needs of people and families as identified through screening, initial assessment and planning.

The Orange Door connects people to services by:

• delivering service responses to clients directly – immediate crisis responses, targeted interventions and brokerage
• providing the entry point for family services, family violence services and perpetrator services (‘core services’)
• linking people to any broader services and supports they require.

Requirements

The Orange Door providers:

• clearly identify lead responsibility for continued risk monitoring for each client between The Orange Door and core services
• allocate urgent or priority cases within one day and all other cases to core services within one week
• ensure allocated services have access to the assessment, plan and other relevant information for all clients allocated
• offer all Aboriginal clients service responses provided by an Aboriginal worker or Aboriginal services (for relevant services where available)
• assign responsibility for active engagement with clients/engagement and monitoring of perpetrators when access to services is unavailable or delayed
• conform with the funding guidelines for using flexible support packages or brokerage funding
• conform with FSV’s demand management framework for The Orange Door

In conjunction with area-based core services, providers contribute to local area prioritisation and demand management strategies to prioritise service responses to those most in need.

Providers monitor the connection to and delivery of services by The Orange Door by capturing data regarding:

The number and characteristics of clients:

• provided with targeted interventions, crisis responses and/or brokerage by The Orange Door
• allocated to core services
• referred to other services

Responsiveness

• the timeliness of the service response following initial assessment and planning

Review and monitoring

To be read in conjunction with the Review and monitoring section of The Orange Door: service model.

Purpose

The Orange Door has a key role in helping to ensure that services are effective and that positive outcomes for clients are maximised. The Orange Door plans for and supports people to exit The Orange Door and service system. The Orange Door helps to support monitoring of case plans and client outcomes through developing strong feedback loops with external service providers, and improved data and information systems to collect information about the status of interventions provided to clients.

Requirements

The Orange Door providers monitor risk assessment and management for all clients who receive The Orange Door service, including where the client is waiting for a service response, and take steps to review and respond to changes in risk levels.

Exit from services

The Orange Door cases are closed under the following circumstances:

• clients have been referred to, or are being managed by, core or broader services
• adult clients refuse services or indicate they no longer wish to engage with services and reasonable efforts to engage have been made
• where families refuse services or indicate they no longer wish to engage with services and reasonable efforts to engage have been made, and there are no significant concerns regarding the safety or wellbeing of children
• a client has received a service delivered from The Orange Door and does not require any other services
• clients are deceased

Providers monitor the review function by capturing data regarding:

• service use defined by the number and characteristics of clients exiting the service system and the reason for exiting and the number of repeat presentations to The Orange Door
• the timeliness of communicating case closure information to relevant referrers and services

At the same time, The Orange Door is committed to safeguarding the privacy of confidential information.

The Orange Door will only collect, use and disclose confidential information (including personal and health information):

• in line with relevant laws, including the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic), the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), and the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) (FVPA)
• if the information is relevant to the services The Orange Door provides

Reforms that support appropriate information sharing in The Orange Door include Part 5B of the FVPA, the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme, the Child Information Sharing Scheme and the Central Information Point.

Part 5B of the FVPA facilitates information sharing in the context of The Orange Door, particularly the internal use and disclosure of information by workers in The Orange Door to support services. This includes using the CRM to keep records, and discussions between workers as part of delivering services.

The broader legislative framework for information sharing and privacy will usually apply to The Orange Door’s external collection and disclosure of information. For example, The Orange Door may disclose confidential information to an external service with consent, or to lessen a serious threat to an individual's safety, or under the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme or the Child Information Sharing Scheme.

Before any information is shared, The Orange Door must be satisfied that there is an appropriate legal basis to do so.

In addition to legislative requirements, privacy requirements for organisations and workers in The Orange Door are set down in service agreements and the CRM Use and Access Agreement.

Information and guidance for workers in The Orange Door on information sharing and privacy is available from the Support and Safety Hubs: Interim Operational Procedural Guidelines.

The Orange Door’s Privacy Policy is available here: orangedoor.vic.gov.au/privacy-policy.

[To be read in conjunction with the ‘Links to the broader system’ section of The Orange Door: service model.]

The Statewide Concept identifies services requiring statewide and local arrangements with The Orange Door, ranging from statutory agencies (such as Victoria Police and Child Protection), links with the justice system (for example, the Magistrates’ and Children’s Courts, Victims Support Agency and legal services) through to universal and specialist services (such as early childhood and mental health services).

The Statewide Concept and service model outline the interface with Child Protection, courts, Victoria Police, the Victims Support Agency and sexual assault services including multidisciplinary centres, describing agreed referral pathways and processes regarding information sharing, risk assessment and management and case coordination.

A phased approach to establishing formalised arrangements is being undertaken. Providers are expected to conform with these arrangements when they are enacted. Formal arrangements are in place as follows:

• Interim Operational Guidance between Support and Safety Hubs and the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria
• Interim Operational Guidance between Support and Safety Hubs and Community Operations and Victims Support Agency
• Interim Operational Guidance between Support and Safety Hubs, Child Protection and Integrated Family Services
• Interim Operational Guidance between Support and Safety Hubs and the Men’s Referral Service
• Interim Operational Guidance between Support and Safety Hubs and the Risk Assessment and Management Panels (RAMPs)
• Interim Operational Guidance between Support and Safety Hubs and Victoria Police

These are available at https://www.vic.gov.au/orange-door-practitioner-resources

For other service interfaces The Orange Door providers use The Orange Door operational guidance, which provides information about the operating procedures and processes agreed at the statewide level to support the commencement of The Orange Door.

Local obligations of The Orange Door providers

The Orange Door providers are committed to a collective approach to governance and decision making that is consistent with the terms outlined in the Partnership agreement: The Orange Door. The Hub Leadership Groups oversee governance of the partnership, provide strategic direction, facilitate collective accountability for integrated service delivery, oversee operations and performance of The Orange Door in line with the existing policies and keep each party informed of risks and issues in relation to The Orange Door and resolving such issues where possible.

Further, The Orange Door performance monitoring framework will reflect the collective accountability principles within the partnership agreement into an approach to monitoring and reporting on The Orange Door performance.

In addition to these obligations, The Orange Door providers develop detailed linkage arrangements with all relevant area-based stakeholders. This includes arrangements with other women’s and men’s family violence services, and family services outside of The Orange Door partnership, as well as the broader service system. These arrangements build on the broad principle-based processes developed at the statewide level and help to support, at a minimum, client pathways and connection to services, information sharing and professional linkages.

The Orange Door service providers work collaboratively in the local delivery environment by establishing and strategically partnering with other organisations to improve service pathways and outcomes for The Orange Door clients. Service providers clearly define:

• how they interface with other services in The Orange Door area
• approaches and strategies to develop and maintain cooperative relationships with Aboriginal services
• approaches and strategies to develop and maintain cooperative relationships and an early intervention approach with other human services, health services and other relevant stakeholders including Victoria Police, courts, corrections agencies and other services in the area
• partnerships, alliances or other formalised service networks in which The Orange Door is an active participant

All intra- and inter-sectoral linkages align with the intent of The Orange Door to provide an integrated intake service for child and family services, specialist family violence services and perpetrator services, which are part of a broader networked service system.

Service agreement

The Orange Door service providers are funded under a departmental service agreement. The service agreement includes a range of requirements set out in the terms and conditions and schedules. DHHS monitors and reviews compliance with the requirements of the service agreement.

The service agreement includes applicable departmental policies, which should be read in conjunction. These include DHHS’s Policy and funding guidelines and the Service agreement information kit.3 The latter outlines the critical terms and conditions and policies for funded organisations.

The service agreement also includes activity descriptions for each funded program.

• Support and Safety Hubs - Service delivery (activity number 38010)
• Support and Safety Hubs - Integrated practice support (activity number 38011)
• Support and Safety Hubs - Flexible funding and brokerage (activity number 38012)

These reference a range of frameworks, practice guidance, protocols and other relevant material that support contemporary knowledge and practice and are updated from time to time. They also outline organisational obligations regarding performance, training, accreditation, reporting and accountability against legislation, regulations and standards. Organisations are required to comply with these frameworks, practice guidance and protocols.

Monitoring of compliance with the service agreement is driven by the performance monitoring framework. As a critical part of DHHS's quality assurance approach, the monitoring framework also supports responses to identified performance issues.

Providers delivering The Orange Door services are accountable for using departmental funding appropriately and for delivering services in line with the service agreement. To support accountability, funded organisations must regularly report on their services.

For The Orange Door providers, a collective approach to accountability outlined in The Orange Door partnership agreement is related to obligations to report on performance to Hub Leadership Groups and FSV in line with the performance monitoring framework. Data on performance is shared with Operational Leadership Groups and the Statewide Reference Group to support practice governance and continuous improvement.

Reporting allows organisations and DHHS to undertake periodic reviews of progress and to adjust targets as required. It also allows for local and statewide monitoring by DHHS.

Data collection requirements are outlined in the service agreement, in the service agreement module on the Funded Agency Channel and in the activity descriptions included in DHHS’s Policy and funding guidelines.

Accreditation

Accreditation and independent review processes support strong organisational management, administration and service delivery and a continuous improvement philosophy. The Orange Door providers are assessed against the Human Services Standards.

Human Services Standards

The Orange Door providers are required to deliver consistently high-quality and safe services, including compliance with relevant standards. The Human Services Standards4 represent a single set of service quality standards for department-funded service providers and department-managed services. They comprise four service delivery standards, summarised as:

• empowerment – people’s rights are promoted and upheld
• access and engagement – people’s right to access transparent, equitable and integrated services is promoted and upheld
• wellbeing – people’s right to wellbeing and safety is promoted and upheld
• participation – people’s right to choice, decision making and to actively participate as a valued member of their chosen community is promoted and upheld

Applicable guidance

The Orange Door providers are required to understand and comply with a range of Victorian Government policies, frameworks and procedures as well as legislative requirements. Key policies, frameworks and legislation relevant to providing The Orange Door services are detailed in Appendix 2.

Risk management and incident reporting

Risk management is an integral part of good management and governance practice and supports organisations to:

• work towards stated goals and objectives through better planning and decision making
• avoid or minimise the incidence of adverse events and critical incidents
• improve perceptions of safety by others
• identify opportunities to improve services

The responsibility for governance, risk management, assurance and control processes at The Orange Door rests with the management and boards of funded organisations.

The Orange Door providers are required to comply with departmental procedures for incident reporting as a condition of funding. Incident reporting aims to improve the quality of services by capturing information about incidents to identify trends. This informs preventative measures and strengthens responses to adverse events.

The Critical client incident management instruction provides information about how services that are funded or delivered directly by DHHS must report critical incidents involving or affecting clients that occur at the service or during service delivery.

Practice governance

The Orange Door providers are required to implement strong practice governance systems and processes. Good practice governance requires all members of an organisation to share responsibility and accountability for the quality and safety of services provided. This includes minimising risk, fostering a culture of high-quality and evidence-based service delivery and continuous improvement. Practice governance is characterised by positive leadership, a capable and competent workforce, clear risk management systems, and the input of service users.

Designing and implementing strong governance arrangements within the integrated service delivery environment of The Orange Door is the combined responsibility of The Orange Door providers. At a minimum, providers should consider the opportunities for drawing together the senior practitioner resources available within The Orange Door, including the integrated practice lead, advanced family violence practice lead, Aboriginal practice lead and service system navigator.

DHHS requires organisations providing services within The Orange Door to develop and clearly articulate an approach to practice governance.

Continuous improvement

Continuous improvement is a systematic, ongoing effort to improve the quality of service delivery. The Orange Door providers are required to engage in processes to assess how well they are operating, and the standard of service achieved. This is undertaken at the organisational level and at The Orange Door level.

The collective approach to accountability is defined in the partnership agreement principles and is also reflected in the approach outlined in the performance monitoring framework. The framework will require individual providers to deliver on the overarching goals of The Orange Door, including for improving the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of service delivery through more integrated practice. The Orange Door providers regularly report performance data to Hub Leadership Groups and FSV, so they can drive improvement and evolution of the statewide service model.

Continuous improvement is strategic and achieved through both innovation and planned steps. It is informed by the identified needs of clients of The Orange Door and the desired outputs and outcomes. Continuous improvement is driven by the involvement and accountability of key stakeholders and includes regular monitoring and evaluation of progress.

The Orange Door providers are required to document how they will implement continuous improvement and track progress against defined activity.

The Orange Door providers must demonstrate that continuous improvement plans are informed by client experience data. Client experience data is collected in line with the feedback mechanisms developed by FSV.

Reporting requirements

The Orange Door providers will continue to operate under the service agreement funded providers have with DHHS. The service agreement and related schedules provide the legal and mandatory compliance requirements for departmental funding such as incident reporting, insurance and financial records. The service agreement and related schedules remain binding. The service agreements will outline the respective contribution of agencies to achieving service targets outlined in the State Budget. This includes targets across three domains:

• support and safety hub service delivery activity
• Support and safety hubs Integrated practice support
• flexible funding and brokerage activity

The Orange Door providers will also need to provide data that will support reporting under the Family violence outcomes framework on a quarterly basis. See the government’s family violence reform webpage for more about the Family violence outcomes framework. Once developed, The Orange Door providers will be required to meet the accountability and reporting requirements set out in new outcomes-focused performance management regime. This will include service delivery data, targets and information required to undertake evaluation of Hubs, ascertain the client experience and inform the development and refinement of the Hub model. In addition to the individual accountabilities that The Orange Door providers will be required to undertake, the partnership agreement outlines obligations for collective accountability and requirements to undertake data collection to demonstrate compliance with the integrated service model. The performance monitoring framework will outline these responsibilities and approach, which will be overseen by Hub Leadership Groups and FSV.

The Statewide Concept describes a vision for The Orange Door to monitor people’s engagement and outcomes with services to increase accountability of the system for individual cases. Described as a ‘system management’ function, The Orange Door has a role in ensuring that services delivered are effective and that people are supported to be safe and well.

Through this oversight function, The Orange Door identifies circumstances where people cycle through the system, creating opportunities to improve the system’s ability to intervene effectively. The Orange Door provides a feedback loop on systemic issues to FSV because of the unique perspective it has on community needs and service capacity, capability and responsiveness.

FSV is developing a range of ongoing monitoring and review tools and processes that enable this system management function, including a performance framework, and mechanisms to support client-level outcomes and client experience data collection.

Performance measurement and monitoring

The Orange Door providers will be required to meet the accountability and reporting requirements set out in a new performance management regime. An interim performance monitoring framework will be rolled out from July 2019 while the future vision of outcomes-focused performance management including a final outcomes-oriented performance framework will be incrementally developed by July 2021. Key elements will be tested and validated with The Orange Door providers. Although The Orange Door providers will have individual accountabilities under the regime, they will also be required to report on the collective responsibility for performance related to the integrated service model, consistent with the aims of the partnership agreement. Emerging needs and evidence will inform The Orange Door practice, and they will be firmly embedded with the principle of continuous improvement – a systematic, ongoing effort to improve the quality of service delivery based on evidence. Information collected for the performance management framework will inform this ongoing monitoring and review of The Orange Door efficiency, effectiveness, safety and quality. This process will also allow for statewide comparisons of activity and performance, as well as highlighting emerging challenges and learnings from the first areas to refine the service model and inform full implementation.

Outcomes

FSV is committed to a robust and multidimensional approach to outcomes measurement and monitoring and evaluation that aligns with the Family violence outcomes framework and the outcomes frameworks of relevant departments, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice and Regulation, police, courts and the education sector.

Work is underway to develop a client-level outcomes measurement and monitoring approach for The Orange Door. This work will articulate the outcomes, indicators and measures that capture the impact of The Orange Door.

Client-level outcomes measurement and monitoring within The Orange Door complements whole-of-government reporting against the Family violence outcomes framework and informs understanding of the service impact.

Understanding and measuring client experience

The Orange Door Client Experience Toolkit was produced through design and testing with clients from diverse groups and workers from core services across the state. It is included in foundation training for all workers in The Orange Door. The toolkit includes:

• emotional journey maps for the client cohorts and diverse groups accessing The Orange Door
• practice tips and tools for staff to work with different client cohorts and diverse groups
• worker behaviours and qualities that are essential for a positive and safe client experience

The Orange Door Client Voice Data Collection and Response process includes surveys and other mechanisms to measure the client experience and use these insights to inform ongoing practice and service improvement. It provides client voice data relating to the key aspects of client experience identified in the Client Experience Toolkit.

The goals of the process are:

1. for clients to have a voice in the delivery and development of The Orange Door, in addition to other mechanisms (including feedback/complaints)
2. to collect detailed information about client experience to inform ongoing service and practice improvement
3. to collect data so The Orange Door can meet government reporting requirements

The primary data collection method is a brief survey offered at the end of a contact (meeting, visit or call). Clients will be able to complete the survey verbally over the phone at the end of a call (for a limited time each quarter), on paper or online in an area office.
Client voice data is integrated into quarterly and annual reporting processes for The Orange Door, and supports the MARAM Framework’s aims of embedding responsibility within services for respectful, sensitive and safe client engagement.

The Client Voice Data Collection and Response Process was designed and tested with people with lived experience and practitioners to ensure relevancy, safety and value for everyone taking part.

Specialist family violence services

Practice guidelines: women and children’s family violence counselling and support programs (2008) https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/family-violence

Assessing children and young people experiencing family violence: a practice guide for family violence practitioners https://dhhs.vic.gov.au/assessing-children-and-young-people-experiencing-family-violence-practice-guide-family-violence

Family violence referral protocol between the Department of Health and Human Services, Family Safety Victoria, Department of Justice and Regulation and Victoria Police 2018 https://dhhs.vic.gov.au/publications/family-violence-referral-protocol

Code of practice for specialist family violence services for women and children https://dhhs.vic.gov.au/code-practice-specialist-family-violence-services-women-and-children

Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework resources https://www.vic.gov.au/maram-practice-guides-and-resources

Men’s family violence services

Men’s Behaviour Change Group Work: Resources for quality practice: no to violence (2005) https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/sites/dhhsproviders/files/2017-06/Mens-behaviour-change-group-quality-practice-no-to-violence.pdf

A framework for comprehensive assessment in men’s behaviour change (2009) https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/framework-comprehensive-assessment-mens-behaviour-change-word

Enhancing access to men’s behaviour change programs: service intake and practice guide (2009) https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/enhancing-access-mens-behaviour-change-program-service-intake-model-and-practice-guide-pdf

Men’s Behaviour Change Minimum Standards https://ntv.org.au/sector-resources/resources/ These came into effect on 1 July 2018

Integrated family services

A strategic framework for family services https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/strategic-framework-family-services-pdf

Program requirements for family and early parenting services in Victoria http://www.providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/family-services

Best interests case practice model: summary guide http://www.cpmanual.vic.gov.au/our-approach/best-interests-case-practice-model/best-interests-case-practice-summary-guide

Family services IRIS data dictionary 2013 https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/sites/dhhsproviders/files/2017-06/Family-services-IRIS-data-dictionary.docx

Flexible packages guidelines for Child FIRST and family services https://dhhs.vic.gov.au/flexible-packages-guidelines-child-first-and-families-services

The Orange Door

Support and Safety Hubs - Service delivery (activity number 38010) https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/support-and-safety-hubs-service-delivery-38010-word

Support and Safety Hubs - Integrated practice support (activity number 38011) https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/support-and-safety-hubs-integrated-practice-support-38011-word

Support and Safety Hubs - Flexible funding and brokerage (activity number 38012) https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/support-and-safety-hubs-flexible-funding-and-brokerage-38012-word

Program requirements for The Orange Door brokerage https://www.vic.gov.au/familyviolence/sector-and-partners/support-and-safety-hubs-practice-and-operational-guidance-for-hub-practitioners.html

MARAM Framework

The Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM) Victim Survivor Practice Guidance includes:

• a Foundation Knowledge Guide (to be used by all professionals regardless of their role)
• the Responsibilities for Practice Guide, which is structured against the ten MARAM Framework responsibilities spanning respectful, sensitive and safe engagement, identification and screening, intermediate and comprehensive risk assessment and management, information sharing, secondary consultation and referral and contributing to coordinated and collaborative risk management including ongoing risk assessment

These are available online. The Practice Guidance underpins all the MARAM responsibilities, and is core to building a shared understanding about family violence.

The Tools for Risk Assessment and Management (TRAM) is an online platform that hosts the suite of MARAM assessment tools, and is accessed by The Orange Door through the CRM.