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Edition 3 - January 2022
Dear colleagues
Happy new year! We hope you've managed to find some time over the last month to rest and relax in the lead up to what will undoubtedly be another busy year. As we collectively adjust to the new working year (and practice writing "2022" on all our documentation) here are some things to be aware of in January:
- MARAM Training Calendar has been updated. There are two new eLearning trainings: Foundations to Family Violence, and Brief and Intermediate for practitioners working with victim survivors. We've included instructions in the training calendar on how to enrol in these eLearn modules.
- Our next Community of Practice event, Working with First Nations clients, will be on Wednesday 23 February, from 10am-11.30am. We're just in the process of confirming our speakers but registrations are now open.
- We've created a new summary poster to aid your understanding of the Information Sharing Schemes. A preview of the poster and a download link are at the very bottom of this newsletter. For summary posters on Responsibilities 1 & 2 of the MARAM Practice Guides for Working with adults who use violence, check here.
We're looking forward to working with you this year!
Dejan Jotanovic and Sheridon Byrne
P.S. See something missing, or something that you think other clinicians, team leads or organisational leaders need to be made aware? Let us know! We're happy to receive any and all editorial input. You can email us at familyviolence@vaada.org.au.
Updated monthly, the MARAM Training Calendar lists all upcoming training for AOD clinicians, practitioners, team leaders, managers and CEOs. It also included foundational training in the dynamics of family violence and Information Sharing Schemes.
Upcoming Community of Practice events
23 February 2022
10am - 11.30am
A new report has found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up almost 30% of hospitalisation due to family or domestic violence. Research shows that First Nations people, particularly women and children, are disproportionately affected by family violence, including family members who are not themselves Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This violence affects entire communities and kinship networks.
It’s important to recognise that family violence involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people cannot be viewed outside of the history and contemporary experiences of dispossession, colonisation, institutionalisation and the impacts of child removal policies.
These systemic failures have resulted in a number of challenges for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing family violence; barriers to services, misidentification of victim survivor status, discrimination, and state-imposed violence, among others.
Presenters for this event will be confirmed soon. Register here.
Professional development and training
The Victorian Government has provided support to VAADA to administer a fully-funded, centralised workforce development program for the AOD sector until December 2022. This training and professional development program - Elevate! - is available to all AOD workforce currently employed within funded AOD services across Victoria.
Want to get started?
STEP 1: Browse upcoming training
- Use the filters to refine your search if you’re looking for specific training.
STEP 2: Sign up to become a member
- You won’t be able to enrol into any training without first creating an Elevate! account.
STEP 3: Enrol with your chosen provider
- Browse the training on offer and click on the Enrol Now button to register.
MARAM Training
eLearn: MARAM Brief and Intermediate eLearn course for practitioners working with victim survivors
Provider: Department of Health
Delivery mode: eLearning self-paced (three modules, each module 20-25 minutes)
The modules cover: a shared understanding of family violence, an introduction to MARAM and the assessment tools, the Structured Professional Judgement model, risk assessment, risk management including working with specialist family violence services and safety planning.
- Register here
eLearn: MARAM Foundations: Your understanding of family violence eLearn
Provider: Department of Health
Delivery mode: eLearning self-paced (1 thirty minute module)
A stand-alone Family Violence Foundations eLearn has been developed for practitioners who may have limited family violence knowledge, or who may be new to working with people experiencing family violence. The eLearn covers understanding and recognising family violence, how to apply intersectional analysis, and your role in responding to family violence.
- Register here
Unsure which MARAM training is right for you? Consult the MARAM training decision tree.
News from the FV sector
The continuing problem of misidentification for family violence victim-survivors
"with or without a new coercive control offence, misidentification is something already happening to women across Australia – particularly those who experience disadvantage and marginalisation, such as First Nations women, migrant and refugee women, and women living with disability." Read more from Monash University.
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up more than a quarter of all those hospitalised as a consequence of family or domestic violence over an eight-year period, a new report has shown." Read more in The Guardian.
"A new specialist team of police will begin investigating family violence within the force’s own ranks and senior police are forecasting a spike in reports as the Australian-first unit seeks out victims." Read more in The Age.
"Females were more likely to have a hospital stay due to violence from a partner (76 per cent of female stays) than males (30 per cent of male stays), while males were more likely to have a hospital stay due to violence from "other family member" (55 per cent of male stays) than females (18 per cent of female stays)." Read more from SBS.
"The government's draft national plan to end violence against women and children has been released, showing what it thinks needs to happen and how it plans to get there." Read more on ABC News.
Resources to support your practice
No To Violence's webinar series - "What Now?" - aims to help workforces familiarise themselves with the newly released MARAM Practice Guides. These webinars will not be replacing any MARAM training in 2022.
Responsibility 3: Intermediate Risk Assessment
1 February 2022
10am - 12pm
If in doubt, remember to consult the MARAM Navigator on the VAADA website, or reach out to your Specialist Family Violence Advisers for a consult.
Support directory
MARAM and Information Sharing
Contact the Information Sharing and MARAM Enquiry Line for practice and policy guidance.
- 1800 549 646 (10am-2pm, Mon-Fri)
Contact the Specialist Family Violence Adviser in your area
Secondary consultations
Are you working with someone who has, is, or you suspect will use or experience family violence? Here is who you can contact for additional support and guidance:
- Men's Referral Service (operated by No To Violence) - 1300 766 491
- SafeSteps - 1800 015 188
Contact us if you're unsure and we'll help refer you; familyviolence@vaada.org.au
Save these to your desktop
The Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) and the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) are part of the government's reform agenda to reduce family violence and promote child wellbeing and safety.
We've created this poster to help prompt your understanding of the Information Sharing Schemes. You can view/download this poster here.
