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.

You can view and download it here.

MARAM Brief/Intermediate Training (blended delivery)

The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare have announced that more MARAM Brief/Intermediate Training workshops (for working with victim survivors) will be available from the beginning of September (and will be running about 5 times a month from September to December). This year MARAM training will be delivered via an eLearning module followed by a single workshop. Click here for more information and to register your interest.

AOD clinicians and practitioners are required to complete the relevant MARAM Brief/Intermediate Training (working with victim survivors) for their role. This training can be completed through: 

1. the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare (as above),
2. Safe & Equal’s MARAM  - Brief and Intermediate - Virtual,
3. the Department of Health’s eLearning modules

Advanced MARAM Training

The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare are also developing a series of free practice-orientated workshops called “Putting MARAM into Practice.” These workshops are designed for practitioners who have already completed the MARAM Intermediate Training, as they assume prior knowledge. Starting in early September, the first 3 topics in the series are:

1. Advanced Case Notes in a Family Violence Setting
2. Maintaining Client Engagement in a Family Violence Setting
3. Advanced Risk Assessment and Safety Planning

For more information, including learning objectives and how to express your interest, please click here.

Please note: this Advanced MARAM Training does not replace the MARAM Brief/Intermediate Training

We know that elder abuse is underreported and rendered invisible - how do we spot the signs and respond?

The recording of our community of practice session on Elder abuse and working with adults who use violence against older people, can now be viewed via VAADA youtube account.

You can also presentations from Mandy Strange (Better Place Australia) and Franca Butera-Prinzi (The Bouverie Centre)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines elder abuse as "a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship, where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person." This type of abuse can be physical, psychological, emotional, sexual or financial – and can be the result of both intentional and unintentional neglect.

While recent events, such as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, have brought the mistreatment and abuse of older people in aged care homes into the public imagination, elder abuse continues to be widely underreported and rendered invisible due to a wide range of factors (WHO cites that only 4% of abuse of older people is reported). In Australia, research published by the Australian Institute of Family Studies found that 1 in 6 older Australians are experiencing some form of abuse.

MARAM Identification of family violence against older people (Elder Abuse) – victim survivor focused eLearn

The course discusses family violence against older people (elder abuse). The modules have been developed to assist practitioners understand and use the Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework and Information Schemes in their everyday work with older people.

Each of the three modules takes approximately 20 minutes to complete, and includes: Understanding Family Violence, Understanding Elder Abuse, your MARAM practice responsibilities and role in Responding to Family Violence including Safety Planning. The aim of this eLearn course is to tailor the screening and identification MARAM level of responsibility specifically to the aged care workforce, to strengthen their response to family violence elder abuse risk.

To access this course: 

• Go to:
  https://training.infosharing.vic.gov.au
• Sign up for an account (if you do not have one) 
• Select ‘Families Fairness and Housing Workforces’ (DFFH) 
• Select ‘eLearn: MARAM Identification of family violence against older people (Elder Abuse) – victim survivor focused eLearn’. Select ‘Enrol me’ 

MARAM Collaboration, Information Sharing and working alongside Aboriginal people.

Elizabeth Morgan House, the Aboriginal-led peak body for Aboriginal Women and Children in Victoria, is hosting an in-person full-day workshop on Working alongside Aboriginal people, and how EMH uses MARAM and Information Sharing to keep Aboriginal families safer, and the person using violence accountable. 

The workshop includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, and is suitable for anyone with MARAM responsibilities. 

Click here for more information. 

Thursday 15 September 
9.15am – 4.30pm AEST

Preston Conference Centre 
Melbourne Polytechnic Preston
VIC 3072

Monday 3 October

9.15am – 4.30pm AEST 
Footscray Arts Centre 
45 Moreland Street Footscray
VIC 3011

Elevate! 

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. 

Upcoming live training you may be interested in:

• Forensic Foundations - September 15
• Integrating Care for People with Co-Occurring Alcohol and Other Drugs and Mental Health Conditions - September 15
• Youth AOD: 2-day Single Session Family Consultations - September 20

New eLearns - no start dates:

• Supervisee Training for the AOD sector
• AOD Worker Wellbeing
• Introduction to Trauma Informed Care

Click here to view all training

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

Unsure which MARAM training is right for you? Consult the MARAM training decision tree.

From love bombing to isolation, the red flags for coercive control can be dangerously difficult to spot before abuse escalates

"With several Australian jurisdictions looking at introducing laws against coercive control, we need to get better at identifying and understanding the insidious pattern of behaviour many perpetrators of domestic abuse use to dominate and entrap victims." Read more on The ABC. 

Survivors of sex offences will no longer be told ‘if they didn’t scream, they consented’

"In introducing affirmative consent legislation, the Victorian government is saying to survivors of sexual offences, we know what was done to you was wrong; you are not the problem here." Read more on The Age. 

The deaths of Aboriginal women must spark outrage – and change

"The lack of coverage and community outrage about violence against Aboriginal women in Australia speaks shameful volumes about our culture." Read more on The Guardian. 

New family violence law reflecting effects on children proposed by Victorian MP Stuart Grimley

"A Victorian MP was due to meet with the state's Attorney-General, Jaclyn Symes, today to discuss creating a new offence that would make committing an act of family violence in the presence of a child a specific crime." Read more on the ABC.

First phase funding allocated for family violence research in Victoria

"Thirteen separate research projects to collect up-to-date data to tackle family violence in Victoria have received first phase funding as part of the Victorian government’s Family Violence Research Program 2021-2024." Read more on Probono Australia. 

How $11m fund will be spent to boost Aboriginal healing, youth and family violence groups in Victoria

"Some 21 Aboriginal organisations across Victoria will share in $11 million to upgrade community infrastructure for groups tackling family violence, health and youth outreach." Read more on National Indigenous Times. 

Pride in Prevention Partnership Guide Launch

"Rainbow Health Australia is proud to announce the launch of the new resource Pride in Prevention Partnership Guide: A guide for partnerships to support primary prevention of family violence experienced by LGBTIQ communities." Read more on Rainbow Health Australia. 

MARAM Person Using Violence Guides: What Now? Web Series

All recordings for No To Violence's webinar series -  "What Now?" - are now available to view online. These webinars were designed and delivered to help workforces familiarise themselves with the MARAM Practice Guides for working with adults using violence. These webinars do not place any upcoming MARAM training. Click here for more information.

NTV: Updated Referral Pathways

No To Violence have updated their referral pathways for working with people using violence. The update to their resource page also includes two new helpful documents:

• Types of program referrals – a table with different types of program referrals and conversation prompts
• Making specialist referrals for people using violence – tips on making referrals when working with adult clients who are using violence

For more information, see their Referral pathways resource page and click on the “Referral Pathways General Information” drop-down banner. The page also includes a map/list of relevant referral services. 

Specialist Family Violence Advisers Capacity Building Program Fact Sheet

No to Violence has created a helpful fact sheet to explain and promote the roles and responsibilities of the Victorian Specialist Family Violence Advisors. You can view/download here. 

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. 

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

• See the VAADA website for contact details

Contact us if you're unsure and we'll help refer you; familyviolence@vaada.org.au