Information and Instructions

• Introduction
• Duty interaction
• Emotional abuse - family and domestic violence child safety investigation
• Assessment tools
• Gathering information
• Analysing the information gathered – forming an assessment
• Mappings or other meetings involving family
• Recording Actual Harm Continuing Risk for Family and Domestic Violence
• Recording family and domestic violence in Assist
• Financial assistance - family violence assistance to leave

Introduction

This entry provides information and guidance about conducting assessments for emotional abuse - FDV. Further information about safety planning, responding to the perpetrator of violence, or seeking a family violence restraining order on behalf of a child, can also be found under Chapter 2.3. 

These procedures should be read in conjunction with Chapter 2: Children and Young People are Safe from Abuse and Harm (including Children in Care).


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Duty interaction

FDV is a factor in the majority of child protection cases. Sometimes it is the primary reason for referral; at other times it is a factor contributing to or causing the presenting problem, such as homelessness or neglect.

Search the FVIR Triage Application to identify any reports of FDV involving the parents, other adults living in the home, and/or regular visitors to the home in order to identify or screen out FDV for all cases.

As a general principle, a child’s exposure to a single severe episode of violence or exposure to repeated episodes of violence over time warrant intake for further investigation. Exposure can include witnessing or hearing acts of FDV, seeing the physical injuries or property damage caused by FDV.

Factors to consider when determining whether it is likely that a child has suffered significant harm or is likely to suffer significant harm in the future include:

• the perpetrator's pattern of behaviour, including the violent and abusive tactics used
• the history, severity and frequency of the violence
• the child’s exposure and indications of emotional harm
• the age and vulnerability of the child, and
• factors impacting on the family which may increase vulnerability such as mental ill-health, substance misuse, chronic health issues, homelessness and social isolation.

Where FDV has been identified and is not intaked for further assessment, record a rationale for the decision in the duty interaction. At every subsequent contact, complete a new review to decide if a new assessment is required.


If the referral or concern is about one child in the family, the Department must also consider the safety of other children in the household. 


Note:  the protectiveness of the adult victim is not sufficient reason for the Department not to have a role when it is likely that there has been, or is likely to be, significant harm to a child.

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Emotional abuse - family and domestic violence child safety investigation

The purpose of an assessment about emotional abuse–FDV is to clarify:

• whether the child has suffered, or is likely to suffer, significant harm
• the person responsible for the harm
• whether the child’s parents have protected or are unlikely or unable to protect the child from further harm of that kind, and
• whether a safety plan is required.

The procedures outlined below are designed to guide the assessment process.

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Assessment tools

The Emotional Abuse - Family and Domestic Violence Assessment Toolkit provides information and examples for child protection workers.  It includes questions for interviewing mum, dad and children; determining the primary aggressor; indicators of high risk; sample harm statements; sample danger statements; sample safety goals; guidance about analysing the information obtained and guidance about using research to manage gaps in evidence.

The Interaction Tool should be used at interaction as part of the FDV screening process.

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Gathering information

Working with the adult victim

A strong and ongoing working relationship with the adult victim is a priority.  You must interview the adult victim alone at least once before a mapping that involves family and before interviewing or speaking to the person who is using violence. The adult victim and child should be the primary sources of information for FDV assessment. The focus of the first interview and ongoing work with the adult victim should be on: 

• identifying immediate and ongoing safety concerns (to her or her child) that need to be managed
• gathering information about the perpetrator's use of violence and its impact on the child
• gathering information about her existing safety strategies including ways that she works to minimise the harm/impact on the child
• supporting referral to a FDV service
• discussing how we can best engage the person who is using violence, and
• discussing how we can safely communicate and work with the adult victim.

To assist you to develop a working relationship with the adult victim, refer to the following (in related resources):

• Managing Safe Client Contact with the Department 
• Adult Victim Interview Prompts (in the Assessment Toolkit).

When exploring existing strengths or safety strategies, remember that victims of FDV are rarely 'passive' in their experience of abuse. Most victims do what they can to reduce the frequency and severity of attacks and to protect any children in their care. This may encompass strategies by the adult victim to avoid and diffuse violence, for example:

• placating the perpetrator
• being aware of triggers or patterns of escalation
• removing themselves and/or the children, or
• seeking help during or after an incident. 

You should identify these behaviours as indicators of strengths exhibited by the adult victim. Identifying these and naming them as important protective strategies will help to build a genuine partnership with the adult victim and may promote self-confidence and reduce feelings of powerlessness and helplessness.

Interviewing the child

You must interview or sight the children. Interviews with children should gather information on:

• the child’s experiences of FDV and the ways the perpetrator's use of violence is impacting the child. This should include the less overt forms of violence such as disrupting parenting, forcing the child and adult victim to leave the house when they are unsafe, being kept awake at night, not providing money for food, perpetrator's needs being prioritised over the children etc.
• the children’s feelings towards each parent
• times when they feel safe and/or the good times at home, and
• any other information that may be relevant about the family.

Prompts or suggested questions for exploring these areas with the child, including use of ‘three houses’ are provided in the Emotional Abuse – Family and Domestic Violence Assessment Toolkit (in related resources).

Seeking information from partner agencies

Share risk-relevant information and work collaboratively with other agencies when managing the risks posed by the perpetrator.  This includes gathering information about the perpetrator’s use of violence, the child’s exposure to violence, and impact of exposure on the child. We have a number of arrangements in place to enable the exchange of information about FDV. A comprehensive list is provided in the Emotional Abuse - Family and Domestic Violence Assessment Toolkit.


Engaging the person who is using violence

The person using violence is usually the person responsible for harming the child, and is also the person most capable of being able to improve the child’s safety by changing their behaviour. It is therefore imperative that we engage with the person using violence, where safe and practicable.

The purpose of interviewing the person using violence is to:

• convey our concerns about his use of violence and its impact upon the child
• support referral to a men’s FDV service where available (consider the suitability of the Men’s Domestic Violence Helpline if services are not locally available)
• assess his preparedness to acknowledge and take responsibility for his violence
• invite and assess willingness to engage in safety planning, and
• monitor/inform the assessment of likely future danger.

Note: Outright denial, blaming the victim and children, refusal of service and lack of willingness to work with us all indicate a likelihood that the perpetrator will continue to use violence and harm the adult victim and child.

Consider the reliability and accuracy of any information gathered from the perpetrator and use it as ‘additional information’ only in the analysis of information.

To assist you to plan for an interview with the person using violence, a series of questions and prompts have been developed and are available in Emotional Abuse - Family and Domestic Violence Assessment Toolkit.

Clearly document any decision and rationale for not contacting the perpetrator of FDV in the CSI.  Your team leader should approve this decision. Acceptable reasons for not interviewing the person using violence may include: 

• unmanageable risk to worker safety 

• unmanageable risk to the safety of the child and adult victim, or

• inability to contact after all avenues have been exhausted.
  

Use the opportunity with the person who uses violence to offer them information about behaviour change programs and to refer them to the men's domestic violence helpline MensLine Australia and counselling. 

Reporting crimes to the police

Contact the police if you obtain evidence of, or observe an FDV offence. This includes, but is not limited to, breach of protection order (protective bail, family violence restraining order or police order), assault, property damage, failure to protect a child (a perpetrator can be charged with failure to protect if they have exposed their child to FDV), threats to kill, stalking, deprivation of liberty and intimidation.

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Analysing the information gathered – forming an assessment

Determining the primary aggressor

On occasion, the reports/information gathered can indicate that both parents are using violence. In these cases, you should seek to determine if there is a primary aggressor. Primary aggressor means the person who poses the most serious and ongoing threat to safety and wellbeing. This assessment is important as it will inform who we need to work with, and what the primary risks are that need to be managed to promote the safety of the child. For further information, see related resources Emotional Abuse – Family and Domestic Violence Assessment Toolkit. 

Has the child been significantly harmed as a result of emotional abuse–FDV?

To form an assessment that a child has suffered significant harm arising from emotional abuse–FDV, you need to be able to demonstrate that:

• a child has been exposed to significant FDV, either a single severe act of violence or repeated acts of violence and abuse over a period of time, and
• the child suffered significant harm as a result. Emotional harm can include, but is not limited to, a child feeling worried, frightened, sad or anxious, a child exhibiting signs of trauma including developmental delay or regression, a child being forced into homelessness and/or a child lacking appropriate care and attention due to the perpetrators behaviours.
  

For further information about assessing emotional harm, refer to related resources Emotional Abuse – Family and Domestic Violence Assessment Toolkit.

If you substantiate that significant harm has occurred, you must develop a harm statement. The harm statement should identify the person using violence as the person responsible for the harm and clearly specify the behaviours that have caused harm and their impact upon the child. 


Refer to the Emotional Abuse – Family and Domestic Violence Assessment Toolkit for examples of relevant harm statements.

Is it likely that the child will suffer significant harm as a result of exposure to FDV (danger)?

To form an assessment that a child is likely to suffer significant harm in the future arising from emotional abuse–FDV, you should outline:

• the perpetrator’s pattern of behaviour, including that violence and abuse has been ongoing, and has escalated or continued in spite of the adult victim and/or child’s safety strategies, or service intervention
• the presence of evidence-based high risk behaviours such as breach of restraining order, threats to kill, assault with weapons, obsessive controlling behaviour (which are well established in research and evidence as predictors of further violence), and
• (if relevant and available) the outcome of the interview with the perpetrator such as whether or not they denied the abuse, blamed the adult victim and child and/or demonstrated a willingness to engage in safety planning. 

To assist you to make this decision, the following information is available in the Emotional Abuse – Family and Domestic Violence Assessment Toolkit (See related resources):

• high risk behaviours
• using research to manage gaps in evidence, and
• analysing when strengths are likely to be able to create safety in relation to the danger. 

If you assess that it is likely that the child will suffer significant harm in the future if nothing changes, develop a danger statement. The danger statement should identify the person who is using violence as the person responsible for likely future danger and clearly specify the behaviours that cause us to be worried. 


Refer to Emotional Abuse – Family and Domestic Violence Assessment Toolkit for examples of relevant danger statements.

What needs to happen – is a safety plan required?

A safety plan is always required in cases where you have assessed that future danger is likely.  Work with the adult victim, children, family and other professionals to create safety plans and safety networks that reduce or manage the risk posed by the person using violence. 

For further information and developing safety goals, engaging safety networks, and working with professionals to manage risk, refer to related resources Chapter 2.3 Safety planning - emotional abuse - family and domestic violence.

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Mappings or other meetings involving family

Mappings and/or other meetings must be held with the adult victim away from the perpetrator where: 


• the victim and perpetrator are separated

• a police order, family violence restraining order or protective bail conditions prohibits contact

• the adult victim is frightened, intimidated or controlled by the perpetrator, or 
  

• you have assessed that a joint meeting is not likely to be a safe, suitable or effective approach to engaging either parent.

Carefully consider how information gathered from the adult victim and the child will be shared in a mapping or meeting where the perpetrator or his family are present. This should be discussed with the adult victim prior to the meeting.

For information about safely engaging the adult victim refer to Managing Safe Client Contact with the Department. 


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Recording Actual Harm Continuing Risk for Family and Domestic Violence

This section should be read in conjunction with Chapter 2.2 Assessing a person as Actual Harm Continuing Risk.


Classifying a perpetrator of family and domestic violence as Actual Harm Continuing Risk (AHCR)

Where significant harm to a child has been identified and criteria for AHCR has been met, the person using violence should be recorded as AHCR.

When assessing whether the individual is a continuing significant risk to the child or other children, consider: 

• the risk posed by the perpetrator if the couple resumed the relationship,
• if the perpetrator applies to the Family Court for parenting orders, or
• if he should commence a relationship with a new partner who has children in her care.  

Classifying a victim of family and domestic violence as AHCR

Perpetrators are solely responsible for their choices to use violent and abusive behaviour.  Only in very rare or exceptional cases should a victim of family and domestic violence be AHCR. This is because the adult victim is not responsible for, or capable of, stopping the perpetrator from using violence. In many circumstances, the nature of the perpetrator's coercion, control and ongoing pursuit of the victim, means that the adult victim and the children are regularly reviewing risks and attempting to manage 'safe' contact.  

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Recording family and domestic violence in Assist

Consistent recording of family and domestic violence in Assist is essential for the clear transmission of information as well as for data extraction and monitoring.

Duty interactions

You must assume that family and domestic violence is a factor in the case, and seek information at the earliest opportunity to confirm or refute this assumption. This can include searching our records (including Assist, Objective and triage data bases), clarifying information with the referrer, or asking the child's mother (or other female caregiver) the family and domestic violence screening questions.

Record the outcome of this inquiry in the 'initial assessment' field and include a brief description of the screening process (e.g. summary of relevant history or outcome of screening questions); and the decision regarding further assessment. Outcome options include: 

• no family and domestic violence identified;
• family and domestic violence identified but no significant harm apparent; or
• concern for a child, emotional abuse - family and domestic violence.

Where a duty interaction relates to family and domestic violence, there are two primary issue selections that could be recorded from the 'Primary Issue' drop-down list, either:

• domestic violence; or
• child protection.

When 'child protection' is selected it is essential that the abuse type recorded for the child is 'emotional abuse – family and domestic violence'. For the child's parents, the issue and/or detail should be recorded as 'family and domestic violence'.

Child Safety Investigation (CSI)

When recording CSI assessments, 'Nature of Concern' is populated from the issues recorded against the child in the Interaction.

If 'emotional abuse - family and domestic violence' is identified after the interaction and is being assessed as part of the CSI, add it as a 'nature of concern' as soon as practicable. Create a case note with the title "FDV Screening Case Note" and record a brief summary of relevant information.

At the completion of a CSI indicate whether alcohol, drugs, homelessness, family and domestic violence, mental health or disability have contributed to harm to the child by selecting 'yes' or 'no' from the drop down menu in the 'significant issues grid'. The option of 'unable to assess' should only be selected where an assessment cannot be completed (e.g. if the family moved away before the investigation could be completed).

Open Cases

Where family and domestic violence is identified for the first time, a new interaction should be recorded in relation to the family and domestic violence.

For further information, refer to Family and Domestic Violence Recording Guidelines; and Family and Domestic Violence Screening Guide. 


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Financial assistance - family violence assistance to leave

Financial assistance through the Family Crisis Program can be provided to help adult and child victims escape a perpetrator of FDV. Assistance can include:

For further information, including how to apply, expenditure amounts and recording in assist refer to Financial Assistance - Family Violence Assistance to leave. 







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