Domestic Violence Best Practice in CLCs – Consultation Carly Hanson Friday 9 March 2018

Aim & format for today’s workshop Aim: Gather ideas to assist in the development of a DV best practice resource for CLCs Hear from you about your experiences working in a CLC in the area of DV: at all levels/roles, including specialist workers and new workers focus on the issues/situations unique to CLCs look at the strengths, challenges & opportunities Form a small working group to develop and pilot an easy- to-use, practical resource DV Best Practice Workshop | 2

What are the strengths, challenges, and opportunities for CLC practice in DV? 1. What are the strengths for CLC practice in DV? 4. What are the opportunities / next steps we could take as a sector / peak body? 2. What are the internal challenges for CLC practice in DV? 3. What are the external challenges for CLC practice in DV? DV Best Practice Workshop | 3

1. What are the strengths for CLC practice in DV? Multi-disciplinary approach Trauma informed practice Client-centred / non-judgmental Strong networks and facilitated / warm referral pathways / MOUs Gendered analysis of violence & male / female mix of staff within centres Understanding of the additional barriers faced by people from CALD backgrounds, immigrant & refugees, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, people living with disability (interpreters) Commitment to human rights & acknowledgement of impact of social issues: gender, race, ethnicity, disability and class & advocacy in these areas Collection of demographic data of client base / local community (CLASS) Solid CLC policy framework (eg info/advice/representation, ethics, record keeping, privacy & confidentiality, CLE, feedback processes, WHS/safety) DV duty lawyer services DV Best Practice Workshop | 4

2. What are the internal challenges for CLC practice in DV? Physical premises / safety / confidentiality / accessibility DV indicator usage / consistency in CLASS Working with perpetrators / respondents Identifying DV / risk when clients present with other legal issues (triaging) Conflict of interest in rural/remote areas Links with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups/organisations Ability to provide ongoing / representation services and/or follow-up support – underservicing of this client group (rather than just legal advices / legal tasks / assistance to self-represent) Vicarious trauma of staff and volunteers Staff turnover (loss of knowledge / contacts / processes) Adequate triaging of clients seeking assistance DV Best Practice Workshop | 5

3. What are the external challenges for CLC practice in DV? Legislative changes / constraints Uncertainly re operation of national DVOs / information sharing / police protection notices / strangulation provisions Unsympathetic magistrates Accessibility to CLCs – high demand / turnaways vs lack of knowledge about CLCs by general public Funding availability DV Best Practice Workshop | 6

4. What are the opportunities / next steps we could take as a sector / peak? DV screening / risk assessment tools Resources eg written resource/s (info sheet, poster, booklet, pamphlet) Training eg webinars / video resource, face-to-face sessions Working group / phone-a-friend / peer mentoring Advocacy / law reform Promotion of CLCs widely – to public, community, key agencies (eg agency visits with targeted organisations eg Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander, variety of media and languages) Safety planning eg good practice re contacting clients Referrals list Working with perpetrators – increases safety for victims / aggrieved LGBTI responses / training CLC audit re DV accessibility / checklist for centre management DV Best Practice Workshop | 7

Existing best practice DV resources Queensland Law Society Domestic and Family Violence Best Practice Guidelines, 2016 Legal Aid Best Practice Guidelines Framework: Working with clients who have been affected by domestic violence, 2012 Department of Communities Practice Standards for Working with Women Affected by DFV, 2002 Practice Standards Working with Men who Perpetrate DFV, 2009 DV Best Practice Workshop | 8

Existing best practice DV resources Family Court of Australia Family Violence Best Practice Principles, 2016 Queensland Courts Domestic Violence Protocols for Staff, 2012 NQWLS Ask NOLA training WLS resources, including DV and safety planning DV Best Practice Workshop | 9

CLCQ webinars Upcoming webinars Previous webinars / training Trauma informed practice and DV (WLS): 24 April 2018 Reproductive coercion & DV (Children by Choice): 7 June 2018 Financial literacy & DV (DVAC): date TBC Previous webinars / training Recent amendments to DV legislation & QPS High Risk Teams (QPS) Domestic and family violence and community lawyering panel (Pine Rivers) When violence affects your tenancy (Tenants Qld) Amendments to victims of crime assistance in Qld (VAQ) Connecting your DV clients to LAQ (LAQ) Trauma informed practice and resilient lawyering (Knowmore) Lawyer-client communication (CLCQ) DV Best Practice Workshop | 10

Where to from here? DV best practice working group: Next steps: 1-2 specialist DV solicitors / workers 1-2 generalists / new practitioners CLCQ representative Next steps: CLCQ will collate the notes from today and distribute to the working group Working group will meet to discuss & review draft resources Once finalised, resources will be added to CLCQ website and distributed to members Get in touch with any further ideas: sdo@communitylegalqld.org.au DV Best Practice Workshop | 11

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