International Best Practice in Responding to Children and Young People who have Experienced Family Violence: Lessons for Australian Service Delivery
Tracks
Room 1: In-Person and Online
| Tuesday, November 26, 2024 |
| 11:00 AM - 11:20 AM |
| Room 1 |
Overview
Dr Chelsea Tobin, Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre
Speaker
Dr Chelsea Tobin
CEO
Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre
International Best Practice in Responding to Children and Young People who have Experienced Family Violence: Lessons for Australian Service Delivery
Abstract
The effects on children of witnessing/experiencing family and domestic violence (FDV) can be life-long. Australian and Victorian governments have adopted policy in line with long-held belief of leading researchers and FDV services: we must respond to children and young people (CYP) as victim survivors in their own right.
This presentation will explore the findings of my international study tour (provided by the Churchill Trust) detailing best practice responses for CYP who have experienced FDV. Combined with findings from other research supported/funded by Safe Steps on children and young people and their access to crisis accommodation and care, I will present on how we can all better provide evidence-based, timely, child-centred crisis response supports to FDV to the CYP who come to us seeking support.
My presentation is based in the following assumptions:
- FDV prevalence is high in Australia
- It has deep and lasting impacts on children and young people
- Broad recognition and policy support to approach CYP as victim survivors in their own right
- Minimal Australian research and experience on how to do this
- Australian and Victorian government policy have both placed CYP at the forefront of efforts to prevent and respond to FDV. There is little guidance as to what this means in practice.
This presentation will emphasise the need to provide specialist and bespoke services for CYP, appropriate to their cultural background, that acknowledge trauma as ongoing and complex. Children and young people escaping FDV may need help re-forming attachments with their primary carer, maintaining education connections, managing feelings about the abuse and the perpetrator, medical, mental health and substance abuse services. This presentation will give findings of what works in an international context, based on my international study tour, and how Australia could leverage these learnings, based on our local research findings.
Key Learnings:
1. Best practice responses for children and young people who have experienced family violence (based on finding of my international study tour).
2. How to enhance FDV crisis responses for CYP, using evidence-based, innovative and effective practices (based on international and local research).
3. How to ensure CYP impacted by FDV are truly regarded as victim-survivors in their own right.
This presentation will explore the findings of my international study tour (provided by the Churchill Trust) detailing best practice responses for CYP who have experienced FDV. Combined with findings from other research supported/funded by Safe Steps on children and young people and their access to crisis accommodation and care, I will present on how we can all better provide evidence-based, timely, child-centred crisis response supports to FDV to the CYP who come to us seeking support.
My presentation is based in the following assumptions:
- FDV prevalence is high in Australia
- It has deep and lasting impacts on children and young people
- Broad recognition and policy support to approach CYP as victim survivors in their own right
- Minimal Australian research and experience on how to do this
- Australian and Victorian government policy have both placed CYP at the forefront of efforts to prevent and respond to FDV. There is little guidance as to what this means in practice.
This presentation will emphasise the need to provide specialist and bespoke services for CYP, appropriate to their cultural background, that acknowledge trauma as ongoing and complex. Children and young people escaping FDV may need help re-forming attachments with their primary carer, maintaining education connections, managing feelings about the abuse and the perpetrator, medical, mental health and substance abuse services. This presentation will give findings of what works in an international context, based on my international study tour, and how Australia could leverage these learnings, based on our local research findings.
Key Learnings:
1. Best practice responses for children and young people who have experienced family violence (based on finding of my international study tour).
2. How to enhance FDV crisis responses for CYP, using evidence-based, innovative and effective practices (based on international and local research).
3. How to ensure CYP impacted by FDV are truly regarded as victim-survivors in their own right.
Biography
Dr Chelsea Tobin is CEO of Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre and is passionate about providing quality supports to marginalised people and dedicated to ensuring children and young people are heard and understood as victim-survivors in their own right.
For two decades, Chelsea has led organisations across family/children's services, FDV and disability. She has experience leading/empowering teams to deliver socially and commercially impactful projects.
As a foster carer, Chelsea has first-hand experience of the impacts of FDV on young lives and importance of responses that heal and empower.
Chelsea holds a PhD in economics and psychology from Monash University.
