The Legal Services Commission of South Australia (LSC) has established several innovative programs and partnerships that together comprise a holistic, trauma-informed approach to assisting individuals – predominantly women, some children – who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing domestic violence.

This presentation will review six key LSC programs: Domestic Violence Unit (DVU), Women's & Children's Hospital/Health Justice Partnership (WCH/HJP), Safe & Well Kids Program (SAWK), Mental Health Program, Women's Domestic Violence Court Assistance Service (WDVCAS), and Family Advocacy Support Service (FASS). Through these programs, the LSC collaborates with healthcare providers, government agencies, and community organisations to offer integrated legal assistance and non-legal support services.

The DVU and WCH/HJP involve partnerships with hospitals to educate medical staff about domestic violence and provides on-site legal assistance to patients. The SAWK program offers wrap-around therapeutic and legal support to children exposed to domestic violence and their mothers/carers. The Mental Health Program embeds social support workers within legal services to assist clients’ engagement with legal services and provides referral pathways to external mental health services.

WDVCAS assists women at risk of domestic violence with protective measures such as private intervention order applications and termination of tenancy matters in cases of violence. FASS provides an integrated lawyer and social worker service in family law matters which often involve allegations of domestic violence.

By adopting a multidisciplinary approach, these LSC programs enable early intervention, avoid re-traumatisation, address a wide spectrum of clients' needs, and improve access to justice and support services.

This presentation will be valuable for conference attendees interested in innovative, multidisciplinary models for assisting domestic violence victims and promoting their safety, wellbeing, and access to justice. It will also demonstrate the importance of continued partnerships and co-location of services to provide the most effective, holistic support to those impacted by domestic violence.

Key Learnings:

1. The Legal Services Commission of South Australia family law division demonstrates the effective integration of multidisciplinary legal and non-legal services.

2. This approach enables early intervention, avoids re-traumatisation, addresses a wide spectrum of clients' needs, and improves access to justice and support services.

3. This approach also demonstrates the importance of continued partnerships and co-location of services to provide the most effective, holistic support to those impacted by domestic violence.