In response to the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Strategy 2016-2026, the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General funded $1.8 million dollars over a 3-year period with the implementation of the Navigator Pilot Program. Rockhampton was selected as the region for the Pilot Program as a result of the disproportionate high numbers of DFV compared to Brisbane and other regional centres of Queensland, as well as a lack of resources available to victim/survivors of DFV in regional Central Queensland.

The Navigator Pilot Program was designed as a domestic and family violence response service to support victim survivors of domestic violence navigating the criminal justice system. This unique program provides an integrated trauma informed person-centred approach and has dedicated specialist domestic and family violence case managers to deliver tailored case management support.

The presentation will include:
- Background and overview of the Navigator Pilot Program
- Overview of the Criminal Justice System in Queensland
in relation to DFV victim-survivors
- Eligibility of clients
- Methodology – trauma informed principles and DFV
- Program Delivery
- Outcomes
- Evaluation Process by the University of Queensland
- Program Logic and Findings
- Challenges and Successes involving structural change
- Case Study

Following the evaluation process of the Navigator Pilot Program, the program may be rolled out to identified regional areas of Queensland.


Key Learnings:

1. Current impact of criminal proceedings upon aggrieved victim/survivors of DFV.

2. The Navigator Pilot Program design, outcomes and findings thus so far.

3. How structural change influenced by the Navigator Pilot Program within the legal system can positively impact the longer-term outcomes of DFV victim/survivors (via a case study).