Amidst a rapidly changing policy and legislative framework in Queensland and Australia, especially since the defeat of the Referendum on the Voice to Parliament, no more than ever, we must show case the strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations being ideally placed to respond to the needs of their communities, especially in relation to tackling family violence.
The Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service (QIFVLS) a proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisation and family violence prevention legal service, delivers in Queensland across 90+ communities, a holistic service response to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victim survivors ensuring that not only legal needs are addressed, but importantly, non-legal needs driving contact with the justice system are addressed and mitigated. QIFVLS is able to deliver its services through its uniquely developed case management practice framework model. This culturally appropriate model is integrated into the overarching legal practice framework. Clients needs (both legal and non-legal) are triaged and assessed by both lawyers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander case management officers at the initial intake application. Both legal and non-legal needs are met across the journey of the client. This is integral especially when defending child protection applications to remove children based on the prevalence of family violence and or drugs/ alcohol. The non-therapeutic case management model created by QIFVLS is focused on not only addressing all needs, but importantly, building the capacity of the victim-survivor fleeing violence, to achieve self-efficacy and self-determination. It importantly can also pivot to provide supports to clients in an early intervention context, heading off court proceedings especially in relation to child removals.