What works in reducing domestic violence

1. What works in reducing domestic violence Reflections of frontline Department of Community Services (DoCS) Caseworkers, Police and Clients

2. About the Domestic Assault Response Team (DART) • A joint initiative of DoCS and Police on the NSW central coast • Began operation in May 2003 and is funded until June 2007 • Features co-located services • Focuses on a joint response to domestic violence including exchange of information, joint home visits and support in applying for and enforcing apprehended violence orders (AVO’s)

3. About DART • Works with families who have a first report, as well as those with a long documented history of domestic violence • Adopts an early intervention approach • Features intensive case management • Brokerage • Arrest team • Operation DAB

4. What works and why? • Series of semi-structured interviews were held between December 2005 and February 2006 with: • 5 caseworkers and the casework manager • 4 police and the police team leader • 8 clients

5. DART reflections on what reduces violence Key factors workers and clients thought reduced severe and entrenched violence: • a pro-active approach • building a strong relationship • brokerage fund • focus on the children • separation of the parents • practical support • having the police and DoCS working together

6. A proactive approach – being in people’s faces • Not waiting for client contact • Impromptu drop-ins, telephone calls • Consistent, intense contact “I was dropping in on the family frequently... whenever I was in the area”(worker) “One time the police came without me calling them and that was good. They should just turn up if they know the sort of trouble you are in”(client)

7. Building a strong relationship • Praise “I would make positive comments all the time about the little things even if they got a haircut” (worker) • Clear expectations “I was upfront, we need to go down this path and get to here where the violence has stopped” (worker)

8. Building a strong relationship • Honesty “Sometimes I would drop in and she would be drinking. I would say don’t hide it, talk to me straight about what’s going on” (worker) “I was transparent, honest and up front. I never lied to any of them” (worker) • Trotter (2004) study re practice elements in child protection work

9. Building a strong relationship “DART police were concerned with me and the kids - not just what they had to do. Other police would be like ‘here we are again’, don’t give a shit about you.” (client) “One DART worker I really liked. She was passionate, wasn’t pushy, just explained things, alternatives and gave me info on what I could do. She really explained things to me.” (client) “My other DoCS worker forced things, he didn’t ever explain things”(client)

10. The best thing you ever did… the brokerage fund • Can be used to purchase goods and services • Workers and clients felt access to these resources made a practical difference “The brokerage money definitely made a difference. I saw his mum a long time after and she said ‘The best thing you ever did for him was to get that washing machine.’ It was true he was so proud of it - he even used to keep a towel neatly on the top of it. It was like a symbol of I can do this parenting thing.” (worker)

11. The brokerage fund “Doing really practical things helped with this family. The practical stuff helps alleviate some of the other concerns. The organising of kids in pre-school, the buying the fridge, washing machine and replacing furniture.” (worker) “She (the worker) was really helpful, really supportive in practical ways. She helped me with so much it was a big burden off my mind - the parenting course, day care. Be really practical - shit like that helps.” (client)

12. Your children are my priority • Focussing the effects of violence on children is an effective way to reduce family violence: “Working closely with the police and having the police there with you at their home saying we are here for the children works. There was a strong message from both of us together that it [living in violence] was not okay for the kids.” (worker)

13. Your children are my priority “Seems sometimes in DoCS we would not see Dad - just see Mum and say you should and shouldn’t do this. We now work with all the family. It was important to me to hold Dad accountable for his violence.” “I would say to her it probably feels like a lot on you but I am having this exact same conversation with him. The violence has to stop. It is not okay for it to continue.” “I don’t look at it now with blinkers on, you’d think before he is just a mongrel, now I am looking at the broader picture, working with him, too.” “Talking to perpetrators about the impact on the kids gives a good chance if there is going to be any change it might happen through his caring about the effect on his kids.”

14. Your children are my priority “Previously under the feminist philosophy my protection work was withMum, now my bottom line is protection for the children first. I don’t care who has them so long as they are in a positive environment. I would always try to skill Mum no matter how long it took, I have changed this now, some Mums just can’t be skilled.” “I don’t mind who has the kids. Mum is not my first concern - the children are. She needs to be able to put the kids first - both parties need to get this. I will challenge victims and perpetrators.” “I wonder how many times I have left children with women when they just shouldn’t have been left there.” (All worker comments)

15. Zero Tolerance • Clients echo worker concerns for the children: “They (DoCS and Police ) should have a zero tolerance to kids living in violence. Something should be done earlier.” “Police should always talk to the kids when they come out to DV - find out how they are.” • I knew my son was being put first, that we were talking and thinking about him.

16. The power of two – DoCS & Police working together • Facilitates a criminal justice response: “Having the police there with you, backing you up was powerful in the message that this violence is not ok.” (worker) • Clients consistently said it seemed domestic violence was being taken more seriously “I didn’t know what DART meant, I just knew Police & DoCS took things seriously now, things were different.” (client)

17. The power of two – DoCS & Police working together • Joint home visits work: “On one joint home visit they arrested him then and there. He had a bad opinion of police but I was transparent: ‘if you are here and you are not supposed to be here [because of the AVO] I will get you arrested’ .” (worker) “Police wouldn’t come on a home visit with DoCS normally and to have the same officer involved was really helpful.” (worker)

18. The power of two – DoCS & Police working together • Exchanging information: “We did things like put an alert on the system for police that if there was an after hours DV incident to call DoCS’ after hours team to see the children and consider their safety. Most incidents prior to this, the children would be left with Mum even though it was noted Mum was well affected by alcohol and cannabis as well as concerns about her mental state.” (worker)  ”I could give a response straightaway as police would give us the police narrative so I could go out the next day.” (worker)

19. A necessary separation • Sometimes separation is the only way: “Moving away from him, moving away from that house to where there was no lock, no window shattered, no holes in the wall. Helping her to move away from him, and then him going to jail that’s the only thing that worked in the end.” “Separating the parents was the key factor; I don’t know that the family have taken any responsibility for the violence. Ultimately it was the only way was to separate them. We tried to educate the parents about the effects on the children and worked with them for quite some time but it was so entrenched and this family was having very serious violence.”

20. A necessary separation “Having him go to jail gave me a chance to calm everything down and see clearly. No way would I have him back now.” (client) “They should have taken the kids years ago, given all the DV. Chance after chance they gave me. I was given too many chances. I can see that clearly now - they should have gotten in much earlier.” (client)

21. A special focus on DV “Realistically, DV doesn’t get responded to at the CSC [community services centre]. It would have been closed until it escalated again and then it still wouldn’t be us working with police.” (worker) “(The) beautiful thing about DART is our focus on DV and its effects on children. Because of workloads, DV is low down on the list of (caseworker) priorities. DV is looked at as between the parents - not a major effect on children. We now know that is not true but there was no great emphasis on effects of DV on children at my training.” (worker)

22. Improved perception of police by clients “Once DART police were involved they knew about AVOs, conditions… they knew what they were talking about. You don’t want to know how badly I think about general duties police they know nothing. DART police look at the whole picture not just one side. DART police started to treat me with some respect.” “DART police helped me through things at court and concerned themselves with me being a woman and with children more. Normal police were pigheaded and unconcerned, just came out and do their job.”

23. The impact of alcohol and other drug usage • Clients perceived a lack of knowledge of drug and alcohol usage and skills as a deficit in workers: “With alcoholics you need to not trust so easily. It all seemed up to me if I felt like going to group or counselling or whatever. I would try an excuse…and I would get away with it so I thought I don’t really have to be serious about this… I could slip a few classes easily.” “DoCS … need to know much more (about alcoholics). The first time I didn’t attend a session they should have pulled me up. It should not have got as bad as it did. I know I have to take responsibility too.”

24. Long term follow up • Workers perceive they are providing much more follow up and this is supported by file reviews of these families • DART provided active referrals, linking in with services which was absent in the files prior to DART’s involvement

25. How could DART improve? Clients thought DART could improve by; • Long term follow-up of children • Improve drug and alcohol knowledge • Always follow through with promised phone calls and appointments • Being clear about who is making decisions about the family and when this might happen.

26. Summary of lessons learnt – what works • pro-active contact • build a strong relationship • brokerage funds • put the children’s needs first while working with the whole family • have the police and DoCS working together • separation of the parents