We were heard! In 2022 we participated in the national consultations commissioned by the National Office for Child Safety (NOCS) in the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department, led by the Australian Centre for Child Protection (ACCP), University of South Australia (UniSA), to establish Minimum Practice Standards for Specialist and community support services responding to child sexual abuse.
A strong theme in the consultation session we participated in, included the need to work in a holistic, integrated, ecosystem way. The concepts of wraparound services and 'no wrong door' (what our petition is asking the Victorian Government to pilot), were discussed.
The Minimum Practice Standards published in June 2023 represent collective wisdom from these national consultations, on the minimum threshold that specialist and community support services should be attaining in responding to child sexual abuse.
We are thrilled that the published standards include STANDARD 3 HOLISTIC AND INTEGRATED RESPONSES. Meaning specialist and community support services responding to child sexual abuse across Australia, need to at a minimum, ensure there are wrap-around services, achieved through service networks and warm referral pathways with other agencies or through multidisciplinary / multiagency centres or teams. Through services standards such as
- "When a service is unable to meet a victim, survivor, or supporter’s needs due to funding, contracting, or workforce constraints, they work collaboratively with other services to make sure the person’s needs are met.
- Referral pathways are in place for services that provide culturally appropriate healing activities and different responses if preferred by victims and survivors but not available within the service.
- Referral mechanisms are in place within their community and service system that facilitate streamlined referrals, collaboration, appropriate information exchange and knowledge sharing that is victim and survivor
centred, trauma-informed and culturally safe. - Services and organisations develop relationships and work collaboratively with the local service system and community in which they operate and share information in accordance with relevant laws in their state."
The Minimum Practice Standards Specialist and community support services responding to child sexual abuse, June 2023 document, is available via the link below.
This is a big step forward towards 'no wrong door', where full integration of services would include general community support services, such as housing support or social wellbeing, mainstream services, such as police, health, education, employment etc.
It is further validation of what our petition is asking the Victorian government to do, and yes, we are making sure the Victorian govenrment is aware of this!