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RESEARCH PROJECT - Dr Angela Spinney

Dr Angela Spinney, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne and Board member of Kara House. Dr Spinney and colleague Dr Farnaz Zirakbash developed this Research Project.

RESEARCH PROJECT - Dr Angela Spinney

Dr Angela Spinney, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne and Board member of Kara House. Dr Spinney and colleague Dr Farnaz Zirakbash developed this Research Project with the primary aim ‘to assist universal community service providers to identify and respond appropriately to family violence”.

The full Research Project^* is available HERE

Spinney, A. and Zirakbash, F. (January 2017), First to Know, First To Act; Assisting Universal Community Service Providers to identify and respond appropriately to family violence, Wesley Mission Victoria and Swinburne University

This research project explored the best ways for community service providers to identify and respond to women and children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness as a result of family violence, but who do not specifically identify themselves as such to service providers. Many women present at homelessness crisis agencies citing relationship breakdown or financial difficulty, rather than family violence specifically, as a primary cause of their need for support. There is an urgent need to integrate family violence identification and support into crisis and universal service practice frameworks. ‘First to know’ service providers need to better understand the relationship between exposure to family violence and effects on women’s and children’s housing status and their physical, mental, social, emotional and financial wellbeing. Where services fail to initially identify those experiencing family violence, the assessments of client risk and planning for client safety can be inadequate. Clients may not receive the information they need on their legal rights and safe housing options, or be offered the early intervention, support and recovery options that are available.

The research explored the best ways for community service providers to identify and respond to women and children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness as a result of family violence, but who do not specifically identify themselves as such to service providers. Many women present at homelessness crisis agencies citing relationship breakdown or financial difficulty, rather than family violence specifically, as a primary cause of their need for support. There is an urgent need to integrate family violence identification and support into crisis and universal service practice frameworks. ‘First to know’ service providers need to better understand the relationship between exposure to family violence and effects on women’s and children’s housing status and their physical, mental, social, emotional and financial wellbeing. Where services fail to initially identify those experiencing family violence, the assessments of client risk and planning for client safety can be inadequate. Clients may not receive the information they need on their legal rights and safe housing options, or be offered the early intervention, support and recovery options that are available.

The overall project objectives are:

to understand how community service providers with non-family violence specific services can most effectively identify women and children experiencing family violence, in order to inform appropriate service delivery and support
to inform the community service sector on program design and practice for ‘first to know’ services, providing effective early intervention responses to women and children

Say It Out Loud LGBTQ+ support hub is now live

Australia’s first national sexual, domestic and family violence digital resource for LGBTQ+ communities in now live

Say It Out Loud LGBTQ+ support hub is now live

LGBTQ+ people impacted by sexual, domestic and family violence (SDFV) from across Australia will now have access to relevant, culturally appropriate and state-specific information and resources with the national rollout of the digital support hub, Say It Out Loud

Produced by ACON, Australia’s largest sexuality and gender diverse health organisation, Say It Out Loud is an online platform on sexual, domestic and family violence designed specifically for LGBTQ+ people. First launched as a NSW specific site in 2017, the resource received funding from the Department of Social Services in 2019 to be expanded nationwide.

The new national website, being launched today to coincide with the final day of the annual campaign ‘16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence’, provides comprehensive and inclusive information for LGBTQ+ communities around the country affected by domestic and family violence and sexual assault. It focuses on building healthy relationships and features tips, assessment tools, safety planning measures, videos, personal stories and other support resources.

Take a look at the Say It Out Loud Hub

Do you work with clients of diverse genders and sexualities who have experienced sexual, domestic or family violence?

As a proud partner, Kara House is responsible for updating the state specific content for Victoria. Kara House will regularly update support service information, content for the What’s On calendar section of Say It Out Loud as well as any major policy and legislation changes and any other community specific information, resources, campaigns and other material and information that could affect LGBTQ+ people experiencing or using abuse.

If you would like to discuss how your organisation and work with LGBTQ+ community members can be promoted please contact: Katie at katie.m@karahouse.org.au or call 9899 5666

Help Kara House ensure Say it out Loud becomes a primary source of information and support across Australia, linking people to support services, as well as increasing the capacity of services and professionals working with LGBTQ+ people.

Thanks to DULUX our clients have a great place to stay

In mid March the wonderful Volunteer Team from the DuluxGroup offered to repaint the separate bedsit apartment at Kara House.

Thanks to DULUX our clients have a great place to stay

We believe that providing women and children impacted by family violence with the best possible environment while in our care can greatly influence their recovery and future. In these uncertain times providing a safe, comfortable place to stay is even more important.

For women and children escaping an abusive situation, they already experiencing isolation having to leave behind family, friends and their community. With the current COVID-19 crisis their isolation is two-fold as they are now unable to go out to re-establish links with new schools, support services and the local community around the our refuge.

Here

https://mcusercontent.com/5b86cfe48285dcf3a96858ff3/files/86feee26-b6c8-424b-a254-755a4448dd1e/2017_spinney_first_to_know.pdf

In mid march the wonderful Volunteer Team from the DuluxGroup offered to repaint the separate bedsit apartment at Kara House. The bedsit is a stand alone unit which provides safe accommodation, particularly for women with young babies and toddlers. Each year Kara House provides refuge to over 100 families meaning all our areas are well used and in need of constant upkeep.

We were incredibly pleased to receive the email from Dulux and to hear we had been chosen as a community project this year. Team leader Samodha Dharmarsi was on board from day one understanding the difficulties of executing such a project in environment which must remain hidden to the greater public as well as our organisational commitment to the least possible disruption to the clients currently in the refuge.

The transformation was amazing. The team of six worked right through the day creating a beautiful and fresh space ready for the current occupants, a mum and 2 kids, to move back in to the next day. The best surprise is that not only did they repaint the bedsit but also repainted the outside courtyard creating a beautiful space for all our clients take some much needed time out.

“We had the fantastic opportunity to give back to our community by redecorating one of the temporary residence units at the Secure Accommodation Refuge of Kara House. A massive thank you to my team Fareed Amini, Daryl The, Methma Suriyaarachchi Simon Tranand Virginia Hau who worked tirelessly with such great enthusiasm converting the house to a home in one day and Dulux Technical Services Specialist Chris Seuren who guided us with product training to get the job done well and joining us on the day as well. Thank you, Kara House for this wonderful opportunity. We are humbly proud to be able to make a small difference in someone's life who is going through such a traumatic experience.”

Samohda Dharmarsi – Volunteer Team Leader – IT Project Coordinator Dulux Group

In the current crisis women and children in the refuge are spending most of their time indoors. Like everyone else in Victoria they are home schooling children, navigating supermarkets and social - but they are not in their own home, they have no family support and in a totally unfamiliar location. The refurbishment of the bedsit could not have happened at a better time by helping up to provide a safe, fresh and clean environment for our clients.

We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of the DuluxGroup over the past few years and we can not thank Samohda and the team enough for their kindness and hard work.

Update regarding Kara House’s response to COVID-19 crisis

For all of us there are a lot of unknowns at the moment, as we try and navigate what is happening in our workplaces, homes and community as well as around the world. We wanted to take the time to update you on the measures Kara House will be implementing

Update regarding Kara House’s response to COVID-19 crisis

Message from our Manager and Chair

During the COVID-19 crisis we will continue to support women and children impacted by family violence, prioritise the safety of our staff, clients and the community, while working within the guidelines of DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) and the Government.

We believe it is particularly important to ensure the safety of our clients by continuing access to our specialist family violence services and support. Past data tells us that in times of stress and crisis, Family Violence may escalate. Social distancing, self-isolation and shut down measures can add extreme pressure and increase financial hardship in already abusive situations.

In line with advice from the Government and Health experts we have implemented changes in the way we work. We’ll be modifying the way we operate by limiting face-to-face contact and continue to provide support via phone and email. All non-essential staff are working remotely at home and those remaining in the office will be practicing social distancing.

We are committed to providing uninterrupted help to ensure that women and children impacted by family violence during this time will be supported.

It’s an evolving situation and we will respond to the ongoing changes by adapting the way we work.

We really appreciate the concern of all our donors, supporters and friends and know that we can make our way through this difficult time with your ongoing support now and in the future.

We'll provide you with regular update as the situation develop.

Kind regards

Veronica Coleman
Manager – Kara House
admin@karahouse.org.au

Catherine Lockstone
Manager – Kara House
catherine.l@karahouse.org.au