Family Violence Support

3. All staff responsibilities

All staff are responsible for the wellbeing and safety of the children and young people in their school and for MARAM Responsibility 1 and contributing to MARAM Responsibilities 2, 5, 6, 9 and 10. In addition, nominated staff hold additional responsibilities which are:

• screening for family violence
• making basic safety plans
• making referrals to specialist services and collaborating to provide ongoing support to the child, young person or their family
• making and responding to FVISS and CISS requests.

School staff can fulfil their responsibilities by:

• engaging respectfully, sensitively and safely with people who may be experiencing family violence
• using the Family violence identification tool (DOCX) to record information if they:
  • receive a disclosure of family violence
  • observe:
    • signs of trauma that may indicate a child or young person is experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing, family violence
    • family violence risk factors
    • narratives (for example, statements or stories) or behaviours that indicate an adult is using family violence
• following the instructions in the Family violence identification tool to respond to family violence in accordance with the Four Critical Actions
• following their school’s Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures
• keeping appropriate records.

For further information, school staff can refer to the Introduction and All Staff chapters of the Information Sharing and Family Violence Reforms: Guidance and Tools.