Family Violence Support

6. Screening for family violence for MARAM nominated staff

Family violence screening tool

Schools must use MARAM processes to identify and respond to family violence, including asking screening questions. Using the Family violence screening tool (DOCX) ensures school staff are meeting their school’s MARAM responsibilities.

MARAM nominated staff can use the Family violence screening tool 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
  • have completed or received a completed Family violence identification tool (DOCX) and/or Family violence screening tool from a colleague.

The Family violence screening tool will guide nominated staff through the decision-making process to determine how to respond.

If nominated staff receive a Family violence identification tool from another staff member, they should refer to the information in the tool to support their engagement with the victim survivor.

Nominated staff can ask screening questions directly of a child or young person and/or adult victim survivor – if safe, reasonable and appropriate to do so.

Staff should not seek the views and wishes of a child, young person or family member in the following circumstances:

• If it is unsafe. For example, if it is likely to jeopardise a child’s wellbeing or safety or place another person at risk of harm. Or if timeliness is an issue, such as when there is an immediate risk.
• If it is unreasonable. For example, if the relevant family member does not have a relationship with the school. Or if you are unable to make contact with them.
• If it is inappropriate. For example, if a young person is living independently and their family members no longer have access to their personal information.

The Family violence screening tool is intended to be used as a living document, as family violence is defined by a pattern of behaviour, meaning it is likely to require ongoing support. Nominated staff can use the Family violence screening tool to record and collate new observations they make over time.

Protective factors

Protective factors are strengths or conditions that increase a child or young person’s (or adult’s) safety from family violence.

Protective factors can include a person’s:

• involvement with their school community
• involvement with their broader community (sports clubs and so on)
• relationship with protective family members
• independence (employment, finances, vehicle)
• involvement with professionals who have ‘eyes-on’ the person experiencing family violence, such as teachers, childcare workers, community welfare workers, or community health workers who observe and record concerns.

Nominated staff can use the ‘Record more information relevant to the above…’ section of the Family violence screening tool (DOCX) to record protective factors.

Information sharing

Nominated staff may use the Child and Family Violence Information Sharing Schemes to share the Family violence screening tool when referring the victim survivor to a specialist family violence service, which will provide comprehensive risk assessment and management.

For more information, refer to: Child and Family Violence Information Sharing Schemes.

Misidentification of the predominant aggressor

It may be difficult to determine who the ‘predominant aggressor’ or perpetrator is in a family violence situation, particularly if more than one person is using violence.

It is not the role of school staff to identify the predominant aggressor when identifying and responding to family violence, including when completing the tools. The information recorded in the tools will support specialist services to correctly identify the predominant aggressor, and tailor their response accordingly, to avoid misidentification.