If you or someone else is in danger, call Triple Zero 000 for immediate assistance
Resources
Department resources for schools
Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework
- Information Sharing and Family Violence Reforms: Guidance and
- Family violence identification tool
- Family violence screening tool
- Family violence basic safety plan
- Observable signs of trauma that may indicate a child or young person is experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing, family
- Family violence risk
- Narratives and behaviours that indicate a person is using family
For more information and to register for training, refer to Non-accredited MARAM (Education workforces) on the Training for the information sharing and MARAM reforms webpage.
PROTECT
The department’s PROTECT website applies to all employees, contractors and service providers and includes advice on how to create a child safe environment, identify and report signs of abuse and mandatory reporting requirements. Refer to:
Respectful Relationships
The Respectful Relationships program supports schools and early childhood settings to promote and model respect and positive attitudes and behaviours. It teaches children how to build health relationships, resilience and confidence. To contact your Respectful Relationships staff please contact your area office. Refer to:
Student health and wellbeing
Support services, guidance and materials to make sure students are healthy and safe at your school.
Department resources for parents
- Information for parents about family violence, including family violence supports, can be found on the What is family violence .
- A range of generic supports for parents, carers and families including family intervention services can be found at: Services for parents and
Department resources for school staff
Employee Wellbeing Support Services
Employee Wellbeing Support Services provides free and confidential advice to proactively support Victorian government school staff wellbeing. Converge International is the department’s external provider of Employee Wellbeing Support Services.
Employee Wellbeing Support Services offerings
Eligible individuals can arrange to speak with a practitioner over the phone, via video, or in person (subject to availability) for the following services:
- Employee Assist provides support and counselling for various personal and work-related issues.
- Manager Assist provides dedicated coaching support to people managers. Principal-class employees, business managers and other school leaders are encouraged to use Manager Assist for coaching and advice on staff wellbeing matters, having difficult conversations, leading through change, developing leadership competencies and any other people management matters.
- Career Assist provides career development advice, interview skills support and vocational counselling.
- Nutrition & Lifestyle Assist provides specialist advice on nutrition, sleep, mindfulness, addictive behaviours and positive lifestyle changes.
- Conflict Assist provides strategies, tools and coaching to deal with difficult workplace and personal situations. This is not a replacement for the conflict resolution support service available to staff currently.
- Money Assist provides money management coaching to help staff address their financial wellbeing.
- Legal Assist provides confidential legal advice for personal and non-work-related issues in the following areas of law: personal family law, wills/probate, tenancy/renting, real estate and consumer disputes. Please refer to Legal Assist frequently asked questions for further information on the service.
- Family Assist provides counselling for eligible school staff and their immediate family members (aged 18 and over) needing support with personal concerns. Short-term counselling for small family groups (aged 18 and over) or couples is also available.
Specialist helplines
There is a dedicated specialist helplines for eligible individuals who identify or are:
- experiencing domestic and or family violence: 1300 338 465
Subject to availability, specialist support may include practitioners with lived experience or who are trained to respond to the needs of staff and their families who identify themselves as above, including cultural safety and the use of inclusive language.
Specialist helplines can be accessed through telephone, Converge live chat function or email: customerservice@convergeintl.com.au. Specialist helplines are not available to book via the Converge mobile phone app or online booking portal.
Eligible school staff can also access specialist helplines via the main service phone line at 1300 291 071. Simply let the Converge intake officer know which specialist helpline is desired.
For further information about Employee Wellbeing Support Services, refer to:
Leaders and senior staff also have access to Manager Assist and the Principal class Early Intervention Program. Phone: 1300 090 924 Email: eiprogram@cogentthinking.com.au
Workplace Contact Officer Network
The Workplace Contact Officer Network is a group of staff who have volunteered and been trained as a point of contact for colleagues experiencing harassment, discrimination, bullying, victimisation or family violence.
HR e-learning module for principals and managers
Family Violence Module for Managers and Principals E-learning can be accessed in LearnEd through your eduPay. This can be useful for all staff to complete.
- Family Violence Module for Managers and Principals (staff login required)
External resources – advice and support for schools and for people experiencing family violence
safe steps (24/7)
This Victorian state-wide family violence crisis support service for women and children includes accommodation (refuge) options and information in 10 languages. You can contact safe steps by phone or email at anytime or online chat through their website Monday to Friday 9 am to 9 pm.
1800RESPECT (24/7)
This national service can provide counselling advice and support for people experiencing family violence. The website has resources in 29 languages. The service also provides debriefing to those providing to support to people experiencing family violence including family, friends and professionals.
The Orange Door
The Orange Door is a free service for all adults, children and young people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence and families who need extra support with the care of children.
School staff can also seek expert advice, other relevant information and referral options from area-based specialist family violence services. To locate your local specialist family violence service visit:
Sexual Assault Services Victoria
The peak body for sexual assault and harmful sexual behaviour services in Victoria. Sexual Assault Services Victoria (SASVic) work to promote rights, recovery and respect for victim survivors and other people impacted by sexual violence and harm.
School staff can find specialist services in their local area via the SASVic website that support victim survivors of sexual assault and their family members by providing free and confidential crisis support services.
Sexual Assault Crisis Line
Provides statewide after-hours confidential telephone service for people who have experience past and recent sexual assault.
InTouch
State-wide family violence support for Multicultural women and men, their families and communities. They can provide information and referral options for family violence, support relating to visas, family court issues and case management.
Djirra
Djirra is an Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service supporting Aboriginal people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence (women and men). Djirra also assists non-Aboriginal people experiencing family violence who are parents of Aboriginal children.
- 1800 105 303
- Legal Services team: info.afvls@djirra.org.au
Men’s Referral Service
State-wide phone service providing support and information for men who are concerned about their behaviours or have used violence.
School Update articles relevant to this topic (staff login required)
- Family violence support and resources for – published 27 October 2020
- Family violence support services and – published 1 September 2020
Reviewed 10 September 2024