By Sophie Gillfeather-Spetere, Amy Watson
Designed for use by policymakers, practitioners, and advocates, this guide synthesizes findings from 20+ reports to outline key actions for consistent and effective policy responses supporting children and young people experiencing violence. It includes four principles that outline ways of working to underpin reform and eight priority areas for action. The report finds that policies and service systems are failing to meet the needs of children and young people, particularly those with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, those from culturally and linguistically diverse families, and LGBTQ+. The guide calls for significant policy and practice reforms that center children's and young people’s voices, acknowledge the profound and diverse impact of violence on their lives, and move away from a reactive system to one that prioritizes primary prevention.
Four principles to underpin reform
There is no single experience of being a child or young person. When working to support the safety and wellbeing of children and young people we must use an intersectional approach.
Policy and service systems need to be rights-focused to avoid causing further harm.
Policy and system change needs to be supported by an authorising environment with supportive leadership, adequate resourcing, child-focused and DFSV-informed policies and procedures, and education and training.
The strengths, resilience, and resistance of children and young people should be recognized and incorporated into trauma-informed, strengths-based system responses.
Eight priority areas for action
Recognize the profound and diverse impacts of domestic, family, and sexual violence on children and young people.
Centre the voices, strengths, and needs of children and young people.
Prioritise primary prevention centring children and young people’s wellbeing and safety.
Acknowledge and act on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ knowledge of what is best for their children.
Design and deliver holistic child-centred systems, policies, and supports.
Collaborate across systems to respond holistically to children and young people’s needs.
Invest in skill development in trauma- and domestic, family, and sexual violence-informed care across systems and services.
Share knowledge across services working with disability; domestic, family, and sexual violence; and children and young people.
Sydney: ANROWS- Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety, 2024. 84p.