Welcome

Disability service providers have an important role to play in the lives of women with disability experiencing domestic and family violence. The prevalence rates of this type of violence also tell us that it requires closer attention by every disability service provider.

We invite you to use these resources to build your skills and confidence to respond to disability and domestic and family violence at both a worker and organisational level. The development of these resources has been informed by the disability workforce and people with disability. The resources provide foundational level domestic and family violence knowledge and skills and the ‘how to’ of organisational responses.

  • Why this violence occurs and increased risk factors for women with disability.
  • What this type of violence looks like and how it can look different for women with disability.
  • What to do if women with disability are experiencing domestic and family violence.
  • Who can support women with disability to obtain information and access supports and services.
  • How organisations can respond effectively.

Who are these training and resources for?

  • Modules 1 – 4: Anyone working in the disability sector directly with people.
  • Organisational Responses Module: Anyone working in the disability sector in service coordination, supervision, leadership or human resources roles. Unless you have current knowledge and experience in DFV we recommend also engaging with Modules 1 – 4.

While the primary target audience is people working in the disability sector the training and resources are also suitable for anyone who is in contact with, or providing services to, women with disability.

This could include for example, drivers, housing workers, Government employees, medical professionals, youth workers, cleaners, interpreters, police, allied health workers, aged care workers and advocates.

What are these training and resources for?

To build skills and confidence in the disability workforce to recognise and respond to domestic and family violence.

This project has been developed in response to Recommendation 10 in the Not Now, Not Ever: Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland report. Recommendation 10 – the Queensland Government commissions a review to address the impact of domestic and family violence on people with disabilities. It is funded by the Office for Women and Violence Prevention, Department of Justice and Attorney-General. We respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we do our work across Queensland.

Click on the boxes below to access each module

Please work through each of the modules at your own pace, either individually or in groups.  It is important to access the video, learning guide and the fact sheets for each module.


Introduction & Acknowledgements

Introduction, acknowledgements and access to the reference list.


Module 1

Why domestic and family violence occurs and the increased risk factors for women with disability.


Module 2

What this type of violence looks like and how it can look different for women with disability.


Module 3

What to do if women with disability are experiencing domestic and family violence.


Module 4

Who can support women with disability to obtain information and access supports and services?


Organisational Responses Module

How can organisations respond effectively?
*Pre-requisite for this module is Modules 1-4 unless you have current knowledge and experience in DFV


Feedback

Please provide feedback about the training and resources and access a certificate of participation.

Please contact WorkUP Queensland for any enquiries at workforce@healingfoundation.org.au.

Domestic and Family Violence Training and Resources for the Disability Workforce

We believe the workforce is a significant driver of change in ending violence.

The Domestic and Family Violence Training and Resources for the Disability Workforce project aims to skill and equip the disability workforce to recognise and sensitively respond to domestic and family violence experienced by women with disability.

The project is led by WorkUP Queensland in partnership with National Disability Services (NDS) in Queensland. Together we bring strong connections to the domestic and family violence and disability sectors and have shared expertise in workforce planning and development.

Domestic and family violence is a significant problem in Australia.  Women with disability experience far higher levels of domestic and family violence than other women in the community and experience multiple, additional barriers to accessing appropriate support.

The disability workforce is in a unique position to work alongside women with disability to recognise and respond to domestic and family violence.

This project aims to work with the sector to share, plan and deliver training and resources that equip disability service providers to work alongside women with disability and make an important contribution to the safety and wellbeing of women and children.

Disability and Domestic and Family Violence Training

Disability service providers have an important role in the lives of people with disability experiencing domestic and family violence. The significant prevalence rates this type of violence experienced by women with disability tell us that this is a form of violence requiring closer attention by every disability service provider.

National Disability Services and WorkUP Queensland invite the disability workforce to participate in FREE training, on disability and domestic and family violence, developed and delivered in partnership with people with disability and informed by the disability workforce.

Foundational knowledge of domestic and family violence work practice for the disability workforce and the ‘how to’ of effective organisational responses are covered in a series of training modules available, including:

Why this violence occurs and increased risk factors for women with disability

What this type of violence looks like and how it can look different for women with disability

How the workforce can help and how organisations can effectively respond

Who you can contact for support or more information?

Get involved and have your say!

Participation in this training provides a unique opportunity to contribute to shaping the final training products through your engagement and feedback. No prior knowledge is required to engage in this training. The final products will be made freely available for the broader disability workforce to access into the future.

The training will be delivered in short, interactive, live Zoom webinar sessions, making it easy to participate.

To find out more about the training visit Disability & DFV Training and register for the most appropriate program for your role:

  • Disability and Domestic and Family Violence: What every worker needs to know. For the disability workforce across all roles and levels.
  • Disability and Domestic & Family Violence: Effective organisational responses. For the disability workforce undertaking support coordination/ management/supervision/HR and leadership roles.

A Certificate of Attendance will be provided for participants who complete the whole series.

The disability workforce including government and non-government workers, sole providers and those employed by non-government organisations providing a direct service to people with a disability are the target group for this project.

 

For more information or to provide feedback please contact:

Christine Payne

WorkUP Queensland

0400 999 184

workforce@healingfoundation.org.au

Lisa Fraser

NDS Queensland

07 3828 900

Ndsqld@nds.org.au

 

Resources

Disability and Domestic and Family Violence Training Flyer

Access the Domestic and Family Violence Training and Resources for the Disability Workforce flyer here.

References