Month: June 2023

KODY Policy Stakeholder Group: Leverage Points for policy development across sectors: a systems approach. Report of Workshop 1, November 2022 (2023)

Posted by: Rhys Lawry Posted on: June 16, 2023 ,

This report presents the findings from the first KODY Policy Stakeholder Group workshop held at the University of Melbourne on the 29th of November 2022. The KODY Policy Stakeholder Group (PSG) brings together professionals from across Australia who are interested in improving the policy environment and services for families experiencing issues with substance use and family violence. Stakeholders came from a range of sectors including alcohol and other drugs (AOD), domestic and family violence (DFV), child protection, child and family welfare and government policymakers. This report contains a summary of key topic areas discussed in the PSG Workshop:

  • A synthesis of current knowledge on the relationship between AOD and DFV. 
  • A snapshot of the systems targeted by the PSG.
  • A summary of presentations adhering to the knowledge diamond heuristic. 
  • An action plan with key priorities identified to guide the PSG’s future work.

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Read more about the KODY Project

Researchers: Callaly, V. Kertesz, M., & Humphreys, C.

Year: 2023

Citation: Callaly, V., Kertesz, M., & Humphreys, C. (2023). KODY Policy Stakeholder Group: Leverage Points for policy development across sectors: a systems approach. Report of Workshop 1, November 2022.

Whole of family approaches for addressing family violence: An Aboriginal lens on the Safe & Together Framework

Posted by: Rhys Lawry Posted on: June 16, 2023

This project is exploring whole of family approaches to addressing family violence when there are intersecting issues of alcohol and other drug use, mental health and child protection. The Project will explore Aboriginal expertise on holistic approaches to this work whilst at the same time examining the applicability of the Safe & Together model when working with Aboriginal families in NSW within the context of invasion, colonisation and Stolen Generations. The Project is Aboriginal driven in collaboration with NSW Health. The Project team comprises both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers.

Researchers:

  • Marlene Lauw (ML Consultancy Services) – Chief Investigator and Aboriginal Consultant
  • Assoc. Prof. Shawana Andrews (University of Melbourne)- Aboriginal Consultant to the Research Team
  • Irene Wardle (Warami Consultancy) – Chief Investigator and Aboriginal Researcher
  • Lois Newman – Aboriginal Research Officer
  • Prof. Cathy Humphreys (University of Melbourne) – Chief Investigator
  • Cherie Toivonen (CLT Byron Consulting, NSW) – Chief Investigator/Research Project Manager
  • Dr Margaret Kertesz (University of Melbourne) – Chief Investigator
  • Assoc. Prof. Emeritus Lesley Laing (University of Sydney) – Consultant to the Research Team

Funders and Partners:

Funded by NSW Ministry of Health – Prevention and Response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect (PARVAN) Unit

Safe & Together Institute

Project Dates: 2022 – 2024

Contact: Dr Margaret Kertesz

KODY Practitioner Workshop: Practitioner-led Knowledge Building – Report (2023)

Posted by: Rhys Lawry Posted on: June 8, 2023 ,

On March 16th, 2023, the KODY Program’s first Practitioner Workshop was held in Richmond, Melbourne. Practitioners and program managers from Kids First and Odyssey House Victoria (OHV), along with researchers from the University of Melbourne and Southern Cross University, attended the three-hour workshop. The first half of the workshop consisted of a case study presented by KODY Caring Dads (CD) facilitators to illustrate the work, and an overview of program referral data, client numbers and profile, presented by the research team. Interested professionals from outside the program attended this half of the workshop. The second part involved a conversation mapping exercise.

There was considerable discussion about the development of various aspects of the KODY program since it started in 2021. A wider conception of KODY than a groupwork program for men emerged – towards a program not only working with all members of the family, but also actively engaging with the services surrounding the family and working collaboratively and holistically with them. This paper presents the Case Study, and a summary of participants’ thoughts, fears, and hopes about the KODY program.

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Read more about the KODY project

Researchers: Guillou, M., Nguyen, H. T. D., Kertesz, M., & Humphreys, C.

Year: 2023

Citation: Guillou, M., Nguyen, H. T. D., Kertesz, M., & Humphreys, C. (2023). KODY Practitioner Workshop: Practitioner-led Knowledge Building. Report of Practitioner Workshop, 16 March 2023. University of Melbourne.