June 2023 – Violence Against Women and Children

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 2023 , Publication

This report presents the findings from the first KODY Policy Stakeholder Group workshop held at the University of Melbourne on the 29^th 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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All/Whole of family approaches for addressing family violence: An Aboriginal lens on the Safe & Together Framework (The ALFIES Project)

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

This project explored 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 explored 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 was Aboriginal driven in collaboration with NSW Health. The Project team was comprised of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers.

Publications

Final Report

Toivonen, C., Lauw, M., the ALFIES Research Team and Waminda South Coast Women’s Health & Welfare Aboriginal Corporation and Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health & Community Services (2025). The ALFIES Project Final Report: All/Whole of Families Approaches for Addressing Domestic and Family Violence – An Aboriginal Lens on the Safe & Together Framework. NSW Ministry of Health.

Research Team

Marlene Lauw is a Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal woman- Chief Investigator and Aboriginal Consultant, and Principal Policy Officer, Aboriginal Policy and Programs Team, Prevention and response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect. Government Relations, Strategy and Violence Prevention, NSW Ministry of Health.
Professor Shawana Andrews is a Trawlwoolway Palawa woman – Aboriginal Consultant to the Research Team, and Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Professor in the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne.
Cherie Toivonen is an imperfect ally recognising her colonising background – Chief Investigator/ Research Project Manager, and Director of CLT Byron Consulting.
Jackie Wruck is a Yidinjdji woman – Consultant to the Research Team and Asia Pacific Regional Manager, Safe & Together Institute™
Irene Wardle is a Darug woman with family connections to the Biripi Nation – Chief Investigator and Aboriginal Researcher, and Program Director of the Extended Bachelor Program & Lecturer in Aboriginal Education and Indigenous Studies.
Dr Margaret Kertesz -Chief Investigator and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne.
Honorary Professor Cathy Humphreys – Chief Investigator and Professor of Social Work at University of Melbourne.
Associate Professor Lesley Laing – Consultant to the Research Team, and Honorary Associate Professor in Social Work at the University of Sydney.
David Mandel – Consultant to the Research Team, and CEO, Founder & Owner of the Safe & Together™ Institute.

Research Partners

Leadership and Staff at Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health and Community Services.
Leadership and Staff at Waminda South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation.
Safe & Together Institute

Funders

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

Project Dates: 2022 – 2025

Contact: Dr Margaret Kertesz

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

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

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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