All/Whole of families approaches for addressing domestic and family violence: An Aboriginal lens on the Safe & Together Framework (The ALFIES Project) – Final Report
The All/Whole of Families Approaches for addressing domestic and family violence: An Aboriginal lens on the Safe & Together Framework research project aimed to explore whole/all of family, holistic practices with Aboriginal families when there is domestic and family violence and other intersecting issues (alcohol and other drug use and mental health concerns) using a trauma and violence informed lens. Importantly, the research aimed to move beyond documenting practice at these intersections, towards exploring how the impacts of colonisation, systemic racism, intergenerational trauma, and past and current systemic abuse and neglect, shape the work of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) when responding to domestic and family violence in their local area and within their local community. The project also aimed to examine the Safe & Together Model to assess whether or how it can be used as a model to support the current work of ACCHOs in NSW, in work, using an Aboriginal world view, with families and communities experiencing domestic and family violence.
This report has been developed with care and diligence through a partnership between Waminda, Katungul, the research participants, and the University of Melbourne’s Aboriginal-led ALFIES research team. The research partners and team acknowledge that data and information about individual Aboriginal people are inseparable from community and are a vital expression of Cultural identity. Upholding Aboriginal data sovereignty is central to this work. Accordingly, Waminda, Katungul, and the communities they serve are recognised as having:
- Ownership of all data provided to researchers.
- Ownership of all data generated through the collation and analysis of original data.
- Authority and rights over the reporting, dissemination, and publication of research results and findings.
Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be reproduced, shared, or communicated without clearly acknowledging the owners and authors of the report. Acknowledgement must include a statement that the intellectual property contained in this report is owned by Waminda, Katungul, and the communities they serve, and by citing the report in full as follows: 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.
Citation:
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.