- Title
- Improving domestic violence services in the Hunter: An evaluation of early intervention services offered by Jenny’s Place
- Creator
- Alston, Margaret; Foote, Wendy; Agllias, Kylie
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.25817/ym51-yc20
- Publisher
- University of Newcastle
- Resource Type
- report
- Date
- 2024
- Description
- This research was commissioned by Jenny’s Place in 2022 in recognition of the critical role research and evaluation play in facilitating effective and targeted service to women and children experiencing domestic and family violence (DFV). This collaborative investigation was conducted by researchers from the College of Human and Social Futures at the University of Newcastle, and jointly funded by Jenny’s Place and UoN through the Industry Matched Funding Scheme. It aimed to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the Newcastle Domestic Violence Resource Centre’s (NDVRC) early intervention service offered by Jenny’s Place. The study utilised a mixed-methods approach (analysing service data, and data collected through staff interviews, client interviews and a client questionnaire). It concluded that the Newcastle Domestic Violence Resource Centre (NDVRC) has emerged as a strong and unique service for women and children experiencing domestic violence in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Hunter and beyond. Founded in 2008, and driven by feminist principles, the service employs current standards of evidence and acts as a front runner in the early intervention DFV space. Findings from this research highlight a number of service strengths including the flexible, women-centred and empowerment-focused practice that prioritises the safety of women and children. This is supported by a notable robust organisational culture, staffed by an experienced, passionate and dedicated workforce. A range of enduring wraparound partnerships – across the human services and including the corporate sector – ensure warm referrals to a diverse range of services that are well equipped to meet victim-survivors’ needs. The timing and duration of the NDVRC’s early intervention service is one of its most unique and important features: Working with women while they remain in the home potentially averts violence and crisis, and may reduce the need for emergency responses from police, ambulance and hospitals. The NDVRC also works with women in crisis and extends its service response well beyond the period of leaving the perpetrator of DFV. The service model recognises a number of critical periods and conditions that put women and children at risk of a range of socio-economic deprivations and an increased risk of post-separation violence. Unfortunately, the NDVRC is unable to fully meet the demands of the steadily increasing service requests and the growing complexity of client presentations, in conjunction with unprecedented socio-historic and economic conditions. This study found that the shortage of funding, and particularly secure and ongoing funding, remains the prime barrier for the NDVRC to support DFV victims in this region.
- Subject
- social work; domestic family violence; early intervention; Jenny's Place; Newcastle Domestic Violence Resource Centre (NDVRC); research report
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1501864
- Identifier
- uon:55177
- Identifier
- ISBN:9780725907112
- Rights
- This report © Alston M, Foote W, & Agllias, K. Except where noted, this work is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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