Lifeline Australia’s DV-Alert is a nationally recognised training program funded by the Department of Social Services as a key initiative under the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Their Children. Since 2011, the 2-day DV-Alert training course has been offered, free of charge, to the health, allied health and community frontline workers. The training enables frontline workers to confidently:

• RECOGNISE signs of domestic and family violence
• RESPOND with appropriate care
• REFER people experiencing or at risk of domestic and family violence to appropriate support services

Since 2012, DV-alert has expanded to include a stream based on the context of domestic and family violence experienced by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander women. Followed in 2014 with a stream based on that experienced by women of Non-English-Speaking Background. Under the Third Action Plan., the DV-Alert Training is being further expanded to include the diverse nature of the violence and sexual assault experienced by women with disabilities.

As a preliminary step, Lifeline Australia seeks to consult with key organisations, such as yours, whose staff could be likely to receive a first disclosure from a woman with disabilities about the violence that she has experienced. In the Focus Groups we will explore what information your staff have used already or might need, and the referral pathways that work in order that a disclosure can be acted on effectively.

Focus Groups will be conducted by Didactic Enterprises and will be held in the location listed in the accompanying Table on page 2

Because of the nature of the material to be discussed, debriefing support will be on hand at all Focus Group consultations.

PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS WHEN YOU RSVP.

RSVP: by the date shown in the Table above to: sudata@optusnet.com.au (Didactic Enterprises)

WA = venue with Wheelchair Access; HL = venue with Hearing Loop (Audio Induction Loop)