Jacquie Petrusma

Jacquie Petrusma MP - Member for Franklin
FAMILY VIOLENCE COUNSELLING SUPPORT SERVICE
April 13th,2011

Tonight I want to raise an issue of concern in relation to the Family Violence Counselling Support Service for both adults and children. The Family Violence Counselling Support Service comprises two programs, the adult program and the children and young persons program, and is the service that is available to those affected by domestic and family violence in this State, providing face-to-face and telephone counselling, support, referral, advocacy, information, practical assistance, community education and policy development. For children affected by family violence the service's role in monitoring and constantly assessing the ongoing risk and safety of children exposed to family violence is central to the program's integrity.

The Family Violence Counselling Support Service first operated a nine-to-five service but since the inception of Safe at Home has operated extended hours until midnight and on weekends because of demonstrated client need and the need for those services to be delivered by people with in-depth knowledge of the Safe at Home system and Family Violence Act. A review of the service was conducted by 3P Consulting late last year and prior to the review professional employees in that service were promised that they would be allowed to review the final consultants' report and would in fact be consulted on the outcome of the review and any recommendations.

I now understand that 3P has finalised its report but it has not been released, staff have not been allowed to see it and there are grave fears that the recommendations will result in decreasing services and support to family violence clients, both adults and children, in this State.

Further, staff fear that the recommendations will be implemented without staff being consulted or even aware of the proposed changes. I would therefore tonight urge the responsible minister, Ms O'Connor, to share the results of the review with the staff as well as to publicise the review and be totally transparent about the plans for the future of the service.

I would also urge the minister to thoroughly consider any recommendations to streamline or disintegrate the Family Violence Counselling Support Service in Tasmania. This State has a great reputation across Australia for its work on family violence. We now have a model that is widely regarded across Australia as best practice and this includes the professional services provided by the Family Violence Counselling Support Service. Pulling the model apart may result in putting the lives of children and families who are subject to domestic violence at further risk.