Referral

1. The Portal provides online access to the Domestic Violence Risk Assessment (DVRA). Completion of this risk assessment is the first step towards making a referral to the FSM. Should the risk score be calculated as high (45 or over) the referrer will be prompted to complete and submit a referral to the Family Safety Meeting.
2. If the risk score is below 45 but the referrer considers the person is at high risk of serious injury or death, they can elect to exercise their professional judgement and continue to complete and submit a referral.
3. Should the referrer consider the risk is standard or moderate, they will be able to save the DVRA as a draft in the Portal. This can be edited later to continue to the referral process should the person’s risk level increase.

What constitutes a high-risk referral?

All agencies should review the list of risk factors on the Domestic Violence Risk Assessment (DVRA) and identify what information their agency holds about any of the risk indicators. It is important that referrals to Family Safety Meetings meet a high-risk determination as indicated above.

If a case is not currently assessed as high-risk, the person should still be supported by the agency worker and (where necessary) be referred to appropriate services. Local SAPOL Family Violence Officers can be notified of anyone at standard or medium risk of domestic violence through other means of communication as necessary. Workers are encouraged to telephone and talk to SAPOL staff, as appropriate, regarding victims of domestic violence who do not meet the high-risk threshold required to be referred to a Family Safety Meeting.

Family safety referral through the Portal

Once the user has completed the online Domestic Violence Risk Assessment (DVRA) and a level of risk requiring a multi-agency response is established, the next requirement is to make a referral. The worker will need to complete and submit the Family Safety Framework (FSF) Referral via the Portal.

If the completed risk assessment calculates a risk score of 45 or over the user will be prompted to continue to complete the referral to the Family Safety Meeting (FSM). If the score is under 45 the user can continue to complete a referral complimented by their professional judgment.

When completing the referral online the referrer will be asked to provide the following information:

1. Offender Details (if known)
2. Children Details (if known)
3. Other Household Members (If known)
4. Reasons for referral
5. Background and risk issues
6. Identify if the person being referred is aware of the FSM referral
7. Identify if the person being referred has given consent (or not) for the referral
8. If consent has not been given, an explanation as to why this isn’t possible.
9. Indicating if a Cultural Consultant been involved (or not) in the process
10. Indicating if a Disability Consultant been involved (or not) in the process
11. Identifying if a Child Protection Notification been made. If yes, any additional details about who by and on what date.

Other risk factors categories

To complement the standard Domestic Violence Risk Assessment (DVRA), there are further, more focussed risk indicators. These are not mandatory to making a referral, and will not contribute towards risk score, but will assist further assessment by providing nuanced information to the Chair and the FSM members. This will provide more individualised information in terms of additional factors for consideration.

The additional focussed risk considerations are associated with the following:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people (CALD)
• Rural and remote locations
• Under 25 years of age
• Disability
• Over 60 years of age
• LGBTIQA+
• Perpetrator.

Finalising a referral

Please note:

1. A knowledge of the history and dynamics of the relationship, including domestic violence incidents, should be provided as part of the referral. This may include uploading supporting documentation to the Portal as part of the referral process.

   Answering as many of the Other Risk Factor questions will assist in the assessment of risk and help the FSMs response.

2. The Family Safety Framework referral form should contain as much information as is reasonably available regarding:

• identifying details (names, dates of birth, addresses, contact phone numbers for all individuals on the referral)
• the nature of safety concerns
• presenting high-risk indicators
• agency involvement
• recent safety planning.

Submitting the risk assessment and referral online

Registered Portal User

Click submit at the end of the referral and it will be submitted to the Chair of the FSM for consideration. An email will be sent to the referrer, confirming the submission.

An additional email may be sent to the referrer, requesting additional information to support SAPOL’s assessment of the referral.

The referral outcome will be sent to the referrer’s registered email address.

Guest User

Guest referrers must ensure they have verified their email address. Once verified, they will be able to click submit, and the referral will be submitted to the Chair of the FSM for consideration. An email will be sent to the referrer, confirming the submission.

An additional email may be sent to the referrer, requesting additional information to support SAPOL’s assessment of the referral.

The referral outcome will be sent to the referrer’s provided email address.

If a case is not assessed as high risk

The purpose of the FSM and the permission to share information is based on the assessment of risk of harm to the person at risk and/or their children.

If the person is not assessed as at high risk of harm following a risk assessment and professional judgement, then workers should follow their own agency procedures / policies and ensure that the person receives any services and support they need.