The Family Safety meeting

The Family Safety Meeting (FSM) is a regular, formal meeting of representatives from agencies concerned with family safety. The purpose of each meeting is to allow agencies to:

• share information, so that a comprehensive picture of a person’s risk can be established; and
• jointly construct a Positive Action Plan for each person identified as being at high risk, using all available agency resources, to increase that person’s safety.

FSMs are held fortnightly and can be held sooner if a case requires emergency attention. Additional meetings are called at the discretion of the Chair.

At the FSM, each agency and non-government representative identifies their agency's ability to enhance the safety of the person/s at risk, develop actions and ensure those actions are completed.

Each agency representative must come to the FSM with any relevant historical information their agency has on file in relation to a person/s at risk on the agenda. This ensures a comprehensive, up-to-date picture of the person’s situation and risk factors. Information about the perpetrator and their relevant history and circumstances should also be shared. In sharing and combining this information, the FSM comprehensively assesses the situation of the person at risk and develops strategies to maximise that person’s safety. The person/s at risk  does not attend the meeting, nor does the perpetrator.

After the initial meeting and development of a Positive Action Plan, cases are subject to ongoing review and risk management assessment at the FSM until the high risk has been mitigated. A case may be on the FSM agenda for a number of meetings to mitigate risk to a level that can be acceptably managed without a multi-agency approach.

Agencies have responsibility to undertake actions assigned to them at the FSM. Responsibility is not transferred to the FSM.