What is the Common Risk Assessment Framework?
The Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework - also known as the Common Risk Assessment Framework or CRAF - is a key aspect of the integrated family violence reforms. It is designed to help professionals and practitioners working in a wide range of fields (e.g. community services, courts, health sector) to identify risk factors associated with family violence and respond consistently and appropriately to people experiencing family violence.
The framework was developed in extensive consultation with specialists in the field and builds upon international and national evidence. An initial statewide training program on the framework was delivered throughout 2009 and it is now being utilised by family violence services and a wide range of agencies and service sectors including housing and homelessness, Maternal Child and Health Nurses, court registrars, police officers, Child Protection and disability workers.
The Victorian Government is providing an extensive program of fully funded training sessions to all regions across the state until the end of 2013. These sessions are for agencies and sectors that may not have accessed the previous training, and to meet some of the existing demand for training in sectors already using the framework.
The Victorian Government has contracted Swinburne University of Technology, in partnership with the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria and No To Violence to undertake the delivery of the Training Program.
How do I enroll in a training session?
Expressions of interest are now open for Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Assessment for Specialist Family Violence Workers sessions scheduled for the end of 2011.
Please read the description of the two types of sessions (below) and determine which type is more appropriate to your current role.You may enrol in sessions running in your DHS region or in an open enrolment session.
Please complete the Expression of Interest form (available under the CRAF Training Calendar section of this site) if you are interested in participating in this training and return it by fax or email to Swinburne University as soon as possible (details are on the form).
Should I attend a Family Violence Risk Assessment or a Risk Assessment for Specialist Family Violence Workers training session?
The different CRAF training types are especially designed to suit a range of professionals according to their level of engagement with victims of family violence. There is no better or more detailed training; all training is relevant and useful to the professional roles it has been designed for.
Please read through the descriptions of CRAF training types below to ensure you attend the training that best meets your needs. Ask yourself what your work entails – and what you need to know to support your clients – to match yourself with the training below.
Family Violence Risk Assessment
The Family Violence Risk Assessment training component is designed for professionals who may be providing non specialist family violence support services to those who may also be experiencing family violence. This could include
- the need to undertake initial risk assessments with victims of family violence and/ or
- referring clients to specialist family violence services.
This Family Violence Risk Assessment Training covers:
- shared understanding of family violence (including the impact of family violence);
- use of Preliminary assessment tool to assess for presence of evidence-based risk factors;
- safety planning; and
- information sharing and effective referral.
Risk Assessment for Specialist Family Violence Workers
The Risk Assessment for Specialist Family Violence Workers training component is designed for specialist family violence professionals whose roles include
- undertaking ongoing risk assessment and
- carrying responsibility for risk management as part of an ongoing case management responsibility within the overall family violence service system.
If your role does not include the above components, you should attend the Risk Assessment training component.
This Risk Assessment for Specialist Family Violence Workers training covers:
- shared understanding of family violence (including the impact of family violence);
- use of Comprehensive assessment tool to assess risk and develop risk management strategies, with a particular focus on working with children, Indigenous clients, CALD clients and clients with a disability;
- safety planning; information sharing and partnership approaches
- case management and risk management.
