Evaluation of the Green Valley Domestic Violence Service (GVDVS)

The GVDVS is an innovative approach aimed at improving the response to women and children experiencing domestic violence, through a partnership between NSW Health, the Department of Community Services, Police, Housing and a range of non-government agencies. Health is the lead agency. Because of the developmental and evolving nature of the GVDVS, a ‘formative’ or ‘process’ evaluation was conducted. Data was collected from a range of sources including clients and staff of the service; frontline and management representatives of agencies in the area served by the service; and the client, training and community development records of the service. Analysis of this data indicated that the presence of a specialist domestic violence service has been the catalyst for improved interagency responses to domestic violence in Green Valley. GVDVS has developed a model of service delivery to women and children that provides a model of good practice in domestic violence service delivery within the health system.South Western Sydney Area Health Servic

“THEY NEVER ASKED ME ANYTHING ABOUT THAT”: The Stories of Women who Experience Domestic Violence and Mental Health Concerns/Illness

This report outlines the experiences of a group of women who have lived with domestic violence and mental illness/health concerns. These women’s interviews were part of the research Towards Better Practice: Enhancing collaboration between domestic violence and mental health services.ARC, Linkage Grant LP0562636; Joan Harrison Support Services for Women; the Education Centre Against Violence; Liverpool/Fairfield Mental Health; and the Transcultural Mental Health Centre

Integrated therapist and online CBT for depression in primary care (INTERACT): study protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for depression. Self-directed online CBT interventions have made CBT more accessible at a lower cost. However, adherence is often poor and, in the absence of therapist support, effects are modest and short-term. Delivering CBT online using instant messaging is clinically and cost-effective; however, most existing platforms are limited to instant messaging sessions, without the support of between-session "homework" activities. The INTERACT intervention integrates online CBT materials and 'high-intensity' therapist-led CBT, delivered remotely in real-time. The INTERACT trial will evaluate this novel integration in terms of clinical and cost-effectiveness, and acceptability to therapists and clients. METHODS: Pragmatic, two parallel-group multi-centre individually randomised controlled trial, with 434 patients recruited from primary care practices in Bristol, London and York. Participants with depression will be identified via General Practitioner record searches and direct referrals. INCLUSION CRITERIA: aged ≥ 18 years; score ≥ 14 on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II); meeting International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) criteria for depression. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: alcohol or substance dependency in the past year; bipolar disorder; schizophrenia; psychosis; dementia; currently under psychiatric care for depression (including those referred but not yet seen); cannot complete questionnaires unaided or requires an interpreter; currently receiving CBT/other psychotherapy; received high-intensity CBT in the past four years; participating in another intervention trial; unwilling/unable to receive CBT via computer/laptop/smartphone. Eligible participants will be randomised to integrated CBT or usual care. Integrated CBT utilises the standard Beckian intervention for depression and comprises nine live therapist-led sessions, with (up to) a further three if clinically appropriate. The first session is 60-90 min via videocall, with subsequent 50-min sessions delivered online, using instant messaging. Participants allocated integrated CBT can access integrated online CBT resources (worksheets/information sheets/videos) within and between sessions. Outcome assessments at 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month post-randomisation. The primary outcome is the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) score at 6 months (as a continuous variable). A nested qualitative study and health economic evaluation will be conducted. DISCUSSION: If clinically and cost-effective, this model of integrated CBT could be introduced into existing psychological services, increasing access to, and equity of, CBT provision. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ISRCTN13112900. Registered on 11/11/2020. Currently recruiting participants. Trial registration data are presented in Table 1

Domestic violence and child protection

This research project was undertaken over a four year period and included four stand alone but related studies; an analysis of the NS W department of Community Services responses to domestic violence including 'tracking' of a sample of referrals over an eighteen month period: the understanding of practitioners I in both statutory and non-statutory organisations, of the policy and practice issues related to the protection of children and young people who live with domestic violence; women's perceptions about living with domestic violence and the protection of their children, and the views of children and young people who have lived with domestic violence. This paper will present the key findings from each of the studies and outline the guidelines for good practice developed from the project

Activism and social work

Keynote Address delivered at the ANZSWWER Symposium, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia, 3-4 October 2019 As educators and practitioners in the community, health and human services, if we are to move beyond the rhetoric of social justice and do social justice, social and political activism is one of the many ways we can do this and as such it has to be high in our educational and practice agenda and our lives. But is it?I believe that in the context of neo-liberalist influences that have impinged on higher educational institutions (or should they now be called businesses or corporations),  professional organisations who monitor and accredit social work and welfare programs, and employers who are driven by managerialist imperatives  that social work and welfare education and research has, or is at risk of becoming more conservative. How can we as educators, researchers, practitioners and students move beyond this to work towards a just society? Activism is one way to do this - it is the theme of this conference and social justice activism is the focus of my address today.

Unless they're asked: routine screening for domestic violence in NSW Health: an evaluation report of the pilot project

An evaluation of the pilot of routine screening in two NSW Area Health Services. This evaluation will inform the implementation of screening in Health services.Federal Government (funding from the Partnerships Against Domestic Violence Strategy

A Guide to Supervision in Social Work Field Education

This Guide to Supervision in Social Work Field Education is for anyone wanting to learn about or refresh their knowledge about the theory and practice of supervising social work students during their field education placement. The material in this Guide is the result of a collaborative effort between many Australian schools of social work, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW - the professional body representing social workers in Australia) and several industry partners including the NSW Department of Human Services, Community Services and Centrelink. It is the outcome of a project funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) that aimed to create an online program to prepare practitioners to supervise social work students during their placements. The program is open to both social workers and practitioners from other disciplines – anyone who wants to learn about the theory and process of supervising social work students during their field education placement. The Guide content is adapted from the online program which is a masters’ level subject, credited into many different postgraduate programs in Australia. The website for this program is found at: http://www.socialworksupervision.csu.edu.au/ Please see the website for copies of this Guide and for links to the online masters subject and for other resources