Inclusivity in Interagency Responses to Domestic Violence and Child Protection

ABSTRACT

The integrated response model offers opportunities for agencies to unite to address domestic violence and its intersections with other elements of oppression including colonialism, racism, and heterosexism. This article explores the workings of a well-established integrated response in relation to minoritised populations. Thirty staff from member organisations of the integrated response participated in semi-structured interviews. Using qualitative methodology, study findings indicated that service providers were cognisant of minoritised populations and open to assisting all. However, lack of recognition of the needs of minoritised populations, and challenges in incorporating cultural knowledge with specialist domestic violence knowledge, inhibited engagement. Enhanced collaboration between agencies and self-reflexivity in a culturally responsive approach may assist in assimilating narratives of racism, colonialism, and sexuality into integrated responses’ core philosophies.

IMPLICATIONS

• The social work profession has an important role in enhancing understanding and responses to diversity where there are domestic violence and child protection concerns.

• The social work profession's ecological approach and eclectic knowledge base positions the profession well to support inclusive multi-agency collaborations.

• The social work profession's commitment to anti-oppressive practice could promote partnership between domestic violence services and child protection services working with families experiencing violence.

整合的反应模型可以让不同主体有机会联合起来应对家暴和及其与别的压迫性因素如殖民主义、种族主义、反同性恋主义的交集。本文探讨了一个与少数人口相关的、较为成熟的整合反应的案例。三十位来自整合反应成员组织的工作人员参与了半固定访谈。研究采用了定量方法，结果显示服务提供者知道少数人口并愿意帮助他们。不过，对少数人口的需求缺少认识，以及一般文化知识与专门家暴知识相融汇的问题，限制了他们的参与。在一项文化反应中提倡不同主体之间的协作和反省有助于将种族主义、殖民主义和性歧视溶解于整合反应的核心思想中。

KEYWORDS:

• Domestic Violence
• Integrated Response
• Child Protection
• Indigenous
• CALD
• LGBTIQ

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial and other support it has received from Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) towards this research and, through it, the Australian Government and Australian state and territory governments. The findings and views reported in this paper are those of the authors and cannot be attributed to ANROWS, the Australian Government, or any state or territory. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the input from the Project's Advisory Group and participants in each state's case study research.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.