THE READINESS PROGRAM
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Project Leader
Professor Kelsey Hegarty+61 3 8344 4992
Project Details
What is The Readiness Program?
The Readiness Program is a national training program for primary care providers to effectively recognise, respond, refer and record domestic and family violence using a trauma and violence informed approach. It offers a flexible, multifaceted training program to engage general practitioners, primary care nurses, Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners, and other primary care workers and practice staff.
The Readiness Program aims to provide better support to people experiencing or at risk of domestic and family violence through:
- Improving identification and risk assessment;
- Improving responses at the point of initial disclosure with good communication skills, active listening and non-judgmental support;
- Providing more appropriate support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, migrant and refugee groups, older people and other disadvantaged groups;
- Improving skills, understanding and confidence to provide care for families that is trauma and violence informed;
- Increasing accurate and timely referrals of women, men and children affected by DFV;
- Improving awareness and response in relation to the impact of DFV on children;
- Providing more holistic care for all members of the family including perpetrators and male victims; and
- Improving family safety, health and functioning, and reduce DFV .
What does The Readiness program offer?
- Whole of practice response to domestic and family violence (DFV). This includes both clinical and non-clinical staff working in any primary care setting.
- Evidence-based content promoting trauma and violence-informed care (TVIC) & cultural sensitivity
- Flexibility and delivered when it suits participants
- Training places are fully funded
- A focus on organisational capacity with an integrated approach for pathways to safety and well-being for families
- Includes consideration of working in the context of the pandemic
- Practice-centred training and follow up delivered by skilled local GP and FV Facilitators
- A suite of one hour elearning modules providing evidence-based knowledge and basic skills on early engagement actions tailored for victim-survivors and their families as well as people who use DFV
- Live and recorded RACGP webinars on topics based on RACGP’s The White Book
- Online workshops on Trauma and Violence Informed Care (TVIC) plus other topics
- Opportunity to engage in a GP-led online Community of Practice with others participating in the program
Who is eligible to access the training?
The Readiness Program offers training that is fully funded to anyone working in a primary care setting (clinical and non-clinical staff within General Practice, Community Health and Aboriginal Medical Services) .
Find out more information this program and register to attend training by visiting the Safer Families Website.
Collaborators
Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA)
Settlement Services International (SSI)
Primary Health Networks (PHNs)
Funding
The Readiness Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health under the Primary Health Care Quality and Coordination Program - Improving Health System Response to Family and Domestic Violence: National Training for Primary Care Workforce initiative.
The purpose of the grant is to build capacity of GPs and primary care workers to better support patients experiencing family and domestic violence.
Research Publications
Abuse and violence - Working with our patients in general practice (White Book)
Blue Knot Foundation’s Practice Guidelines portal
Phoenix Australia online resources
Health practitioners' readiness to address domestic violence and abuse: A qualitative meta-synthesis