Improving personal and family safety
About Specialised Family Violence Services
The Specialised Family Violence Services uses a whole-of-family approach to improve personal and family safety. The program provides support to people who are experiencing or at risk of family and domestic violence. This may include:
- individuals
- couples
- children
- families.
There are currently 38 providers who offer a range of Specialised Family Violence Services. The services they offer include:
- specialised counselling for children
- family capacity building
- education
- men's behaviour change programs.
Specialised Family Violence Service providers work with:
- children as victims in their own right
- individuals who use violent or abusive behaviour
- Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations that provide culturally safe services in the Northern Territory.
Services offered
Children counselling
Children Specific Counselling (CSC) is delivered by 8 Relationships Australia organisations nationally.
This service aims to place children at the centre of service provision and contributes to a national response to children affected by family violence and their families.
Visit the Relationships Australia(Opens in a new tab/window) website for more information.
Men’s behaviour change programs
The Specialised Family Violence Service program provides early intervention support for people that use violence. Some providers offer men’s behaviour change programs and services.
Culturally safe services
The Specialised Family Violence Service program was expanded to include culturally safe services delivered by 4 Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) in the Northern Territory under the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-22(Opens in a new tab/window).
Funding
The Families and Children Activity funds this program through a grants process.
Twenty six of the 38 Specialised Family Violence Service providers are funded until 30 June 2026. The remainder are funded until 30 June 2027.
Guidelines, plans and reporting
Specialised Family Violence Service providers must follow a set of guidelines. They must also submit plans and progress reports.
The Families and Children Activity Outcomes Framework outlines the key outcomes funded programs and services need to achieve.
Operational guidelines
The operational guidelines help providers work in a consistent, coordinated and cooperative way.
The guidelines explain how to deliver services and provides answers to common questions. The guidelines also provide information about how to report critical incidents.
Read the Specialised Family Violence Service Operational Guidelines.
Activity Work Plans
Specialised Family Violence Service providers must submit Activity Work Plans (AWPs) and AWP reports. The requirements are set out in the grant agreement.
The Activity Work Plan guidance document and template helps providers complete their plan.
- Read Families and Children AWP Guidance document.
- Download the Specialised Family Violence Service Activity Work Plan template.
Review point
We review the mid-term performance of service providers. This helps check that grant activities are on track. The review allows up to work together to achieve better outcomes for families and children.
Read the assessment criteria for the Review Point in the Specialised Family Violence Service Operational Guidelines.
Program resources
These resources help Facilitating Partner and Specialised Family Violence Services providers.