Strengthening partnerships and prioritising support

The Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) team focus for the future includes strengthening partnerships and referral pathways, particularly exploring options for male partnerships and identifying suitable client support groups.  

A success story: 

Our DFV Caseworker worked with a brave and resilient client who had various challenges. After years of living with the effects of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and complex mental health conditions, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), our client was later victim to ongoing alcohol-fuelled violence perpetrated by her ex-partner. The extent of the violence resulted in exacerbating both her mental and physical health.  

Our Caseworker provided support and advocacy to help our client navigate this overwhelming situation. When our client received a subpoena to attend court, this caused increased stress and anxiety about having to attend court regarding the preparation in the lead up. Our Caseworker knew that the process could re-traumatise our client and exacerbate her existing health issues.  

Our Caseworker worked closely with the police and legal team to ensure that our client’s voice and wishes were heard to not attend court and have her health/medical treatment prioritised.  

Our client acknowledged that she felt the collaboration with case management and legal. her traumatic history and ongoing health needs were taken into consideration when requesting a court exemption to police. At the same time, her long-awaited neurologist appointment and urgent neurosurgery was upcoming. Our Caseworker went above and beyond to assist our client in navigating the complexities of prioritising her medical care, all while simultaneously seeking justice.  

The outcome of this situation showcases our client’s strength and resilience and reflects the comprehensive support system we were able to put in place to safeguard her mental and physical well-being. 

Our caseworker received some fantastic and well-deserved feedback after the successful outcome: 

“The client spoke very highly of our caseworker, describing her as “gold” and appreciating her dedication to supporting people with disabilities. The client highlighted several key qualities that make our caseworker stand out. First and foremost, she praised the professionalism, kindness, and ability to provide direction and guidance. She also mentioned our caseworker’s delightful sense of humour, which has been a great source of encouragement for her.   

In her own words, the client noted that often, when working with people, it can feel staged and as if they are only there for the money. However, with our caseworker, she felt a genuine sense of professionalism, passion, and enthusiasm for her work and the people she serves. The client emphasised her absolute trust in our caseworker as both a person and a professional and wanted us to know that she consistently goes above and beyond, surpassing any expectations of a worker.“