For this Case Study, we spoke to:
*Harriet, a mother of two children, experienced ongoing family violence from two previous partners. Despite being in a new relationship, the violence continued from her ex-partner, *Dev, while her new partner, *Nikhil, also perpetrated abuse. Through a multidisciplinary practice (MDP) approach involving multiple specialists, Harriet and her children received comprehensive support, including safety planning, therapeutic interventions and coordinated case management. The case highlights the importance of specialisation, respectful communication and effective leadership in managing complex family violence situations.
Harriet is the mother of two children, *Kiran and *Farid. She has endured family violence from two previous partners. Despite separating from her previous partner, Dev, he continued to perpetrate violence against her while she was in a new relationship with Nikhil, who also subjected her to abuse. Harriet and her children had previously engaged with family violence case management services, and Kiran had intervened in incidents of family violence, further complicating the situation.
Harriet and her children were experiencing persistent family violence from both her previous partner, Dev, and her current partner, Nikhil. The key issues in their situation included ongoing abuse from both partners, which had significant psychological and physical effects on Harriet and her children. Additionally, Kiran, one of the children, was directly involved in incidents of violence. To address these challenges, there was an urgent need for a comprehensive safety plan and therapeutic support for the children.
A specialist family violence practitioner led the MDP response, recognising the need for a specialised lens in identifying high-risk factors. Harriet and her children were assigned three case managers: a family violence specialist for women; a family violence specialist for men; and a child wellbeing specialist. An MDP approach was employed, including tailored therapeutic responses for the children, a comprehensive family violence risk assessment and a safety plan for Harriet. Due to the ongoing threat, Harriet was provided with a wristwatch safety alarm device, and further information was gathered about the impact of violence on the children, leading to six weeks of funded therapeutic support.
The implementation involved several key actions to support Harriet and her children. Three specialised case managers were assigned to address their needs. Separate risk assessments were conducted for Harriet, the children and the individual using violence. A comprehensive family violence safety plan was developed, which included providing a wristwatch safety alarm device. Harriet was also referred for therapeutic support in addition to ongoing family violence case management. To ensure a thorough understanding of the situation, especially concerning Nikhil, who was in remand, information was proactively shared with the local men’s behaviour change service.
The MDP approach led to several critical outcomes. Harriet successfully developed a safety plan with her case manager, which included using a wristwatch safety alarm device. The children received six weeks of funded therapeutic support to address the effects of their exposure to family violence. Specialist knowledge in family violence risk assessments contributed to effective safety planning, despite the lack of contact attempts with Nikhil while he was remanded. Additionally, proactive information sharing with local services ensured a comprehensive understanding of the situation, which may facilitate future referrals for Nikhil upon his release from remand.
Key features critical to the success of the MDP and outcomes achieved in this case study include:
Centring the voices, interests and choices of victim–survivors across every aspect of service provision.
In this case example, Harriet and her children were assigned specialised case managers who focused on their individual needs, and a comprehensive safety plan was developed. This approach ensured that Harriet’s, and her children’s, voices, interests and choices were prioritised throughout the service provision, leading to a tailored support system that addressed their specific circumstances.
Valuing specialist knowledge enhances family safety and wellbeing, while respecting role boundaries improves practitioner satisfaction and retention.
In this case example, three specialised case managers were assigned: a family violence specialist for women; a family violence specialist for men; and a child wellbeing specialist. This enhanced family safety and wellbeing by providing expert knowledge and respecting role boundaries, which contributed to effective support and improved practitioner satisfaction.
Specialised service delivery does not mean that practitioners are notrequired to seek further learning in this area, however, encouragespractitioners to acknowledge their limitations and utilise the expertise ofothers.
Engaging respectfully with fellow practitioners, valuing diverse professional backgrounds and being open to learning from different perspectives.
In this case example, the MDP approach involved professionals from various fields, ensuring respectful engagement and valuing diverse professional backgrounds. This respectful collaboration fostered a supportive environment, enhancing the effectiveness of the case management and therapeutic interventions.
Clear governance structure, appropriate resources and a shared understanding of roles and processes create a platform for MDP.
In this case example, a clear MDP structure was established with defined roles and processes, including the use of a wristwatch safety alarm device and coordinated risk assessments. This provided a solid foundation for managing the complex case, ensuring appropriate resources and a shared understanding of roles, which facilitated effective and coordinated care.
Create team understanding of identified goals, what are we going to be about what’s our team going to be about? What are our expectations of each other? What are our boundaries.
Timely and effective exchange of relevant data, insights and knowledge across different professionals involved in supporting the client.
In this case example, information about the impact of violence and details on Nikhil’s situation were proactively shared with local services, including the men’s behaviour change service. This effective exchange of data and insights ensured an understanding of the situation, supporting future referrals and coordinated responses.
This case study shows the importance of an MDP approach in addressing complex family violence situations. Key recommendations include encouraging specialisation within MDP teams while fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among practitioners. It is also essential to promote clear roles and responsibilities to prevent burnout and ensure effective practice. Supporting the development of a strong team ethos, where goals and boundaries are clearly defined and mutually understood, is important.
