Research, factsheets, practice tools, and webinars examining the full impact of family violence and sexual violence on children and young people, offering insights to improve support systems for their wellbeing.
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Tash : A short film by Natasha Anderson (Family Safety Victoria, 2021)
Research
Tug of war | Jack*, 2025 | Read moreExplores how loyalty conflicts, fear, and pressure shape children’s relationships with adults around them.
A literature review of therapeutic intervention with young survivors of violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect Mary Jo McVeigh, 2025 | Read moreReviews therapeutic approaches for young survivors and highlights a persistent gap between adult centred evaluation and children’s lived experiences.
The impact of using an infant and child-led therapeutic approach in providing in situ consultations and transferable learnings to key workers working with families identified as at risk: A retrospective Australian study | Bunston, W., Long, M., Frederico, M., Ware, S., & O’Brien, A., 2025 | Read moreThis paper reports on a retrospective, qualitative evaluation of an ‘infant and child-led’ therapeutic family practice approach undertaken by an infant-mental-health-trained family therapist between 2013 and 2023 with early years service providers working with families deemed to be ‘at risk’ within the Western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia.
(Joint project with Southern Cross University, Swinburne, Safe and Equal, and Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare)
Find a range of resources related to this project, including key findings, recommendations, practitioner insights, children’s needs and experiences and others | Visit the website
This report presents the findings of the project, which engaged with children and young people as family violence experts by experience, to build an evidence base that strengthens understanding of the diversity and distinctiveness of children’s experiences of family violence and service response | Access report
Based on the report, this knowledge translation resource includes:
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Announcements
Commissioner Micaela Cronin delivers a keynote address yesterday at the Australian Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Recovery Alliance conference in Brisbane30th April 2026 | Read the full media release
She emphasised that children and young people involved in the youth justice system require support to heal from the harm they have experienced, rather than having that harm compounded by the criminal justice system. While acknowledging the harm that some young people in the youth justice system can cause, the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission maintains that supporting traumatised children to recover is not a “soft option,” but a critical component of the long-term prevention of domestic, family and sexual violence.“A system that responds to trauma with punishment does not reduce harm – it compounds it. We need a trauma-informed approach to youth justice that addresses the harm that many of these young people have experienced.”
Inquiry into the relationship between domestic, family and sexual violence and suicide
The Centre’s submission provides an evidence-informed overview of the complex relationship between domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) and suicide, viewed through a child and family services lens. It draws on research, sector insights and lived experience to highlight how children, caregivers and family systems are affected by intersecting risks that are too often overlooked in policy and practice. By bringing together key findings and implications, the resource aims to strengthen understanding, support more coordinated responses, and advocate for child- and family-centred approaches that reduce harm, enhance safety, and improve outcomes across systems | Read submission
*NEW* Seen Safe Supported: A new way to meet the needs of young victim survivors of family violence
Report by FVREE, April 2026 | Access
Seen Safe Supported is a youth informed service blueprint that proposes a new way of working, one that can operate at both service and system levels. It aims to shift the conversation from understanding the problem to implementing responses that meaningfully improve safety, access and long term outcomes for young people experiencing family violence.
Seeking help in their own right: Young victim-survivors’ experiences of family violence crisis responses in Victoria | Safe Steps, 2025 | Read more
‘We have a part to play’: How children and young people want adults to engage them in the primary prevention of child abuse and maltreatment | Tim Moore; Morag McArthur, 2024 | Read moreThis article shares the perspectives of children and young people on their role in prevention of abuse and maltreatment.
Coercive control and situational couple violence in families with child protection involvement: A case-file analysis | Ulrike Marwitz, Daryl J. Higgins and Thomas Whelan, 2024 | Read moreThis study analyses child protection case files to distinguish coercive control from situational couple violence and examines how these patterns shape risk, child safety, and intervention outcomes.
Filicide: Implications of new research for practice | Thea C. Brown; Danielle Tyson; Paula Fernandez Arias, 2025 | Read moreThis article synthesises new Australian research on filicide and outlines key predictors, risk patterns, and systemic gaps identified in coronial and case review material.
Revisiting cumulative harm: Reflecting on new research insights, legislative developments and coronial evidence as a road map for next steps | India Bryce, 2024 | Read moreThis review revisits the concept of cumulative harm through recent research, legislative changes, and coronial findings, making the case that cumulative harm remains an under-recognised driver of poor outcomes for children.
Exposure to intimate partner violence and the physical and emotional abuse of children | Australian Institute of Criminology, 2023 | Read moreThis research report presents findings from a survey of 3775 female carers, focusing on children’s exposure to intimate partner violence and the carers’ experiences of physical and emotional abuse.
The Australian Child Maltreatment Study | The ACMS Study, 2023 | Read moreThis first large-scale Australian study reports on the prevalence of child maltreatment, including child sexual abuse, its association with mental illness and its impact on health risk behaviours and conditions.
New Ways for Our Families: Designing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practice framework and system responses to address the impacts of domestic and family violence on children and young people | ANROWS, 2022 | Read moreThis research explores how services can better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people experiencing domestic and family violence who come into contact with child protection systems. It responds to gaps in current approaches that often lead to separation and limited support for healing.
Amplify: Turning up the volume on young people and family violence | Melbourne City Mission, 2021 | Read moreThis project seeks to understand the service system gaps for young people who are experiencing family violence in the home or from an intimate partner and aims to map a way forward.
You can’t pour from an empty cup | ANROWS, 2019 | Read moreResearch findings about the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who have both experienced domestic and family violence and had contact with the child protection system.
Looking for more? Check out the full catalogue of resources on this topic
Factsheets and practice tools
Supporting children and young people experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence | ANROWS, 2026 Designed for frontline workers, offering practical, evidence-informed prompts. Particularly relevant for practitioners working in regional and rural contexts, where service gaps, confidentiality risks and workforce pressures shape how support is delivered. | Check it out!
Providing tailored and inclusive support | Safe and Equal, 2025 Information for practitioners on understanding impacts, risk and safety considerations, signs of family violence, practice considerations, as well as tools and resources. This paper guides practitioners in delivering services that meet the safety and support needs of children and young people | Check it out!
Harmful sexual behaviours in children and young people | SASVic, 2024 Read moreFact sheet about harmful sexual behaviours in children and young people aimed at parents and carers which covers: what is normal sexual behaviour in children and young people? When is sexual behaviour in children and young people harmful? What do I do if my child is displaying these behaviours?
CHANGE Children’s Feedback Tool | Southern Cross University, 2024Funded by the Victorian Government, the Tool has been created alongside, and informed by the insights, experiences and ideas of, children and young people with lived experience of family violence. The Tool is a practical, interactive resource for practitioners, organisations and government agencies working with children and young people who have experienced family violence | Check it out(Read more about this research project above )
Connecting the dots | ANROWS, 2023 | Read moreConnecting the dots is a strengths-based practice framework for responding to the needs and priorities of children and young people with disability who experience domestic and family violence.
AVITH Collaborative Practice Framework | ANROWS, 2023 | Read moreThis resource outlines the pillars, principles and enablers of collaborative practice in responding to young people and their families experiencing adolescent violence in the home (AVITH). For more resources, practice guides and information related to AVITH, check out our AVITH Knowledge Hub.
Safe and Secure Practice Guide | ACF, 2023 | Read moreSafe and Secure is a practical, evidence-informed guide for adults who care for or work with children affected by family and domestic violence. It explains how early experiences of harm can impact children’s development, behaviour and relationships—and what adults can do to support healing.
Statewide Children’s Resource Program | View all resources
The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) family violence fact sheet | VACCA, 2022 | Read moreAn overview of family violence, including statistics that highlight the disproportionate impact of family violence on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children.
PERCS conversation guide | Emerging Minds, 2021 | Read moreDesigned to support specialist and non-specialist practitioners to have collaborative, respectful conversations with parent–clients about how family violence can affect the whole family. It recognises that all parents want to be the best parent they can be, even in the context of family violence, and that collaborating with parents is the most effective way to support a child’s social and emotional wellbeing.
Got something your organisation would like to share? Please get in touch!
Webinars
Conversations focusing on effective supports and programs for families and children experiencing or recovering from family violence and/or sexual violence, looking at both prevention and response.
Topics include:
Training
Training opportunities to enhance the knowledge and skills you need when working with children and young people who have experienced domestic, family and sexual violence.
Back to main FVSV Hub
The information provided on this Family Violence Sexual Violence Knowledge Hub is curated to be the most recent and relevant available. While the content is continually being developed and will be regularly updated to reflect the latest insights and best practices, these resources are not exhaustive. While we strive to maintain the accuracy and timeliness of the information, we encourage users to check back frequently for new and refreshed materials, and to contact the relevant peak body if you would like more information about family violence, sexual violence and/or working with children and families in this context.
