Research strengthens frontline workers to identify Domestic Violence
A new partnership between CQUniversity’s Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research (QCDFVR) and Family Emergency Accommodation Townsville (FEAT) will explore how tools that assist in identifying domestic violence are being used and how this can be improved.
“Right now, there is a gap in appropriate risk assessment tools available to the sector which can sometimes lead to violence going unnoticed,” Mandy Thompson, General Manager of FEAT said.
“We want to better equip our staff with the tools they need to protect not only themselves but also the families we work alongside.”
The two organisations have officially formalised a collaborative commitment to explore how domestic and family violence risk assessment tools are used in homelessness services – and how this can be improved.
The partnership was prompted by findings from a recent CQUniversity study which revealed that social workers and frontline staff often face challenges in applying risk assessment tools consistently.
Led by CQU Lecturer in Psychology Dr Rebecca Wilcoxson, in collaboration with Ms Thompson, Professor Tania Signal and QCDFVR Director Associate Professor Heather Lovatt – the research showed that while many practitioners are deeply committed to supporting vulnerable individuals, they’re frequently under-resourced and require additional training when it comes to identifying and responding to risk in complex domestic and family violence cases.
“Community workers employed by housing and homelessness services will likely need to perform screening for DFV – our research uncovered that risk assessment tools, although essential, are not always tailored to the unique context of homelessness services,” Dr Wilcoxson explained.
“These services provide housing and support to people in highly vulnerable, crisis-driven situations, making it critical that assessments are accurate, culturally appropriate and responsive to real-world pressures faced by staff.”
FEAT worked with 1086 Townsville families in the 2024 financial year.
“This partnership builds on our work to give every chance for families to have a safe and secure future, free from violence,” Ms Thompson added.
By bringing together academic insight from the QCDFVR with the practical, on-the-ground expertise of FEAT, the partnership will support joint research projects and knowledge-sharing to drive change.
“A key focus will be building better systems that support not only victim-survivors but also the wellbeing of workers in homelessness services, who are frequently exposed to trauma themselves,” Ms Thompson said.
The partnership aims to generate fresh insights into how the sector can strengthen its responses to domestic and family violence, inform best practice, and ultimately improve safety outcomes for people experiencing violence and housing insecurity.
Both organisations have committed to working together with the aim of producing research that leads to real-world impact.
“As domestic and family violence continues to be a leading cause of homelessness, particularly for women and children, this partnership marks an important step towards safer, more responsive and better-supported services across Queensland and beyond,” Ms Thompson said.
According to the report, First Nations women are more likely to experience Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) than non-First Nations women and Ms Thompson said that needed to be taken into consideration during the risk assessment processes.
“Through this partnership, further research to test the efficacy of DFV risk assessment methods/tools, including the appropriateness for First Nations people, will be conducted.”
